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April 16th saw them meet at the Bernabéu for their second league fixture of the season, and the Wednesday after saw them meet again for the Copa Del Rey (Spain’s F.A. Cup equivalent) final. The coming weeks see them meet twice more in the two-legs of the Champions League semi-final.
That games between the two are called Clasicos in Spain is fitting, as both clubs have reputations for expensive, star-studded squads and for playing stylish, sophisticated brands of football. The fixture is also renowned for being one of the deepest rivalries in world football.
Although not local rivals, sporting tension between the two stretches back to the Spanish Civil War where both clubs were divided politically, with Barcelona representing the region of Catalonia and the ideals of socialism and Real Madrid in support of Spanish nationalism.
Although these political divides are less relevant now, both clubs have in the modern era established their own sporting identities. Madrid are renowned for their love of glamour and willingness to spend vast amounts of money on players. Their players are not merely footballers, but Galácticos, players of world-wide fame bought as much for how many shirts they will sell as for their footballing skill (David Beckham being a prime example). It is telling that four of the six most expensive players of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká, Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo, were all Real Madrid signings, costing a combined total of over £200 million.
Whereas Real Madrid players are considered more than just players, the club of Barcelona is thought of as more than a club, or Més que un club as their motto claims. They prefer to build a team through their hugely successful La Masia youth academy, through which the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Carlos Puyol, Pedro and Gerard Pique have all graduated into the first team.
By playing together at such a young age these players establish a seemingly telepathic understand of each other, most notably that between Xavi and Iniesta. They also have drilled into them the Barcelona philosophy of patient, tiqui-taka football, with a heavy emphasis on possession, control and style.
All this promised a thrilling spectacle as the two sides took to the field for the first of the four Clasicos two Saturdays ago. Madrid realistically needed a win to keep their slim hopes of a league title alive, but were aware of the need to play cautiously after suffering a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Barca last November. As a result Mourinho set up a deep formation, ensuring the defence was heavily protected and relying on the pace of Ronaldo and Di Maria to spark counter-attacks.
Barca meanwhile played the way they always do, pressing and probing in midfield and patiently looking for an opening. That came early in the 2nd half when Lionel Messi converted a penalty, the conceding of which Raul Albiol was sent-off for. What should then have been a routine win for the Catalans ended in surprise as another penalty – this time conceded by Dani Alves and scored by Ronaldo – gave Madrid an equaliser, and the game ended 1-1.
A draw may seem a good result in a neutral’s eyes, but Madrid fans expect lots from their team and demand that they play with authority and style, so went into the second clash – the Copa del Rey final - expecting more. And more they got. From the early minutes of the tie it became apparent that Real had finally exorcised the demons of the November 5-0 thrashing, as they treated their Catalan rivals more as equals, lining up in a more attacking formation and pressing them further up the pitch.
They were rewarded for their bravery, as 103 minutes of stalemate eventually came to an end as a neat Madrid move was converted by a powerful Ronaldo header. Real then hung on for the last thirteen minutes to successfully claim their first piece of silverware in almost three years.
But the trophy both teams really want is the Champions League, and Clasicos three and four will see which of the two giants will reach the final. Madrid may have come a long way since November, but at their best Barcelona still look a class apart from every other team in Europe. Mourinho’s edgy tactics (such as deploying Pepe in an energetic defensive midfield role) gave Real an advantage in the Copa del Rey final, but Barcelona possess so much natural class in their squad that over two legs they ought to overcome anything Mourinho can devise.
Sergio Ramos infamously dropped the Copa del Rey during the open-top bus celebrations in Madrid. Real ought to be more careful with the trophy, as it is likely to be the only one they win this year.
Prediction: Barcelona win
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