Real Madrid versus Barcelona, “El Clásico.” Do I really have to say anything else?
This heated rivalry goes beyond the soccer field and into politics and nationalism. Barcelona represents Catalonia, while Madrid represents the mainland of Spain. And these two fan bases despise each other.
Madrid and Barcelona are scheduled to play each other April 17 and April 20. If two matches in one week isn’t enough to get your blood pumping, how about a third, on either April 26 or 27?
Well, if both these Spanish giants are able to advance through the quarterfinals of the Union of European Football Associations’ champions league, they will face each other in the semifinals on April 26 or 27, as well as May 3 or 4. The possibility of these two teams facing each other four times within three weeks is quite tantalizing.
These two teams last played each other on Nov. 29 in Barcelona’s home stadium, the Camp Nou. What transpired there is something Madrid fans would like to repress from their memories. Barcelona displayed their dominance and completely annihilated Real, 5-0. This was a shocking result considering the facts that Madrid was undefeated and had the best defense in the league at the time.
Barcelona has clearly been the better side the last couple of years, as they have defeated Madrid the last five matches and have been the league champions the past two seasons.
In the upcoming games, Lionel Messi of Barcelona will face Cristiano Ronaldo of Madrid.The world’s two greatest footballers showcasing their skills on the same field should be a dazzling display. Ten of the 11 starters from Spain’s World Cup winning team will be on the field as well, three on Madrid and seven for Barcelona.
If you think the talent on the field is amazing, don’t forget the two men in charge of these clubs. According to ESPN Soccernet, Madrid’s manager, José Mourinho is the highest-paid manager in the world, while Barcelona’s manager, Josep “Pep” Guardiola is the second highest-paid. It will be quite a chess match between these two dynamic personalities, as neither of them lacks confidence.
We are guaranteed to see these teams faceoff in a league match and the Copa Del Rey Final. Hopefully, the soccer gods will be smiling down at us and grant us a Champions League semifinal matchup of Real Madrid and Barcelona as well. Whether it’s two competitions or three, sit back and enjoy the beautiful game that is fútbol.
