2011 Anti-Clásico Dream Team

With the current year drawing it’s final few breathes what better time is there to decide on a definitive la Liga dream team for 2011? So as I sit here munching away on my last turkey sandwich of the festive period all I need to do is choose between which Real Madrid and Barcelona players I think would work best together. Valdés or Casillas, Busquets or Alonso, Ronaldo or Messi, blah blah blah blah blah.

Don’t worry, this tired old debate wears thin with yours truly as well. Instead my starting XI contains a very important stipulation: only players from outside the top two clubs can be included. Believe it or not, there is actually some top quality to be found further down the league table that deserves a mention despite maybe not receiving the same level of international plaudits as their counterparts in the Camp Nou and Bernabéu do.

I’ve gone for a 4-2-3-1 formation, in the fashion of Real Madrid’s structure, with over lapping wingbacks covered by two deep playing midfielders, while the three attacking midfielders are left to their creative devices further up the pitch.

Roberto (GK): Granada

Granada FC have by no means set the world alight this season but haven’t been a pushover either, boasting a pretty decent home record for a recently promoted side. Although firepower is lacking, Fabri’s team is pretty sturdy at the back, and is impressively tied with Valencia’s for having conceded the third fewest goals so far this season (16). Part of the reason for this robustness in defence is down to having Roberto between the sticks. His catlike reflexes and commanding presence have kept his team in many a game this year, as Atlético, Sevilla and Zaragoza can testify, and had the Spaniard been born any other nationality, he’d surely be in contention for an international call up.

Juan Valera (RB): Getafe

I feel awful. Not one member of this season’s fairy tale side, Levante, makes it into my side. I would loved to have thrown Javi Venta in but alas, although the ex Villarreal man is having a wonderful season, he’s clearly in the autumn of his career and I’d be wary of his old legs’ stamina working the flanks over 90 minutes. Therefore, a more spritely Valera gets the shout. Strong defensively but even better when going forward, the former Atlético player always seems to have acres of space to run into and is an excellent crosser of the ball.

Guillherme Siquera (LB): Granada

Another sure-footed full back, this Brazilian is enjoying his first season in the Spanish top flight with much aplomb. As mentioned above Granada has a stubborn back line but Siquera also adds a bit of South American flair to the Cármenes outfit. He and Arda (more about him later) will compliment each other well on the left flank.

Emir Spahic (CB): Sevilla

New coach Marcelino’s pragmatic approach to the game hasn’t exactly been the return to the easy-on-the-eye football Sevilla fans have been yearning for, and what’s more the goals have dried up somewhat. One thing the manager has been successful with since taking charge though is shoring up the traditionally leaky defence - one that conceded 59 league goals last season. At the heart of this improvement is new signing Emir Spahic. At 31 the veteran is no spring chicken but his solid performances since moving from Montpellier have shown that he has plenty of life left in him. Towering in the air and good with possession Bosnia’s second most capped player in history is everything this team is looking for in a centre half.

Adil Rami (CB): Valencia

Another masterstroke in the transfer market by Unai Emery saw this towering hulk of a man make his way to Mestalla from French side Lille. Not averse to throwing his weight around and also possessing a surprising amount of pace and agility for a big fella, he’s quite handy with the ball at his feet to boot. His adjustment to life in Spain has been impressive, as has his introduction to what is sure to be a long international career – the correlation between him coming into Laurent Blanc’s side and Les Bleus’ recent revival in form is hardly a coincidence.

Éver Benega (DMF): Valencia

Another Valencia man into the mix and it’s hard to argue against this one - the nickname El Elegante is pretty self-explanatory after all. At his best when sitting in a holding role, this former Boca Juniors player acts like the conductor of midfield, pulling the strings in the middle of the park and controlling the pace and rhythm of the game. In a deeper position he can get plenty of the ball, allowing him to distribute it accordingly, either by spraying it wide, playing it short, through the middle or over the top. Whatever he chooses to do it always seems effortless, so he gets a most assuring of nods from this fantasy manager.

Javi Martínez (DMF): Club Athletic

Although having played the majority of this season as a centre back on Marcelo Bielsa’s orders, Martínez broke onto the scene as a defensive midfielder and knows the position well. More than capable of doing the scrappy work to frustrate opponents’ attacks, this seasoned Spanish international would make life much easier for Banega alongside him. Don’t be fooled into thinking that doggedness is all he brings to the table though, apart from his strong ability to intercept and win the ball he can also act as a catalyst for counterattacks due to his natural instinct to pass forwards.

Santi Cazorla (AMF): Málaga

This bucktoothed and affable Andalusian was the pièce de résistance during Malaga’s summer spending spree and, although Pellegrini’s project has been slow getting off the ground, El Cuín has remained as classy as ever and at a plucky 5’5’’ has been head and shoulders above the all the other new arrivals to La Rosaleda. Former teammate Marcos Senna compared his departure from Villarreal to losing a finger, and looking at the Yellow Submarine’s plummeting form since his exit it’s easy to see why. Smart, versatile and technically superb he is a menace to any side he faces, which has not gone unnoticed by Del Bosque, who has called upon his services for the national team of late, no mean feat considering la Roja’s abundance of world class talent. With Banega and Martínez marshalling things behind, he would have licence to push on further forward, where he would best be utilised, as was witnessed during the glory days of last season when the trio of him, Borja Valero and Giuseppe Rossi tantalised and delighted fans and neutrals in equal measure.

