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Men of La Mancha: Ibracadabra
'El Clasico' was the match of the weekend, and David Mosse brings you his reaction to the exciting 1-0 match.
Nov 30, 2009 10:31:04 AM
By David Mosse
Real Madrid has closed the gap on Barcelona. After spending 270 million euros maybe that shouldn't be a story, but to hear most people tell it this week, a huge chasm still existed between these two teams, which is clearly not the case. The game on Sunday, won by Barcelona 1-0, actually proved Madrid is right there with the Catalan giants.
And not just in the standings, where Manuel Pellegrini's side now trails by two points. Barcelona no longer plays at a level so superior to Madrid, partly because Real has improved with the addition of some outstanding players, but also because this is not the same Barcelona as last season. As it turns out, the performance against Inter-Milan had a lot more to do with the Italians.
Against an opponent that didn't fear them as much, the Blaugrana labored for large portions of the match, struggling to create clear-cut scoring opportunities, while Madrid had at least six great chances. The breakthrough finally came early in the second half, courtesy of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who latched onto the only good cross of the game by Daniel Alves, and smashed it home with his left foot.
The Swede had just come on, replacing an ineffective Thierry Henry. Maybe Pep Guardiola started believing all the hype after the Inter game about how Barcelona's system is so good, the players are interchangeable. But Barca was a different team with Ibrahimovic on the field. He was missed in the first 45 minutes, arguably, even more than Lionel Messi would have been.
No matter the system, great players still make the difference, and Ibrahimovic proved up to the task. It is amazing this debate has persisted for so long. Samuel Eto'o is very good, but Ibra is exceptional. Only the British press, and certain sectors of the Madrid media, seem unable to appreciate his genius.
Guardiola also may have let the advice of his medical staff trump common sense, the same way Pellegrini did by removing Cristiano Ronaldo after just 65 minutes. The Portuguese star was making his first start in two months, but I'm always skeptical when told a player can only hold up for a certain amount of time. Either he can play or he can't.
Ronaldo still looked fresh in the second half, and was creating all sorts of danger down the left side. He had a decent shout for a penalty following a clash with Gerard Pique. Ronaldo gave way to Karim Benzema, the one galactico not in the starting lineup, but the logical move might have been to take off Marcelo, who seemed overwhelmed by the occasion.
Unless Pellegrini already had his next change in mind, Raul for Alvaro Arbeloa. The Brazilian finished the match at left back. Both teams finished with 10 men, as Sergio Busquets and Lassana Diarra were sent off in the last half hour. This game had a little bit of everything.
In the end, Barcelona prevailed, thanks in large part to Carles Puyol, who blocked three Madrid shots from point-blank range. The Blaugrana go home with the comfort of knowing they are still the best team in Spain, but Real also leaves town with a renewed sense of optimism. The race this season is too close to call.
Both clubs will be pleased that their nearest competitors dropped points at home this weekend. Sevilla had to scramble back from two goals down to salvage a draw against Malaga in the Andalucian derby. Valencia was held by Mallorca (1-1), confirming its shaky form at the Mestalla, something Los Che will have to improve upon to have any shot of keeping up with the top two.
Tilting at Windmills (Barcelona vs. Madrid Referee report card)
Predictably, the Madrid media is convinced Real was denied a clear penalty in the second-half incident involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Gerard Pique, while newspapers in Barcelona hardly made mention of the play. Pique did use his hands to halt the progress of the Portuguese star, but Ronaldo made the most of minimal contact -- ironic considering he chastised Andres Iniesta for doing the same earlier.
Ronaldo's penalty appeal was the only slight bit of controversy in a very well refereed match by Undiano Mallenco, as the two red cards were both easy calls. Sergio Busquets has been spending too much time with Thierry Henry. Lassana Diarra has been spending too much time with Sergio Ramos.
Don Quixote (Player of the Round) – Sergio Aguero, Atletico Madrid
Roberto Soldado notched a hat-trick in Getafe's big win over Xerez, and Carles Puyol's defensive heroics against Real Madrid cannot be ignored, but if ever a player was deserving of this honor it is Sergio Aguero. The Argentine scored two goals and set up two more in Atletico Madrid's 4-0 thrashing of Espanyol at the Vicente Calderon. For once, his brilliance didn't go to waste.
Aguero's first goal came on a well-taken free kick, yet another weapon he has added to his game this season. The Argentine also helped provoke a red card by his countryman Facundo Roncaglia, leading Atletico to its second league win of the campaign, and first under Quique Flores.
