Wednesday Night Football Action: Real vs Barcelona

With the title wrapped up last Sunday, Real Madrid had one last piece of important business to attend to: the return match of ‘El Clasico’.

For Real, the match turned out to be a minor ‘clasico’. For Barca, a ‘pesadilla’ (nightmare).

First, Raul scored early. He got a lucky bounce but swept the ball beautifully into the net.
Second, Robbben glanced in a header.
Third, Higuain steamed through a now shell-shocked defence and drove the ball past Valdez in goal.
Fourth, Van Nistelrooy (who had literally just been on the pitch just 30 seconds replacing Raul) scored a penalty
Fifth – Casillas makes a phenomenal save from a Messi curler, tipping the ball ’round the post – denying the little Argentine what would have at least been the consolation of being the best goal of the night.

And in between, the men in white played tici-tac one touch football, we had a well-timed thunderstorm at half-time (complete with lightening!) and the fans got a chance to chant the name of all the players.

In the 87th minute Messi did manage to split a high-sitting Real Madrid defense, threading through a gem of a ball to Henry who clipped past Casillas – and the visitors did then press for the remaining five minutes of time played. But they knew the moment had gone and it was all a bit half-hearted. Xabi got himself sent off in the last minute in a fit of pique. Either that or he got temporary tourettes syndrome. ARSE! GIRLS! REAL MADRID! FECK! He got laughed at as he trudged off the pitch.

Real supporters don’t do a lot of singing. It’s one of the first things you notice when you attend a match. But a few ditties were belted out during the game tonight and everyone stayed behind for the champions attenuated lap of honour – mainly attenuated ‘cos of the rain. This domestic season has been a bit of a stroll in the park, so it’s now apparent that the early failure in Europe requires analysis from the manager. Close season has officially started so now come the transfer rumours. Let’s see what happens.

Real Madrid Closing In On Title

Atleti got stuffed 3-0 away from home versus Villareal on Saturday night. Unfortunately for Mexican coach Javier Aguirre he was booked to appear on TeleMadrid for a full hour’s grilling on the following afternoon’s sports show. Cunningly, the producers decided to show all three goals in slow-motion replay and ask Aguirre to comment on each one, describing, if he could, the fallibilities of his defensive line-up. He coped well, in the sense that he didn’t shirk blame and explained how he saw things with frankness. But he was sweating a bit under the gills by the end of it.

Sunday night was cold, squally and with intermittent showers, but it proved to be a balmy night in the micro-climate of the Estadio Bernabeu as Real turned on the old-school form and won at a canter, beating Sevilla 3-1. In doing so they opened up a six point gap on nearest contenders Villareal and a seven point one on faltering Barcelona, with just 8 matches left to play.

Heinze’s first league goal for Real put the hosts ahead in the seventh minute only for Kanoute to level the scores on 37 minutes. However, captain Raul scored his 290th goal for Real to make him the club’s joint second all-time top-scorer along with Carlos Alonso Santillana, as he chases Alfredo di Stefano’s mark of 307. Higuain added a third as Real ended a sequence of two successive league defeats. “It was a complete game from my team from defence right through to the attack,” Bernd Schuster, Real coach, said.

As the final whistle blew the contentment of the Real supporters was evinced in a growling but generous roll of cheers that circled the stadium and rumbled your feet through the concrete. Six up, eight to go. You could taste the satisfaction. People filed out unusually quietly and without haste. Happy to smile at each other and let people pass. As I walked past the supporters clubs buses, stationed out on Ramon y Cajal, I was greeted with a thumbs up by young lad with one of those jester-like funny hats, in the purple and white of Real. I guess he thought I was a Madrileno too. That’s pretty cool.

Valencia Can Haz Cheezburgers

Eeeuuuuwwww. The Santiago Bernabeu was not a happy stadium tonight. An 89th minute goal from Arizmendi for Valencia CF sent Real Madrid to their third home defeat of the season and once again opened up La Liga championship possibilities for Barcelona who are now only 4 points behind again. Horrible horrible horrible.

