"el classico"

fabregasrulz · Moderator Joined: 14 Oct 2006 Posts: 950 Karma: +18 (20)

hey so we all know the master of all clashes is on tonite
barca vs real madrid

so who do u thnk will win
i m goin for barca with a 2-1 win Very Happy

here is the preview

Barcelona will aim to get over their mid-week blues in the biggest derby of European football

Simon Baskett, Reuters

Nothing hurts Real Madrid more than having to live in the shadow of Barcelona and a victory in this Sunday’s ‘clasico’ at the Bernabeu would go a long way to healing the wounds from the last three seasons.

The last time Barca visited Real Madrid’s stadium they dealt the home side a humiliating 3-0 defeat which ended with Ronaldinho being given a standing ovation by the irate home fans after he scored a sublime double.

That defeat was, in many ways, the low point of Real’s so-called Galactico era and was one of the events that prompted the eventual exit of former president Florentino Perez. After witnessing the collapse of their attempt to put together an all-star team based on glamorous big-name players and attack-minded football, Real have now opted for a back-to-basics approach under new coach Fabio Capello.

The Italian has been charged with the task of introducing a disciplined, conservative approach based on a solid defence and a well ordered midfield rather than the more anarchic style that has characterised the team’s performances in recent years.

The change has yet to produce consistent results and the new-look team slumped to their first league defeat of the campaign when they lost 1-0 at Getafe last Saturday.

Ronaldo, the club’s leading striker for the last four seasons, was sent off for back chat to the referee and will miss the Barca match through suspension. But the team were a completely different proposition in Tuesday’s 4-1 away win over former European champions Steaua Bucharest, the presence of Brazilian forward Robinho adding a new dimension to the Real attack.

“We saw a team with quality and spirit and that is what counts,” said Capello. “Now I’m happy. I said we had to forget the performance against Getafe because we can’t play like that ever again. Instead, we saw a Real with pace and skill.”

HUMILIATING DEFEAT

After back-to-back league titles and victory in the Champions League last season, Barcelona appear to have lost some of their edge.

A humiliating 3-0 defeat by Sevilla in the European Super Cup was an early sign of vulnerability and Wednesday’s morale-sapping 1-0 setback at Chelsea exposed another chink in the previously impervious Barcelona armour. Without injured striker Samuel Eto’o, Barca no longer find it so easy to punch holes in opposition defences.

Also, coaches like Juande Ramos and Jose Mourinho have shown that tight marking of Ronaldinho and suffocating pressure in midfield are the secret to success against the Catalans.

Although they are not firing on all cylinders, Frank Rijkaard’s side still have a three-point lead at the top of the Primera Liga, and are five points clear of Real after last Sunday’s morale-boosting 3-1 victory over Sevilla. Barca know another victory over Real will dispel any doubts about the team. “The Chelsea defeat was an accident against a very good team, nothing more,” said Puyol.

oh and becks is starting,reyes isnt
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