Arda Turan (LMF): Atético Madrid

There was some stiff competition for this left midfield slot, what with Levante’s Juanlo having the season of his life and Malaga’s wonder kid, Isco showing all the signs of being a star in the making, however, it’s the Turkish maestro who makes the cut. His first season in the Calderón has so far entailed all the chaos and instability any new signee should come to expect from the south Madrid club, yet where others usually lose themselves amidst the sea of backroom debacles and in-house fighting, Arda has done something quite peculiar for an Atleti player: consistently play well. Already leading the colchonero charts for most assists (5) (which will be important for our loan man up front) he is now finding his own name on the score sheet more and more as well. A combination of things, including a tireless work ethic, great decision-making and a penchant for a long range shot when it’s on, has endeared the former Galatasaray captain to this blogger.

Iker Muniain (AMF): Club Athletic

The second member to make it into the team from the Bilbao club is prodigious Lion Muniain. Under the guidance of Joaquín Caparrós, and now Bielsa he has become an omnipresent fixture in the Athletic team-sheet, coupling the mandatory toughness required by the Basque outfit - a necessary component when you’re the most fouled player in the league – and an intelligence way beyond his 19 years. This old head on young shoulders reads the game remarkably well, always tuned in to harass opposition defences with intricate passing and penetrating runs, and is at his most dangerous when given freedom to roam. Therefore, he’d more than likely work well with a similarly multitalented player like Cazorla along side him.

Roberto Soldado (FW): Valencia

Without question Spain’s most in form striker at the moment, Soldado has found the back of the net no fewer than 17 times this season in all competitions. His nickname, el Guerrillero (the Guerrilla) implies that he lays low only popping up now and then to score, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. A constant thorn in the side of opposition defences he’s not only capable of scoring a wide range of goals, from the ugly to the sublime, but also of bringing others into play. While Del Bosque might be hesitant to use him in his squad, I sure as hell am not!

Bring it on Mou and Pep!

A Surprise Visit in Cantabria

Sunday’s potential relegation dogfight between Racing Santander and Real Sociedad was never going to live up to the events that unfolded in such dramatic fashion earlier on in the day. And it didn’t even come close. At the end of the 90 minutes the referee, Velasco Carballo, called an end to proceedings in which both sides cancelled each other out and shared the modest spoils in a rather dull scoreless draw.

The real story had already taken place, and boy was it juicy! Straight from the trashy of a soap opera scriptwriter the unexpected twist in the torrid tale of Racing’s ownership conundrum meant the club’s General Meeting of Shareholders was going to be an unforgettable one. Ironically it took place in Santander’s Faculty of Economics, Business and Law, three broad concepts the club has not exactly given much importance to in recent years.

The under fire board

The much-anticipated redistribution of power within the Cantabria club was not to occur as previously thought. The various groups making up the meeting were expecting to put an end to an embarrassing 2011 for the club by electing a new board to stir the bankrupt ship out of trouble, but not before a very unwelcome surprise visit.

The almost pantomime villain-esque current club owner and majority shareholder (98%), Alí Syed, who has been on the run from Interpol since earlier this year (not the doleful rock outfit, the international criminal investigation one), decided to show up. Well, as good as. From beneath the rock he has presumably been hiding under he sent his henchman, Werber Horst, and a translator, to do his bidding for him and throw a spanner in the works of change.

Much to the ire of those in attendance a new board was formed before their helpless eyes, consisting of Ramón Muñiz, the ex Bezana president, Ángel Lavín Iglesias, Fernando Burgués and Fernando Ortiz, ex president of the Association of Racinguista Supporters. When Francisco Pernía, the as of Sunday ex president of the club, announced the names things really came to a head, especially when Fernando Ortiz’s name escaped the former race car driver’s lips. Ortiz’s involvement in Syed’s acquisition of the club in the first place is seen as the main reason for the club’s sorry state and provoked some heckling and the odd cry of “traitor” to be heard.

Horst lying low as anger spills out behind him

The tension really kicked in when acting president of the Supports Association, Bernardo Colsa called for the minority shareholders to show their disgust by walking out. This caused extraordinary scenes as the auditorium cleared out with certain groups sticking around to belt out a chorus of “Nosotros somos el Racing” (We are Racing) in unison after a rousing attack on the board members by the aforementioned Colsa. Those who stuck around to ask questions used the floor as a way to vent their understandable frustration and hurl some accusations and abuse at the board members. The fan’s wrath was full on and no punches were pulled. The audience interrogated the board members about the €16 million debt accumulated over the past year and the irresponsible stewardship of the club. Their loyalty to the montañeses was also questioned, with prominent board member, Roberto Bedoya’s salary being accusingly referred to as his sole reason for devotion to the club, “your racinguismo cost €120,000”, which was followed by rousing applause and cheering.

