Barcelona v Real Madrid
It’s time for the biggest football derby, the El Clasico, between arch-rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid. Barca will look to this game as an opportunity to move further away from their rivals, while Madrid will be desperate to close the gap on the Catalans after enduring a tough start to the league. Madrid, whose 2-1 win in Catalonia last season helped them secure the La Liga title, make the trip at the weekend eight points behind table-toppers Barca.
Barca’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Sevilla last weekend made it six wins out of six matches so far in the league, equalling their best ever start to the season of six straight victories, a feat they have achieved four times previously and most recently in 2009-10. David Villa came off the bench to score a superb added-time winner as the league leaders stormed back from two goals down to stun 10-man Sevilla 3-2 and maintain their perfect record in La Liga. Tito Vilanova’s side were in serious danger of dropping their first points of the campaign when Sevilla went 2-0 up at their Sanchez Pizjuan stadium. Cesc Fabregas started the fightback in the 53rd minute with a fierce left-foot drive and after Sevilla was dismissed 20 minutes from time the former Arsenal captain levelled the game 2-2 in the 89th minute. The stage was set for Villa, who only recently returned from a broken leg, and Spain’s record scorer got the winner in injury time. Barca will be bolstered by the return of Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique and captain Carles Puyol from injury. They have scored 17 goals in their six matches, averaging almost 3 goals per game and have been impeccable defensively at home conceding just one goal in three games.
Cristiano Ronaldo is smiling again, Real Madrid are back scoring goals and the side’s stuttering start to the season looks to be behind them as they approach their biggest fixture of the season. Jose Mourinho’s side turned the corner in their opening UEFA Champions League match at home to Manchester City two weeks ago when Ronaldo completed a thrilling comeback for a 3-2 win at the Bernabeu which lifted their early-season blues. The Portugal international’s comments that he was ‘sad’ at the beginning of last month coincided with a poor run of form and two league defeats, the same number they suffered during the whole of last season’s championship-winning campaign. The City comeback, however, has helped to dispel the doubts. Real followed it up with a 2-0 win at Rayo Vallecano and thrashed Deportivo 5-1 at home last Sunday when Ronaldo netted a hat-trick to make it five goals from his last three outings. After that poor start to the season, Madrid are now in sixth place on 10 points from six matches with three wins, one draw and two losses. With the in-form duo of Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria on either flank supporting either Gonzalo Higuain or Karim Benzema upfront and quality midfielders like Michael Essien and Xabi Alonso in central midfield, Madrid can match Barcelona on all fronts.
Barcelona will be back to full strength in midfield with Iniesta returning and their backline will be solidified by Puyol and Pique being available for selection. Back Messi and co to continue performing at their best and dominate here as they did in the home leg of the Super Cup when they beat Madrid 3-2.
