Real Madrid v Barcelona, La Liga
Real Madrid 1 Barcelona 0 – One of Rafa Benitez’s traits as a manager has been grinding out results in tight games.
The federation (RFEF) and the professional league (La Liga)dismissed the allegation, although Spanish media have reported a probe has been launched by the state prosecutor.
Fascinating although the “Clasico” is, there is plenty more football to entertain fans in Spain with the weekend kicking off with Real Sociedad hosting Sevilla. When he grew frustrated with the rough attention and lack of protection being offered from the referee in Barca’s last outing against Villarreal, he chanelled the anger constructively by going on to score twice and set up the other in a 3-0 win.
Ronaldo’s professional relationship with the ex-Chelsea boss has taken a bad turn and it has put his future in doubt with Real Madrid.
“Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez is how the Ballon d’Or podium should look in January”, Stoichkov said.
It may be hard to compare players of different eras, and only since the arrival of Johan Cruyff as coach in the late 1980s with his revolutionary style of play have Barca regularly fielded three forwards, but the present trio stand out.
“Barca is coming into the match as leaders, with a three-point advantage, and with Neymar playing out of his skin and Messi fit again”, Salinas told reporters on Wednesday.
If Messi and Rakitic start, Messi will be reunited with Neymar and Suarez in attack and Rakitic will likely join Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets in a three-man midfield.
– If Messi scores in this game, he would become El Clasico top scorer in La Liga (he now has 14 goals, level with Di Stefano). “But it depends on the doctors and what they think is best for him”.
He added: “Madrid have great players who could play for Barca but each one is doing well where he is”.
Real has the onus of not losing any of their last 22 home games in the league.
There was a time when the Argentina captain would stroll to virtually every accolade in world football without so much as a formidable challenge from Ronaldo or his contemporaries.
Real’s unprecedented injury crisis has been a contributing factor, but the Portuguese’s preoccupation of feuding with the defensive-minded coach Rafael Benitez has provided an overriding and ugly backdrop to his on-field stagnation.
While it does not necessarily follow that Neymar will end up scoring more goals than Messi and Ronaldo simply because he has scored more than them by his current age, surely it suggests that this young man from Sao Paulo should be taken seriously as a potential all-time great?
Madrid will enter this game in slightly shakier form.
Real have lost only one match while Luis Enrique’s side suffered two defeats in 11 matches played so far this season.