However, as riled up as the minority shareholders were about how things had paned out, there was nothing they could do about it. Calls to have another vote fell on deaf ears and after all the fury and antagonism the meeting was adjourned by Pernía, who himself was not to leave untarnished, “We (the fans) would ask you to leave us the keys to your Audi on the table and tell us where it is”.

Only a day later and the overwhelming pressure on the new board had taken it’s toll on the two of the members. Fernando Burgués and Fernando Ortiz both resigned just a day later sighting the importance of their families well being as a major factor in their decision-making.

What comes next remains to be seen. The fact that Syed absconded for legal reasons is not something that has gone unnoticed by indignant fans, and lawyer Javier Noriega made reference to this when he called on the bankruptcy administrators to rectify the “shameful” situation. Whether Syed’s power can be dissolved through legal means won’t be known until after winter at the earliest. Until then the ice cold relationship between fans and the board is unlikely to thaw.

While the team may not be putting the world alight on the pitch, the commotion behind the scenes is enough for this blogger to hope the club stays up this season. Car crash entertainment value of Jerry Springer proportions. 

Vicente Calderón's Trampled on Dream

Last week in a glitzy ceremony to the world’s press Atlético Madrid president, Enrique Cerezo, with players in tow, unveiled the long awaited plans for the club’s new state-of-the-art stadium, La Peineta, located in an area known as San Blas in the east of the Spanish capital. Presumptuously named El Estadio Olímpico de Madrid when it was originally inaugurated by the Madrid council in 1994, the ground has since been acquired by los rojiblancos after Spain lost out to London and then Rio de Janeiro in successive bids to host the Olympics Games.

What La Peineta will look like

As Spain’s third most supported club you would expect moving from a ground with a capacity of 55,000 to 67,500 would make sense, however, seeing as the average attendance in the current stadium is a lowly 40,000, it’s hard to justify the move on the grounds of expansion alone.

Perhaps the vast infrastructural improvements the new stadium will offer is a better road for Cerezo and the club’s CEO, Miguel Ángel Gil Marín to go down. The Vicente Calderón has seen better days since it’s opening in 1966. The glass façade that encases the side overlooking the Manzanares river is in clear disrepair, with more than a few holes and missing window panes noticeable from quite a distance away, while inside the stadium the neglect immediately becomes apparent upon walking through the turnstiles, where the leaking stands above the entrances ensure that the pallid cement walls and staircases that greet you upon entry are accompanied by a inauspicious dampness. Toilet facilities, while not exactly Trainspotting-esque, are far from desirable and the comfort level provided by moulded plastic pews is nowhere near comparable to the pin-up example of a world class amphitheatre it’s domineering neighbour boasts, the Santiago Bernabéu.

Opinion among fans is split on the relocation, some arguing that it is a necessary change that symbolises the club’s intent to recapture it’s once revered status as a footballing powerhouse, while others object to moving away from the south side of the capital, where the fan base is especially rife, and insist that it is nothing more than a megalomaniac desire by both Cerezo and Gil to rewrite their murky history within the sleeping giant: chants of “Gil, cabrón, fuera del Calderón!” (Gil, you arsehole, get out of the Calderón!) are commonplace on match days, regardless of what is happening on the pitch.

El Calderón The current mecca to mediocrity

Whatever the feelings towards the move are, the fact is that it’s forthcoming – beginning the 2014/15 season - and the once highly regarded Vicente Calderón will become another victim to progress, left behind as a mere footnote in the history books, much like the president after whom it was named.

A self-made businessman from Leon, Calderón was instrumental in the construction of the current ground and oversaw things at the club during it’s most illustrious period ever, in which it won four league titles, four league cups, one Intercontinental Cup as well as coming runners up in the European Cup. His massive success was to be his undoing in the end, eventually dying of a heart attack in 1987 while still in office.

Calderón’s visionary outlook for Atleti was quickly undone by his successor, the peerless Francoist and openly racist, Jesús Gil y Gil (father of Miguel Ángel). Gil’s appointment was the beginning of a downward slide for the club, and the lavish spending by the former mayor of “Costa de la Crime” hotspot, Marbella and his self-appointed successor, Cerezo, has seen the success supporters had become so used to during the rojiblanco heyday be replaced by a perpetual sense of disappointment.

Fair enough, winning two European titles two seasons ago under “Gilifato” stewardship cannot be denied - when Diego Forlán was the difference against Fulham in the Europa Cup final and then José Antonio Reyes and Kun Agüero were at hand to dispatch of Inter Milan in the UEFA Super Cup - but these triumphs have to be taken into context.

Angry bedsheets make their feelings about Gil Marín and Cerezo known

Firstly, Atleti’s path to Europa Cup glory came after being spectacularly humbled in the group stages of The Champions League and, finding itself in the tournament’s less glamorous counterpart, via the backdoor, only to stumble it’s way through the competition, winning only two out of eight games before facing Roy Hodgson’s south London team in the final. It’s also worth remembering that the team finished an unremarkable ninth in the league that season.