Valencia have been quite average this season, but a surprising King’s Cup semi-final victory over Barca a few days ago seems to have pepped them up somewhat and tonight they were well worth their victory, even it came with the help of a slightly dubious penalty decision for their second goal.  

Real started without an injured van the man Nistelrooy, but did have a newly fit Robinho plying the left wing and Sergio Ramos back from suspension. The passing was slick and the movement good, both Sneijder and Baptista tested the oppo goaly with decent shots, and all seemed under control after half an hour – up until Valencia took the lead on 33 minutes as Villa, a rumoured transfer target for Real, broke the offside trap to curl the ball sweetly beyond a stretching Casillas. That lead lasted barely two minutes as Raul headed in a Robinho cross and the sides went in to the break 1-1.

On 56 minutes Guti sliced open Valencia’s defence with a gem of a weighted pass and Raul drilled in his second goal, but Valencia got back to level terms when Pepe was adjudged to have fouled Daniel Silva in the area and Villa smashed his penalty past Casillas. Real continued to pour forward, Timo Hildebrand making several good saves, and the game appeared to be going in Real’s favour, before Arizmendi silenced a howling stadium with his late effort, picking up possession in acres of space down the right, slipping past Cannavaro and sliding a low shot past Casillas from near the touchline, with the Spain goalkeeper seemingly fast asleep, or possiblyday-dreaming about his Easter eggs in the dressing room or something.

Gahhhhhhh.

Then Raul had one last attempt brilliantly tipped aside in the last few seconds and then the final whistle.

Gahhhhhhh x 2.

Real will need to recover quickly from this and the players will need to not let the result get into their heads too much – and neither must I. A wasted night then. I’m off to bed to ease the pain. Buenas noches a todos. And to all Barca fans - I hope your paella is soggy.

Atlético vs Real – The Madrid Derby

1999. That was the last time Atléti won at home versus city rivals Real Madrid. That’s eight years of hurt. Eight, long, barren years in front of their home supporters.

Forward to season 2007/08 and tonight’s heavily anticipated encounter and supporters of the striped ones have been acting odd all weekend. I say ‘odd’ because instead of the usual swaggering braggadocio, they’ve been more subdued. It’s been quiet out there. Almost…. too quiet. Almost…. confident quiet. Hmmmm.

What may have been happening here is that this is the best Atlético de Madrid football team for several years. And so tonight they actually rated their chances. Indeed, even Madrid-Uno and his Real supporting mates had a sneaking suspicion that maybe the run was going to be broken. Our relentless all-week taunting of deluded Atleti supporting colleagues in the office had an edge of desperation about it. We weren’t sure we meant it. Which is very un-Real like behaviour.

So. Everyone is crowded into Cherry Bar on calle General Pardiñas. We’ve just managed to squeeze barside and get a round in and BOOM! Raul scores after just 32 seconds after Robinho had skipped past his defender down the left and centred from the touchline. WOOOOOOHOOOOOO!

What follows is forty minutes of pretty intense Atletico pressure as the striped ones attack to try to get back on level terms. Thiago Motta puts a header against the bar, Raul Garcia forces an outstanding save and Kun Aguero sees a sizzling shot from the edge of the area skim the bar. Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas is el muro as the commentators put it. Absolutely outstanding. And then, totally against the run of play, with just a couple of minutes left in the first half, Real grab a second when van Nistelrooy nabs his 12th goal of the season. WOOOF! Bar goes mental. Drinks are spilt. Someone cuffs me round the back of the head as they leap into the air.

The second half is not spectacular as Real do what is necessary. Atleti rarely look as dangerous as they had in the first and Real almost get a third. Final whistle. Bim Boom Bam Thankyou Mam. 3 points and the record stays intact. As I write am still ‘tired and emotional’. ¡Hala Madrid!