The Impossible Dream (Goal of the Round) – Roberto Soldado, Getafe
It was certainly going to take something special this week to keep Zlatan Ibrahimovic's blast against Real Madrid from getting the nod, and that's exactly what Roberto Soldado provided in a 5-1 demolition of Xerez. Soldado's third goal, and his side's fourth, was a simply sensational strike that showcased the talent of a player previously discarded by Real Madrid.
The 24-year-old got on the end of a cross from Jaime Gavilan, and connected with a perfect right-footed volley from a tight angle. Soldado's second hat-trick of the season now has him at seven goals, just three behind David Villa in the race for the Pichichi.
Sancho Panza (Unsung Hero of the Round) – Joaquin Caparros, Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao continues to be one of the real success stories this season. After holding Barcelona to a draw at home last week, Bilbao took care of business in impressive fashion on Sunday with a 4-1 away win over Almeria, moving up to eighth place. Much of the credit has to go to manager Joaquin Caparros, who is working wonders with a squad not exactly loaded with talent.
The lack of individual quality means Athletic must be resourceful when it comes to finding goals, and Caparros' side did just that against Almeria, scoring three times off set pieces. His magic will be tested next weekend, as Bilbao hosts Valencia, the best visiting team in La Liga.
Rocinante (Goat of the Round) – Bruno Saltor, Valencia
Valencia should have killed off the game much earlier. David Villa was particularly wasteful, despite picking up his league-leading 10th goal of the season, and Joaquin hit the post. But there is simply no excuse for the blunder by defender Bruno Saltor, who cost his team three points by committing a ridiculous foul in his own box in the 1-1 draw against Mallorca on Saturday.
Bruno needlessly clattered over Mallorca midfielder Chori Castro with 10 minutes left, and Borja Valero coolly converted the spot kick, as Valencia wasted an opportunity to move closer to the top of the table. Just a terrible afternoon for Unai Emery's side, as David Silva was stretchered off with an ankle injury that will sideline him for at least four weeks.
Miguel Cervantes (Quote of the weekend)
“He told me to stop diving, and I told him to shut up because he is not the most qualified person to speak on the subject”
– Andres Iniesta not impressed by Cristiano Ronaldo's pleas for fairness during El Clasico.
Men of La Mancha appears weekly on Goal.com.
For more on Spain click ahead to Goal.com's Spain homepage!
Real Madrid has closed the gap on Barcelona. After spending 270 million euros maybe that shouldn't be a story, but to hear most people tell it this week, a huge chasm still existed between these two teams, which is clearly not the case. The game on Sunday, won by Barcelona 1-0, actually proved Madrid is right there with the Catalan giants.
And not just in the standings, where Manuel Pellegrini's side now trails by two points. Barcelona no longer plays at a level so superior to Madrid, partly because Real has improved with the addition of some outstanding players, but also because this is not the same Barcelona as last season. As it turns out, the performance against Inter-Milan had a lot more to do with the Italians.
 Zlatan Ibrahimovic |
Against an opponent that didn't fear them as much, the Blaugrana labored for large portions of the match, struggling to create clear-cut scoring opportunities, while Madrid had at least six great chances. The breakthrough finally came early in the second half, courtesy of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who latched onto the only good cross of the game by Daniel Alves, and smashed it home with his left foot.
The Swede had just come on, replacing an ineffective Thierry Henry. Maybe Pep Guardiola started believing all the hype after the Inter game about how Barcelona's system is so good, the players are interchangeable. But Barca was a different team with Ibrahimovic on the field. He was missed in the first 45 minutes, arguably, even more than Lionel Messi would have been.
No matter the system, great players still make the difference, and Ibrahimovic proved up to the task. It is amazing this debate has persisted for so long. Samuel Eto'o is very good, but Ibra is exceptional. Only the British press, and certain sectors of the Madrid media, seem unable to appreciate his genius.
 Carles Puyol & Cristiano Ronaldo |
Guardiola also may have let the advice of his medical staff trump common sense, the same way Pellegrini did by removing Cristiano Ronaldo after just 65 minutes. The Portuguese star was making his first start in two months, but I'm always skeptical when told a player can only hold up for a certain amount of time. Either he can play or he can't.