Not only has the current administration come under scrutiny for the club’s failings on the pitch, it has also felt the fans’ wrath for the appalling handling of the books.

El Pais journalist, José Marcos revealed the extent of the club’s financial woes on Wednesday in an eye-opening article which, among other things, pointed to a glaring €215 million los colchoneros owe to the Spanish taxman. Not surprising when the costs are put into perspective. An average of 14 new faces have graced the red and white dressing room each season since 1998. This eagerness to welcome in new players at such a frequent rate understandably carries with it a hefty price, approximately €600 million in fact.

This revolving door policy is not only reserved for the playing staff, the management team is just as transient. In the same time Sir Alex Ferguson has been manager at Manchester United, Atleti has seen it’s bench change hands a whopping 51 times, and this figure looks set to rise very soon going by Gregorio Manzano’s disastrous return to the club.

Of course with players coming in others have to go out, and this past summer the changeover worked in Atleti’s favour, at least from a revenue point of view: saying fair well to Kun, De Gea, Forlán, Elías, Julio Alves, Ujfalusi and Ibrahima generated enough money to offshoot the value of the new acquisitions and leave €12 million to spare. However, that was an exceptional batch of players and the chances of repeating that success in the transfer market in the near future looks slim, as their most valuable player, Falcao, doesn’t even belong to them fully, due to a deal shrouded in secrecy with the ubiquitous agent, Jorge Mendes.

However, despite all the transfer money coming in, the club still managed to record a loss of €5.9 million for last season.

Needless to say the repercussions of not having played in Europe last year have affected the budget. According to Marcos’ report the club’s purse strings have been tightened by over €30 million in the past year, from €122.8 million in 2009/10 to €90 million this term. Nonetheless, the overriding overhead, wages, has increased from €52 in 2009/10 to €53 million last season and is expected to climb to €61.5 million this season. Adding fuel to this growing figure is the increase in player bonuses to €8.7 million. A strange decision by Cerezo and Gil considering how below par the team has been performing, and one which has not gone unnoticed by other members of the board, “This increase of almost €2 million is incomprehensible. How can it be that the stimulus for good results is greater now than it was during the season in which the team won the European Cup in Hamburg, the club’s first international title since 1974? It’s preposterous given the team has not qualified for Europe and only finished seventh in la Liga.”

Europa Cup winning team 

Maybe the decision to butter the players up was a way of deflecting attention away from bonuses elsewhere. The report also pointed to Gil’s own annual wages over the last few years, €1.2 million, €1.35 million and an expected €1.05 million for this year is a tidy sum by anyone’s standards, even more so considering the club’s statute states that a salary can only be drawn if the club makes a profit.

The financial crisis in Spanish football is not only affecting Atleti of course, but the extent to which the red and white club’s stubbornness to face up to the facts is unmatched by anyone else. Of the €694 million owed to the Spanish government in unpaid taxes the Madrid club’s bill makes up a third of the total.

Whether the move to La Peineta spells a new, brighter chapter for the Madrid club remains to be seen. One thing’s for sure though, the refurbishments currently being carried out on it will require an awful lot of wallpaper to cover up the glaringly large fiscal cracks the Gil legacy has caused. 

El Clásico: 10-12-2011

Ronaldo eyeing up Messi

The scene was set for yet another dramatic clash between the elite of world football.

A game which featured all three Balon D’Oro nominees, two thirds of the candidates for FIFA World Coach of the year award and two teams who between them could boast a collective score line of 138-23 in all competitions since they last crossed paths back in August’s Super Cup.

In midweek Pep Guardiola attempted to deflect the focus away from the enormity of his side’s encounter in the Santiago Bernabéu by speaking about how events elsewhere merited more attention than a mere game of football, namely those in Brussels, where the future of the Euro was being mulled over yesterday. Needless to say his efforts were in vain. As perilous a state as the EU finds itself in economically, the truth of the matter is that financial recessions just doesn’t generate as much passion or interest as El Clásico does.

Football’s most decorated club in recent years toe-to-toe against the most decorated club of all time - Real Madrid versus FC Barcelona - and, for the first time since becoming coach at Chamartín, José Mourinho found his team heading into the match as favourites.

Despite having been a different class coming into tonight’s game, los blancos will no doubt feel their recent surge in form a hallow consolation as once again they succumbed to the mesmerising football of their arch nemesis in a 3-1 home defeat and thus threw away a great opportunity to effectively wrap up the title race at such an early stage into the campaign.

Mourinho fantasising about a bolt of lightening taking out Messi

As it stands now the two teams are neck and neck in first position, with Real having a game in hand. However, even with that advantage, today’s result will be a massive psychological blow for Mou’s team as their self-created bubble was so savagely burst in front of them and talk of a shift in power towards the Spanish capital will be very much muted as a result.

