You’ll struggle to find a more intense rivalry anyplace in world football than the Spanish ‘El Clasico’ between Barcelona and Real Madrid, the international locations two most successful clubs. And as far as this season goes, it’s honours even heading into Wednesday’s tantalising contest at the Bernabeu in Madrid, with the pair sharing one win apiece - Barcelona winning 5-0 at home within the league, the reverse fixture ending in a 1-1 draw in Madrid, whereas Real secured the Copa Del Rey just seven days in the past courtesy of Cristiano Ronaldo’s further-time winner; which has most likely given Real the edge, mentally.
Barcelona’s 5-0 whitewash of Los Blancos will go down in historical past as one of the best matches of all time, merely due to the style of the victory - finishing out-enjoying, out-manoeuvring and overwhelming a aspect which cost massive sums to assemble. However since that unforgettable evening at the Camp Nou, again in November, Madrid have gone on to record a draw and a win over the Catalans, and now Pep Guardiola believes his team at the moment are underdogs heading to the Spanish capital.
The Barcelona manager, who has won five and lost simply one in every of seven ‘El Clasico’ duels during his three-yr reign in Catalonia, in all probability has a point. Final Wednesday’s Copa Del Rey defeat may have hurt his charges, and possibly galvanised a Madrid dressing room which had beforehand did not win any of their final seven meetings with their fierce rivals. Moreover Real Madrid V Barcelona Madrid, beneath Mourinho, have made the Santiago Bernabeu a fortress this season, while away from house is usually the place Barca encounter most of their select few problems.
For the reason that very beginning of the Champions League campaign, Real Madrid have maintained a one hundred% report on the Bernabeu, notching five straight wins, scoring 15 objectives with out reply. In whole, Mourinho’s men have gained 23 of 25 in all competitions at home in 2010/2011.
Then we transfer onto Barcelona’s achilles heel - it’s a shock in itself to know they even have one, which is enjoying away from house in continental competition. Barca have received only two of 5 away matches in Europe this season, as well as shedding away to Arsenal in the Round of 16, but have considerably alarmingly won simply three of their earlier fourteen away Champions League video games, conceding in all but four.
So on high of the actual fact Real Madrid may have taken so much perception from final week’s Copa Del Rey triumph, proving to themselves more than anybody else that Barca could be overwhelmed, Barcelona’s report on the highway in Europe is abysmal.
Moreover, Jose Mourinho has a fully match squad to select from, with even Gonzalo Higuain back from harm, with aplomb too, as he was on track thrice at the weekend as Madrid thrashed Valencia 6-three at the Mestalla. The Portuguese additionally had the luxury of resting just about all the first-crew, with only Karim Benzema, Ricardo Carvalho and Iker Casillas ranging from the off, with Xabi Alsono and Cristiano Ronaldo making second-half appearances.
Pep Guardiola also made wholesale adjustments to the crew which misplaced to Madrid seven days ago, with only Sergio Busquets and David Villa ranging from the off, though the latter didn’t play the full ninety minutes. Xavi, Iniesta and Messi did make second-half cameos, though. Nonetheless, the Barca tactician does have problems on the back with Eric Abidal out with a liver tumour, fellow full-again Adriano ruled out for the remainder of the season while Carles Puyol remains to be troubled by a muscular injury.
