Real Madrid | VS | Barcelona |
| Date/Time: | Apr 16, 2011, 20:00(GMT) |
| Competition: | Spain La Liga |
| Live/Repeat: | Live |
| Venue: | Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid) |
Real Madrid vs Barcelona Match Preview
The last visitor broke Real Madrid's unbeaten record at the Santiago Bernabeu this season. Barcelona could be crowned champion upon a positive result.
Cristiano Ronaldo has never beaten Barcelona's goal. Lio Messi, on the other hand, has been unable to score against a squad commanded by Jose Mourinho.
Barcelona and Real Madrid play a kind of football that's clearly above the level of any other squad in the Spanish league. With 84 and 76 points respectively, they've opened a sixteen-point gap from the third place, jealously guarded by Valencia.
Saturday's clash might define La Liga, but it'll be just the beginning of a restless fight for the triplet. Barcelona and Real Madrid meet each other once again next Wednesday for the Spanish Cup final, before taking on for Champions League semi-finals.
It's been 30 Liga matches since Barcelona was lastly defeated. Pep Guardiola's Blaugranas have only fell once in La Liga this season, as newly promoted Hercules visited the Camp Nou in the second round.
Mourinho's Galacticos, on the other hand, have already been defeated thrice. Sporting Gijon delivered a fatal blow two weeks, defeating Jose Mourinho at home for the first time in nine years. It was also Madrid's first fall at the Bernabeu this season.
Pep Guardiola misses Carles Puyol, Eric Abidal and Javier Mascherano. Sergio Busquets is likely to join Gerard Pique in the back line, with Seydou Keita as the nexus between the defense and the attack.
Jose Mourinho has both Kaka and Gonzalo Higuain available, but it's expected Karim Benzema will be given the opportunity to join Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria on the attack.
A clash of Olympian proportions for the 32nd La Liga's round, who'll claim the three points?
Barcelona's attack is the most effective in the league, just as much as their defense. Having scored 85 goals in 31 Liga matches, the Cule squad has only conceded 16 goals.
After 15 Liga matches, Real Madrid's goal has only been beaten seven times at the Santiago Bernabeu. Barcelona, on the other hand, is the deadliest visitor in the league, with 43 goals in the same fifteen games.
Jose Mourinho must seriously consider who'll join Xabi Alonso in the midfield, for Lass Diarra and Fernando Gago are ruled out due to injuries, while Esteban Granero won't be able to perform due to disciplinary action.
Cristiano Ronaldo looks forward to break its Blaugrana curse this Saturday. The first time he faced Barcelona (when he playing in England for Manchester United), he missed a penalty shot at the third minute of the game. The Red Devils managed to lift the Champions League that season, but it was Paul Scholes who became the hero in Old Trafford.
With Real Madrid, the Portuguese has been defeated three times so far. It's been 510 minutes of football for Ronaldo without breaking Barcelona's goal.
A vital derby for the Spanish league. The winner will claim the upper hand for the next three Clasicos. Let the show begin.