With most of the pressure being heaped on Barcelona going into the tie, Pep kept his cards close to his chest and the multiple selection imponderables remained that way until close to kick off. Speculation about which formation would be employed (the work-in-progress 3-4-3 or tighter 4-3-3)? Who would appear up front with Messi? And whether Gerard Pique or Charles Puyol would play were closely guarded secrets the Barça coach was in no mood to reveal to the press.

Having made no secret about his intentions to start with a 4-3-3 formation with a three-man trivote in the middle of the park, the two main points of discussion surrounding Mou’s starting XI were, would Lass Diarra start in the middle along with Sami Khedira and Xabi Alonso or do a job as right back, as question marks hung over Alvaro Arbeloa’s fitness. And who would get the nod to accompany Di María and Ronaldo up front, Karim Benzema or Gonzalo Higuaín?

In the end the Special One couldn’t resist a surprise. Presumably because Arbeloa wasn’t 100% to start, utility man Fabio Coentrão started at right-back while Khedira made way for Özil in midfield, meaning that the trivote idea was ditched in place of a 4-2-3-1 formation. The system that had provided their 15-game winning sreak and best utilises the attacking prowess of Ronaldo, Özil and Di María, with Benzema getting the nod up top.

Meanwhile Pep made some eyebrow raising selection choices of his own, with both David Villa and Javier Mascherano being sacrificed. Going with a 3-4-3, both Pique and Puyol partnered each other at the back alongside Eric Abidal, while la pulga was accompanied by Cesc and Alexis up front.

Much of the build-up to the game focused on how improved Madrid have become this season and their relentless pressing game was highlighted as a real worry for their visitors. Nonetheless, no one expected them to come out of the traps in the manner with which they did.

Twenty-four seconds was all Benzema needed to justify his inclusion, scoring the quickest goal in Clásico history. However the creation of the goal owed more to a horrendous error from Victor Valdes than a great Madrid move, the Barca keeper made a hash of a routine clearance straight from kick-off by gifting the ball to Di María whose failed through ball was blocked only as far as Ozil and his deflected shot looped towards the poaching Frenchman, who was able to adjust his stance and volley in from close range.

An amazing start, which madridistas probably thought was a just the beginning of a memorable night. Unfortunately for them it soon became one they’ll quickly want to forget.

Apart from the opening goal, the high-octane start produced few clear-cut opportunities for either side. Messi got the better of Ramos in the fifth minute after the wet surface caused the centre-half to lose his footing, but the ensuing run and snap shot was safely palmed away by Iker Casillas for a corner.

Ronaldo, again failing to live up to his world-class reputation on the big occasion, was guilty of glory hunting soon after, when a wonderfully delicate pass from Benzema to feed the Portuguese talisman in should have been laid off to Di María, who was in a much better position to score. Instead he went for the spectacular shot, leathering it well wide.

Messi punished such greediness minutes later with yet another mazy, chaos-creating run through the Madrid midfield, beating Lass and Ramos, then playing a superb vertical ball into the path of Alexis who, with plenty still to do, cooly shrugged off the hot-on-his-heels Coentrao and Pepe before rifling the ball well out of Casillas’ reach into the bottom left hand corner.

For all the talk before the match of referee, David Fernández Borbalán’s anti-madridista bias from certain corners of the Spanish sporting press (guess which ones), he handled the game well. However just before half-time he had a big call to make as a late challenge by Messi on Alonso which wasn’t punished with what would have been a second yellow card for the Argentine. Overall though, the ref was fair. All five yellows he produced were bookable offences and this time Mourinho will have to accept his side’s inferiority to a far stronger team than blame the referee for the result.

The equaliser signalled the start of Barca’s dominance in the game, and from that point on Real were a shadow of the team which has performed so dominantly this season.

Alexis levels matters

Soon into the restart things went from bad to worse for the home side, when Xavi, on his 600^th appreance for the blaugrana, attempted a speculative effort from outside the box and his, admittedly well struck, shot took a wicked deflection off Marcelo which wrong-footed Casillas, who could only watch helplessly as the ball bounced in off the post to make it 2-1, seemingly in slow motion.

Soon after and against the run of play, Ronaldo failed to make things level with a golden opportunity from a ball swung in from the right that the former Manchester United man only needed to direct into Valdes’ net from all of six yards out with no one marking him. Instead he headed it wide and had to look on in pain as Cesc Fabregas was on hand to show him how to finish with his head just a minute later.

Xavi mid fishing anecdote 

From Ronaldo’s miss Barcelona started a lightening fast sweeping move involving the ever-present Messi who released Alves on the right who then sent in a perfect cross towards Madrid’s back post which Cesc met with a powering header that flew into the back of the net. At 3-1 the game was over.

A speculative shot from Benzema, cutting in on his right, could have provided the home side with a lifeline had the recently introduced Higuaín been able to get on the end of it as it zipped past Valdes’ goal, however, it was beyond his reach and there were to be no more chances for the home side.

The game ended to a deafening cacophony of booing and hissing from the home support. Barcelona put an end to any doubts about their mental resolve and quietened and detractors who were pointing to their poor (by their standards) away record, by strolling to what in the end was an easy three points.