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Real Madrid
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Valencia three-6 Real Madrid
Real Madrid 1-0 Barcelona (Copa Del Rey remaining)
Real Madrid 1-1 Barcelona
Athletic Bilbao zero-3 Real Madrid
Real Madrid zero-1 Sporting Gijon
Champions League (Knockouts)
Spherical of sixteen:
Lyon 1-1 Real Madrid V Barcelona Madrid
Real Madrid three-zero Lyon
Real Madrid WON four-1 on combination
Quarter-Finals:
Actual Madrid four-zero Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur zero-1 Real Madrid
Actual Madrid WON 5-zero on combination
Barcelona
Domestic
Barcelona 2-0 Osasuna
Real Madrid 1-0 Barcelona (Copa Del Rey final)
Real Madrid 1-1 Barcelona
Barcelona 3-1 Almeria
Villarreal zero-1 Barcelona
Champions League (Knockouts)
Spherical of sixteen:
Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona
Barcelona 3-1 Arsenal
Barcelona WON 4-3 on combination
Quarter-Finals:
Barcelona 5-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar Donetsk zero-1 Barcelona
Barcelona WON 6-1 on mixture
Streaks & Trends
These two powerhouses of Spanish football have clashed on a minimum of 211 occasions in all competitions, with Real Madrid egding the head-to-head with 86 wins to Barcelona’s 82. There have been 43 draws.
Actual Madrid have a flawless document within the Spanish capital in Europe this season, recording 5 wins, scoring 15 targets and conceding none in the process.
Barcelona have solely received two of their five away European encounters this season (W2 D2 L1), with that solitary defeat coming away in London to Arsenal within the Round of 16.
The Catalans have suffered just three losses all season, though their most up-to-date was against Real Madrid V Barcelona Madrid slightly below a fortnight ago within the Spanish Copa Del Rey.
On this intriguing battle between the 2 group’s prolific forwards, Lionel Messi sets the standard with 50 targets this season with Ronaldo on 42.
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Betting Odds & Suggestions
Match Prediction: Real Madrid to WIN - 2.70 BetFred
So usually a battle of wits ensues whenever Jose Mourinho tackles the Champions League, yet he can ill-afford any warning on Wednesday as something lower than a profitable performance from his group would depart Madrid heavily uncovered heading to Catalonia for the deciding leg on the Camp Nou, the place Barcelona are typically imperious and spanked Mourinho’s males 5-0 again in November.
Fairly merely, Actual Madrid should win this opening leg. And with Barca presumably wounded following last Wednesday’s defeat in the Copa Del Rey ultimate, it ought to combine, properly from a Madrid perspective, with their defensive disaster and dismal away record within the Champions League - so to explain Wednesday’s clash as a golden opportunity for Los Blancos would be an understatement, as hardly ever are Barcelona as vulnerable as they are proper now.
The previous two encounters, which have taken positioned with the area of a fortnight, have been tight, primarily because Mourinho has packed the midfield and tried to nullify the space accessible to Barca’s most influential players; Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro and, after all, Lionel Messi, who has scored 5 in his last three visits to the Bernabeu.
However, the general assumption is that Mourinho, maybe sensing that Barca are prime for the taken, will go along with a totally totally different set-up on Wednesday, with the aim of securing a primary-leg that may stand them in good stead forward of the trip to the Cam Nou, the place Barca will make full use off the added house and atmosphere. If that is to be the case, we needs to be in for essentially the most entertaining ‘El Clasico’ meeting of the season thus far. Both approach, I reckon Real Madrid V Barcelona, who're clearly buoyed by their Copa Del Rey success, will edge this opening leg.
Value Wager: Over 3.5 Goals - Boylesports
Backing goals in match involving Jose Mourinho and the Champions League is usually a quick approach to the poor house, and even more so when Barcelona are concerned. Nonetheless, if the rumours are to be believed, the Portuguese maestro will throw warning to the wind as Actual goal a big win at the Bernabeu which would leave them in a prominent place heading to Catalonia for the second leg.
Principally, if Pepe begins in the centre of midfield then keep away from such a bet. But when Mourinho begins with a extra offensive-trying line-up, then targets are definitely worth the hassle on the odds. After all, are you able to title two groups on the earth with more damaging forwards than these two? Messi and Ronaldo have scored a staggering 92 objectives between then this season!
Match Odds:
Real Madrid - 2.70 BetFred
Draw - 3.40 Bet365
Barcelona - 2.75 VictorChandler
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