There was a time when a Barça-Madrid rivalry paralyzed the sporting world.
There was a time when a Barça-Madrid rivalry paralyzed the sporting world. And extra so if the match was decisive and had the air of a decide: if the winner may land a decisive blow or reopen and rejoin the struggle. Days are much less distinguished, extra impure. In full Negreira case, soccer has it tough. With Actual Madrid posing as personal prosecution within the court docket case. With the inscription of Gavi espetegant. Whereas the VAR hits in San Mamés are being questioned. And proper after the Champions League. However the traditional exists.
Two current gestures corroborate its proximity. On the one hand, Koundé taking out his chest after saving a ball from Yuri on the road that entered Athletic's last triple alternative. However, the 4 modifications that Ancelotti made out of the eightieth minute on towards Liverpool: he withdrew Benzema, Modric, Vinícius and Kroos.
Sergi Roberto, Semedo, Dest and Dani Alves. All of them have handed by the precise facet of Barça and it has been their flip to bop with Vinícius, a winger as harmful as he's volcanic. The Brazilian has dribbling, pace and bar and is a continuing supply of hazard. That with the ball. With out the ball, he's additionally in a position to frustrate the opponent with underground play. This was additionally the case with Barcelona till Ronald Araújo joined them. Xavi determined to maneuver the centre-back to the wing for the primary time in March 2022 and the Blaugrana received 0-4 on the Bernabéu. Every time the Uruguayan has taken cost of Vini, the Brazilian has not shone and Barça have received (1-3 in Riyadh and 0-1 within the Cup). Within the League, within the first spherical, he was injured and Madrid received clearly. In these three video games, Araújo was dribbled solely twice, whereas Vinícius' dribbling success dropped to 50% (7 of 15).
Barcelona's inner sport decreases to an unsuspected minimal when Pedri isn't there. It occurred final season and it has occurred once more this season when the canary was injured within the first half of the primary leg towards United. Pedri has missed six and a half video games since February 16. This week he has rejoined coaching and if nothing goes flawed he might be within the traditional. Holder? It's by no means advisable to return to play 90 minutes after a lot put on and tear, however the group wants him just like the bread they eat. With out him, this month, Barcelona have solely scored a couple of objective in two video games (United and Cadiz, each at house). Pedri orders the assault, directs it, provides it pace or breaks and is a risk when he steps into the realm (7 objectives this season).
This might be Xavi's sixth official traditional as a coach. Within the different 5, there are solely two subject footballers who've by no means dropped out of the lineup: Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong. The 2 midfielders are indispensable for the coach and the type he desires to suggest. Each are dependable even on essentially the most hectic days. In opposition to Madrid you must have the ball, preserve it and never lose it in order to not invite the whites to run. Busquets and De Jong, not often in parallel and sometimes one in entrance of the opposite, are protected whether or not taking part in within the first contact or driving. In Xavi's 5 classics, each have had a 90% cross success charge. The captain bowled 102 good deliveries in Riyadh. On the day of the 0-4 on the Bernabéu, the Dutchman solely failed 3 passes of 56 that he gave. As well as, for Busquets will probably be traditional quantity 47, two greater than Messi and Sergio Ramos. For his half, De Jong nonetheless doesn't know what it's to beat the whites at Camp Nou.
Between the 2, they add as much as 1,300 matches within the elite. They've been within the fields of Europe for half their lives. Robert Lewandowski, 34, modified gears in the summertime to guide Barça's assault after 12 years within the Bundesliga. And the Pole has not disenchanted though he has gone from extra to much less. With 25 objectives, he's Barcelona's prime scorer and Xavi compares him to Ronaldinho for the change in mentality he has helped to advertise in a younger dressing room. When Lewandowski landed in Germany, it had already been a 12 months since Karim Benzema (35) had arrived in Madrid. It is already 14 seasons and 341 clear sheets. The Camp Nou, the place many take into account him to have slot in completely, isn't working very effectively for him: three objectives, the final in 2016.
Is it essential to dominate possession to win? Barcelona, regardless of themselves, confirmed within the final traditional that they don't seem to be indispensable. The Blaugrana received with 35% of the ball, a really low proportion. The truth is, this season, solely within the Tremendous Cup did the one who had the ball the longest win. Madrid, with 680 passes, have been unable to beat Ter Stegen within the Cup.
It might appear to be a paradox, however Madrid are in no way uncomfortable on the Camp Nou, the place they haven't misplaced since October 2018. Sure, they took a hand that day (5-1, with out Messi), however it's the solely defeat within the final 9 visits to the Barcelona feud, with 4 wins and 4 attracts. Sure, however on this league traditional he solely wants victory.
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