Back to the drawing board for Mou, who will have to lift his squad’s spirits ahead of next week’s trip to Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán to face Sevilla.

FT: Real Madrid 1 (Benzema 1) Barcelona 3 (Alexis 29, Marcelo (og) 52, Fabregas 65)

Real Madrid: Casillas; Lass (Khedira), Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Coentrão, Alonso; Di María (Higuaín), Özil (Kaka), Ronaldo; Benzema.

Barcelona: Valdés; Alves, Piqué, Puyol, Abidal; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta (Pedro); Cesc (Keita), Messi, Alexis (Villa)

Fact: In 82 years of La Liga only twice has a team lifted the title after losing a clásico at home. Barca 28-29 & Madrid 75-76 

El Clasico's Fire Power Under the Lens

With the world coming to a stand still this Saturday night to watch the two titans of Spanish and, let’s face it, world football battle it out, I take a look at both Real Madrid and Barcelona’s forward line ups.

Real Madrid

First of all in the white corner a reluctant mention must go to Ángel Di María, who is in the form of his life at the moment and with his 11 assists (the most by any player in any of the top five European leagues) and three goals is thoroughly justifying the €30 million Mou coughed up to Benfica for him. Although certain elements of his game continue to frustrate this blogger, i.e. his persistent diving, his all round play this season has been top drawer and more so than ever he will be a real threat to the Barca back line as his creative streak shows no signs of petering out.

Di Maria: A moment of hand puppetry after scoring

2011/12 has been Real Madrid’s best ever start to a season. Breaking the previous club record of 46 goals in the opening 14 games, held by the 1959/60 team, which included DiStefano, Puskas and Gento, the current squad has notched up an incredible 49 goals. That’s an average of 3.5 goals per game.

Obviously without Cristiano Ronaldo running riot in midfield things would be very different. Rampant in midfield and devastating in front of goal CR7 is in blistering form this year, and apart from his 17 league goals he has also turned provider on six occasions. El Clasico, and it’s fair to say the big occasions in general, have not always produced the best from the 26 year old, however, scoring the winner against the old enemy in the Copa del Rey final this year will have boosted his already astoundingly high confidence no end. And while previous encounters between the sides at the Bernabéu have seen the former Manchester United ace come up short in comparison to Lionel Messi in the never-ending battle to find out which one of them is the world’s greatest player, this time round the surrogate father is almost unplayable at home. His eye for goal is keener than ever, as his six goals and four assists in six league games go to prove.

Nonetheless, the Portuguese maestro is not the only blanco Pep will be concerned about.

Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuaín are also making waves, if not significant ripples, in the scorer charts with 19 league goals between them. Mourinho’s fondness for a 4-2-3-1 formation, in order to exploit space for Ronaldo and Di María to prowl the wings and cause havoc, means that the two forwards are used interchangeably, usually on a game-to-game basis.

Last night against Ajax in the final group game, just for the hell of it, the Special One started with both of them together. Any inkling either player had about this experimental tactic being repeated on Saturday was nipped in the bud my Mou after the game when he said, “Saturday is a different game and Cristiano, Di María and either Benzema or Higuaín will play”.

The fact that it was the former Lyon man who came off early in Amsterdam could be interpreted as the French man being rested ahead of the big clash on the weekend.

Benzema, having originally struggled to settle in, now looks at home in Madrid, thanks in no short part to having the club’s sporting director and fellow Gaul, Zinedine Zidane as a mentor. Benzema has always had the necessary level of natural talent to fit in at the club but previously seemed to lack the psychological strength an institution like Madrid requires. He is coping far better with the competition within the squad now though and seems to be enjoying his football once again. Of the two forwards he is probably the more complete player: able to play as the lone man up front or drop deeper if needs be, as he showed when filling in for Di Maria in midfield recently.

"No hard feelings mate"

All the same, Higuaín is by no means a second rate striker and could easily feature. The affable French-born Argentine is as cynical as they come, holding the best goals to games ratio of all la liga players: only seven starts and seven appearances as a sub in the current campaign have produced 12 goals from Pipita.

Barcelona

While Mourinho’s decision as to who will start between Benzema and Higuaín is anyone’s guess, los culés have one player who (failing a natural disaster or a well orchestrated abduction by Madrid fans) is guaranteed to start, the untouchable Argentine, Leo Messi. A superlative heavy homage to la pulga (the flee) is wholly unnecessary, as we all know what the wizard from Rosario is capable of: 17 league goals and 7 assists since the beginning of the season speaks for itself. Even though only one of these goals was scored on the road (against Athletic), the Santiago Bernabéu is a particularly fruitful hunting ground for the number ten, where in this calendar year alone he has silenced los merengues no less than four times in three games, including during the Champions League semi-final, when he took on the Madrid midfield and back line singlehandedly in a mazy, one-man-against-the-world style dribble before cooly slotting the ball into the back of Casillas’ net.