Ronaldo still looked fresh in the second half, and was creating all sorts of danger down the left side. He had a decent shout for a penalty following a clash with Gerard Pique. Ronaldo gave way to Karim Benzema, the one galactico not in the starting lineup, but the logical move might have been to take off Marcelo, who seemed overwhelmed by the occasion.
Unless Pellegrini already had his next change in mind, Raul for Alvaro Arbeloa. The Brazilian finished the match at left back. Both teams finished with 10 men, as Sergio Busquets and Lassana Diarra were sent off in the last half hour. This game had a little bit of everything.
In the end, Barcelona prevailed, thanks in large part to Carles Puyol, who blocked three Madrid shots from point-blank range. The Blaugrana go home with the comfort of knowing they are still the best team in Spain, but Real also leaves town with a renewed sense of optimism. The race this season is too close to call.
Both clubs will be pleased that their nearest competitors dropped points at home this weekend. Sevilla had to scramble back from two goals down to salvage a draw against Malaga in the Andalucian derby. Valencia was held by Mallorca (1-1), confirming its shaky form at the Mestalla, something Los Che will have to improve upon to have any shot of keeping up with the top two.
Tilting at Windmills (Barcelona vs. Madrid Referee report card)
Predictably, the Madrid media is convinced Real was denied a clear penalty in the second-half incident involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Gerard Pique, while newspapers in Barcelona hardly made mention of the play. Pique did use his hands to halt the progress of the Portuguese star, but Ronaldo made the most of minimal contact -- ironic considering he chastised Andres Iniesta for doing the same earlier.
Ronaldo's penalty appeal was the only slight bit of controversy in a very well refereed match by Undiano Mallenco, as the two red cards were both easy calls. Sergio Busquets has been spending too much time with Thierry Henry. Lassana Diarra has been spending too much time with Sergio Ramos.
Don Quixote (Player of the Round) – Sergio Aguero, Atletico Madrid
 Sergio Aguero |
Aguero's first goal came on a well-taken free kick, yet another weapon he has added to his game this season. The Argentine also helped provoke a red card by his countryman Facundo Roncaglia, leading Atletico to its second league win of the campaign, and first under Quique Flores.
The Impossible Dream (Goal of the Round) – Roberto Soldado, Getafe
It was certainly going to take something special this week to keep Zlatan Ibrahimovic's blast against Real Madrid from getting the nod, and that's exactly what Roberto Soldado provided in a 5-1 demolition of Xerez. Soldado's third goal, and his side's fourth, was a simply sensational strike that showcased the talent of a player previously discarded by Real Madrid.
The 24-year-old got on the end of a cross from Jaime Gavilan, and connected with a perfect right-footed volley from a tight angle. Soldado's second hat-trick of the season now has him at seven goals, just three behind David Villa in the race for the Pichichi.
Sancho Panza (Unsung Hero of the Round) – Joaquin Caparros, Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao continues to be one of the real success stories this season. After holding Barcelona to a draw at home last week, Bilbao took care of business in impressive fashion on Sunday with a 4-1 away win over Almeria, moving up to eighth place. Much of the credit has to go to manager Joaquin Caparros, who is working wonders with a squad not exactly loaded with talent.
The lack of individual quality means Athletic must be resourceful when it comes to finding goals, and Caparros' side did just that against Almeria, scoring three times off set pieces. His magic will be tested next weekend, as Bilbao hosts Valencia, the best visiting team in La Liga.
Rocinante (Goat of the Round) – Bruno Saltor, Valencia
Valencia should have killed off the game much earlier. David Villa was particularly wasteful, despite picking up his league-leading 10th goal of the season, and Joaquin hit the post. But there is simply no excuse for the blunder by defender Bruno Saltor, who cost his team three points by committing a ridiculous foul in his own box in the 1-1 draw against Mallorca on Saturday.
Bruno needlessly clattered over Mallorca midfielder Chori Castro with 10 minutes left, and Borja Valero coolly converted the spot kick, as Valencia wasted an opportunity to move closer to the top of the table. Just a terrible afternoon for Unai Emery's side, as David Silva was stretchered off with an ankle injury that will sideline him for at least four weeks.
Miguel Cervantes (Quote of the weekend)
“He told me to stop diving, and I told him to shut up because he is not the most qualified person to speak on the subject”
– Andres Iniesta not impressed by Cristiano Ronaldo's pleas for fairness during El Clasico.
Men of La Mancha appears weekly on Goal.com.
For more on Spain click ahead to Goal.com's Spain homepage!
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