The day before the first leg semi-final tie with Bayern Munich earlier this week Jose Mourinho bore the look of a man under much stress, an image which was aided-and-abetted by the “ready for war” short hair style – all slightly uncharacteristic. All part of The Special One’s traditional tactics of trying to deflect the pressure from his players – and focusing the attention on himself. His medal and trophy haul clearly suggests it works.
However the behaviour reflects the Portuguese man’s underlying tension - ahead of a big fixture.
There are few days as important as Saturday in his career with Real Madrid also facing the second leg of a Champions League semi-final next week, as well as an El Clasico at Camp Nou on Saturday night.....
However the behaviour reflects the Portuguese man’s underlying tension - ahead of a big fixture.
There are few days as important as Saturday in his career with Real Madrid also facing the second leg of a Champions League semi-final next week, as well as an El Clasico at Camp Nou on Saturday night.....
Sadly the history of this fixture premises more tension given how Real Madrid eroded their double digit point lead some weeks ago down to four. In the first fixture in December Barcelona bounced back from conceding the fastest goal in the fixture's history at the Santiago Bernabeu to win 3-1, replacing Real at the top of La Liga for the first time in the season.
At the time Mourinho explained it away as : "Luck plays a part," Mourinho said. "When it was 1-0, we could easily have gone 2-0 up.
On that night Madrid took the lead inside 23 seconds through Karim Benzema but Alexis Sanchez equalised before Xavi's deflected strike put Barca ahead. Cesc Fabregas completed the triumph with a diving header. Barcelona playmaker Lionel Messi could have been sent off too for a second booking, after being shown a yellow card for dissent, he escaped a second caution for a late challenge just before half-time.
"I thought Messi could have been sent off, but until I see it again I won't say more in case I'm wrong," Mourinho said afterwards.
Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, who had yet to lose to Real in the league in seven games, was pleased with the result. But conceded there was still a long way to go in the title race:
"I am delighted with the performance [but] Madrid will recover.
“To win here, you have to play a very good game and we have done that. But there is still much to do and Madrid will again be the leader if they beat Sevilla.
"There are no champions in December."
Last season the two clubs met four times in twenty-one days and not one of those matches was memorable for the football. Rather the rough and tumble. Too often the flow of those game was impeded by niggly tackles requiring the referees on some of the occasions to become busy sending players off. Or just busy flashing yellow cards after too many petulant tackles. This Saturday night promises to be more of the same given Mourinho’s distrusting view of refereeing in all these Clasico meetings - and the first La Liga prize in sight on the horizon for Real Madrid.
If the match at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night against Bayern was any indication of Real Madrid’s style away from home, those seeking the beautiful game might as well sit tight as it promises to be another turgid affair.
Particularly if Mourinho looked at the clash between Chelsea and Barcelona on Wednesday, as it was clear that the Londoners took a leaf out of the Jose Tactics Truck given they too parked the team bus across the goal at Stamford Bridge - to deter the dazzling effects of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Adriano. But with a one goal advantage - courtesy of Didier Drogba - Chelsea Manager Roberto di Matteo can be happy with his nights work. However it will serve to reinforce Mourinho's commitment to a plan that deploys Pepe and Sergio Ramos in the middle of the back four, flanked by Arbeloa and Fábio Coentrão, to stop Barcelona in their tracks.
For this game it may be Marcello gets the job to keep Barca's Dani Alves busy down the left flank, given the propensity of both Brazilian defenders to attack.
With Xabi Alonso over his domestic suspension the look across the middle will not vary from Munich with Sammy Khedira working in tandem with the former Liverpool midfielder to support the back four from threats of record goal scorer, Messi. The attack will not vary either with Ozil and Di Maria working the hard yards servicing Cristiano Ronaldo, so he can continue his current goal scoring streak. Alongside him will be much reinvigorated Karim Benzema.
Of all recent meetings this is probably the best balanced Madrid side Mourinho has been able to field. But as in previous encounters, an early sending off at the Camp No will destroy the most carefully laid plans.
For Pep Guardiola it will be business as usual with a possibility that Gerard Piqué may make a return flowing injury.
Barcelona start the game buoyed no doubt having reduced the gap from 10 points to four -thanks to 11 successive league wins - and Mourinho's men drawing three times with Valencia, Villarreal and Malaga. However a win on Saturday night would put Real seven points clear - with just four games to play. On the other hand a loss for Real Madrid would leave them leading La Liga by just a single point facing some tough clashes with Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao.
For the moment Guardiola feels no pressure and maintaining that the title is Madrid's to lose - rather than Barcelona’s to win
Throughout Mourinho has been virtually muted, insisting his opinions will only serve to earn him further touchline bans following various clashes with officials. In fact, unlike in the UEFA Champions League, he is not required to appear at press conferences for La Liga matches so Jose sightings are fast becoming rare.
Against he managerial tussle the Nou Camp clash has been dominated by the two biggest names, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, with the duo scoring a record-breaking 41 goals in La Liga already, eclipsing the 40-goal record set by Ronaldo last season. Lionel Messi has scored a remarkable 28 goals at the Nou Camp. But Ronaldo has been almost as prolific away from the Bernabeu, having scored 20 times on the road.
Saturday night’s match is the six El Clásico this season following clashes in the Spanish Super Cup, twice in the Copa Del Rey and in the Primera Division last December with the Catalan club prevailing on three of those occasions.
Knowing Mourinho though, he will have settled for a draw and keeping a two point advantage – with a view to winning next Wednesday night at the Bernabeu against Bayern Munich - and reaching yet another final.
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