Gentlemen before battle: Ronaldo and Messi

Pep’s selection conundrum comes in the form of choosing between the other world class strikers at his disposal. Whether the Philosopher (as old buddy Zlatan affectionately refers to him) sticks with the 4-3-3 formation, which he has employed for most of the season, or reverts to a tighter 4-4-2, in order to quash Real’s midfield, remains to be seen. Going on previous encounters I’m willing to hazard a guess at the former, in which case the chances of making the starting XI would be much more favourable for the likes of David Villa, Alexis Sanchez, Pedro or this season’s Masía revelation, Isaac Cuenca (Adriano still out with a knock).

Having to play in a system that’s designed to best utilise star man Messi requires the other forwards to adapt, and in some cases play out of position. This is definitely true for Villa, who for his standards has had a pretty quiet season so far. Rumours that he and Messi don’t get along with each other should to be taken with a grain (if not a shaker) of salt, however, there is no denying that El Guaje is being played wider than he’d like, and seeing as he doesn’t offer much in terms of defensive duties or build up play this puts extra pressure on his finishing ability. Nonetheless, even on his quiet days the number 7 is capable of scoring goals from thin air, like during his last run out at the Bernabéu when he cut in on his right and curled the ball spectacularly into the top corner of Madrid’s net to equalise, having done little else up until that point.

 Infectious yawn: Villa and Pedro

There is also the prospect of Alexis Sánchez, whose arrival to the Camp Nou was somewhat overshadowed by all the drama surrounding Cesc Fabregas’ return to Catalonia. The Chilean didn’t have an ideal start to his la liga career, picking up a hamstring injury against Real Sociedad, which saw him side-lined for most of October and lost him his place in the pecking order. However, in recent weeks he has found the frightening form which made him such a hit in Udinese. Fast, skilful and willing to track back, Alexis is a versatile forward who can play anywhere along the front line and even drop deeper into midfield if called upon to.

No one expected new boy Cuenca to hit the ground running in the manner which he has since coming into the Barca first team. While he may not have exactly been blessed in the looks department, the precocious 20 year old makes up for this with his footballing talent. A definite crowd-pleaser, he possesses all the hallmarks of an azulgrana: pace, pin-point passing, invention, intelligence and finishing. As Guardiola so eloquently put it after another fine performance against Levante on Saturday, “Physically speaking he might not be popular with the ladies, but on the field he does things that will amaze you. He does his work perfectly!” Playing out of his skin against BATE in the Champions League last night and contributing to all four goals will have done his chances of starting his first Clasico no harm.

Girl repulser, Isaac Cuenca 

That leaves Pedro. Ankle problems have limited his playing time this season and, although, lasting the whole 90 minutes on Tuesday night against BATE he probably lacks enough match time to merit a start. Saying that, his work rate, passing and knack for scoring important goals will ensure that he remains an ace up Pep’s shirt sleeve and is likely to feature at some stage during the clash.

Verdict

The stage is set for another epic encounter and this time Madrid has the upper hand because of their six point advantage going into it. That said Barca are sure to have fire in their bellies and will do whatever it takes to close the gap between the clubs.

Osasuna 2 Real Betis 1

How cruel a mistress football can be sometimes. Real Betis, the self proclaimed unluckiest club in Spain, fell victim yet again to this most stony-hearted of sports, where hard work and performing better than your opponents count for nothing if they score more goals than you. This time the merciless culprits of the los beticos defeat were Osasuna, who had their goal keeper, Andrés Fernández to thank for staying in the game long enough to grab the winner with the last kick of the game that finished 2-1.

The Reyno de Navarra was probably the last place Pepe Mel wanted to visit today given Osasuna’s excellent record at home this season and the precarious nature of his position as the Betis coach. On the back of a nine match run which had only produced a solitary point, this was make or break for the Madrileño. The hostile atmosphere in the Navarra stadium has subdued most opposition attacking line ups, with José Mendilibar’s side having only conceded three goals there before tonight’s encounter in the league.

With this in mind, Mel went for a more pragmatic approach than usual. Out with the “easy on the eye” passing nonsense and in with a more resilient and solid mentality. Beñat made way in order to implement this change and Mario was pushed up into midfield to tighten things up.

Despite Andrés being forced into a save, in which he tipped the ball onto the woodwork in the 6^th minute from a Salva Sevilla free kick, this retinkering didn’t have much of an impact and the home side, while not creating much in the way of chances, controlled possession for the entire first half.

Los Rojillos capitalised on this just before the break with, you guessed it, a set piece. A corner taken by club veteran Francisco Puñal, who tonight became the club’s most featured player ever in La Primera División with 451 appearances, found Miguel Flaño completely unmarked on the back post to head it in.

Whatever Mel said during his (can’t resist the pun) “pep” talk at half time clearly pumped his players up as evidenced by their hell for leather approach in the second 45 showed. Bravely Mel also decided to bring on another forward to get the creative juices flowing, as it were, with Ustaritz making way for Ruben Castro.

The away team hassled the apparently impenetrable Osasuna defence relentlessly from the off, starting with a José Cañas’ shot in the 53^rd minute which took a wicked deflection causing the ball to loop tantalisingly towards the goal, however, a back-tracking and outstretched Andrés, who was to have a very busy Sunday night, got a hand to it to put it over the bar. The 24 year old was on hand again just minutes later when Roque Santa Cruz found space in the area but his strike was slapped away by the keeper and eventually cleared away from danger.

The Manchester City loanee had another chance soon after when he shuffled inside and out to get away from his man only to see his left footed effort whizz wide of the right post and out for a goal kick.

Minutes later Andrés frustrated the visitors again when a tussle in the Osasuna box ended with Ruben Castro shooting from close range on the right but the acute angle and keeper’s face denied the Gran Canarian striker.

However, Mel’s men finally got their goal in the 79^th minute, when a nice passing move culminated with Jonathan Pereira finding Ruben Castro alone on the back stick to side foot it home. One all, and Betis showed no signs of being content with just a draw. Pereira had a go at taking the lead himself with a rasping shot towards Andrés’ near post, but the the keeper was quick to get down low and put it out for another Betis corner.

With normal time almost up Ruben Castro struck the bar with a header and los verdiblancos must have thought that was to be their bad luck for the day. How horribly wrong they were. In the third minute of injury time a clinical direct free kick on the edge of their box was converted by Javad Nekounam to settle the game and ensure the Basque team took all three points.

FT Osasuna 2 Real Betis 1: Flaño 39, Castro 79, Nekounam 93

Fact: Ruben Castro has hit the woodwork four times this season. A number only equalled by Agirretxe this season in the league.

Racing Santander vs Villarreal

Three wise men: Juanjo (left) with Castaños and Pinillos

The numerous distractions away from the pitch during the week didn’t seem to adversely affect the Racing Santander players today, as they took on Villarreal at home in a bitterly cold and half empty Sardinero. A spirited display by La Primera’s most troubled club saw them take all three points in what was a valuable and important win.

With the honourable departure of Hector Cúper midweek, technical director, Jaunjo González and his trusted duo of Fede Castaños and Pablo Pinillos were left to stir the Cantabrian ship against the invading Yellow Submarine. This they managed to do successfully,  rousing a fighting mentality from the team, which has not been a common feature of late. The return of Gonzalo Colsa in defensive midfield, who started his first game for the club in over six months, was a huge boost to the home side. The 32 year worked tirelessly throughout the encounter and showed why he is considered the heart and lungs of the team.

Meanwhile, Juan Carlos Garrido had a selection headache for the first time in a long time, with both Cani and Nilmar finally available to help reinforce the attack after their injuries. In the end the ex-Levante coach opted to start with Cani in midfield and stuck with Marco Rubén alone up front. Jonathan de Guzman was sacrificed so as to better utilise star man, Borja Valero, who because of squad deficiencies had been pushed back deep into midfield in recent games, a position which hampers his creative talents.

This jinking around with the line up didn’t have the desired effect, as Racing’s compact five-man was able to close off the lines of distribution to the likes of Cani, Valero, Hernan Pérez and Rubén. The visitors appeared frustrated and short of ideas for the entire first half, only managing a single paltry shot, which was off target.

Los racinguistas were by far the better side to begin with, and the fruits of their labour came in 27^th minute when a wonderful triangular move between Arana, Colsa and Adrián caught Villarreal off guard leaving Arana to tear up the right flank and wipe in a dangerous cross which Christian Stuani obligingly headed into Diego Lopez's net.

Villarreal’s flatness continued throughout the first half with their best move culminating with Toño in the Racing goal easily smothering a Cani cross which was meant for the maraudering Marco Ruben on the back post.

Racing could have made it two nil just before the whistle when a threatening corner kick by Papakouly Diop fell to an unsuspecting Colsa who couldn’t get a proper hold of the ball and stir it in.

Garrido changed things up for the second 45, taking Cani and Ángel off to bring on de Guzman and Nilmar. The shake up nearly worked, when in the 52^nd minute former Mallorca talisman, de Guzman launched a missile of a shot from about 30 yards which just whistled over Toño’s cross bar.

However, this invigoration soon petered out and it became obvious that Villarreal simply weren’t at the races today. Even with Racing beginning to tire and losing their original intensity, Garrido’s men could find no way through and would be punished for such a lousy first half performance.

With 17 minutes to go Juanjo took off Pedro Muintis for Christain Fernández in a clear move to rough out the storm and hold on to their narrow lead. His defensive decision could, and probably should, have ended in disaster had Ruben been more clinical after a great act of technical brilliance from Hernán Pérez on the right found him free on the back stick in a clear goal scoring position. Instead the argentine struck his shot into the heel of Marc Torrejón and the ball went out for a corner.

The match finished with Racing deservedly being crowned winners. Whether their rejuvenation was a once off, a phenomenon often occurring to teams keen to impress a new coach, remains to be seen. Villarreal’s woes on the road show no signs of letting up though, which real cause of concern for them.

FT: Racing Club de Santander 1 Villarreal 0: Stuani (27)

Fact: Juanjo continued his 100% record managing Racing today. His one and only other time in charge of the team resulted in a 4-1 victory to put Salamanca out of the Cup in 2009.