When Barcelona went down 3-1 to Real Madrid in the first El Classico back in October, many questions were asked of Luis Enrique and the team he was assembling. Barca feebly surrendered that day and although it was their first domestic loss under the current manager, many latched on to the manner of that performance and felt they possessed the same failings from the previous season. Bring it forward to the present day and those concerns and criticisms seem a distant memory. Enrique’s men now top the league (only by a point), are qualified for the quarter finals of the Champions League and already secured their play in the final of the Copa Del Rey. Their football over the three months has been sensational at times and perhaps, even more importantly, Lionel Messi is showing the form that has been missing for the last couple of seasons – and returning to something like his best.
2014 will prove to be a historic year for Real Madrid following their clinching of their 10th European Cup. Carlo Ancelotti was the man responsible for leading the likes of Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos to victory against city rivals Atletico in Lisbon. They approached this season with huge confidence and after dismantling Barcelona in the Bernabeu, the belief that they were well ahead of the Catalans and every other side in La Liga only grew. They led the league heading into the brief winter break but a series of poor performances and disappointing results have seen them relinquish their grasp on top spot. This has lad to a growing frustration amongst the Real supporters and that has translated itself to the players who have shown signs of real tension in recent weeks. They still have their own fate in their hands, of course, but you would have to be concerned with how things have developed recently.
The signing of Luis Suarez from Liverpool was seen as the final piece in the jigsaw for Barcelona. They have struggled to find the right balance in their attacking trio and it was felt that the Uruguayan would fit well with Messi and Neymar. That could well be the case as they look to be getting better all the time and seem to have a great relationship and understanding. It is another summer signing who I think has made an even bigger difference though; Ivan Rakitic. The former Sevilla midfielder has been excellent and has provided a dynamism that has been lacking for several years in Barca’s engine room. He scored the winning goal against Manchester City during the week and seems to be growing into his role game by game.
It is two wins in their last five in all competitions for Real Madrid which includes a league draw with Villareal and defeat to Athletic Bilbao. They survived in the Champions League by the skin of their teeth after winning 5-4 on aggregate against Schalke and all is clearly not well. Ronaldo has cut the figure of a petulant teenager in the last month whilst Bale is very much on the periphery of his in/out relationship with the Real Madrid supporters and Madrid media at the moment. There is nothing like a match away to your bitterest of rivals and nearest title challengers to galvanise a disheartened team and Ancelotti will be praying that is the case ahead of Sunday’s mammoth encounter.
There is not another fixture in world football which is anticipated more than El Classico. These two clubs are the biggest in European football and have the greatest players in the world at their disposal. The stature of this fixture is even greater because of how close the title race is. Nothing will be settled on Sunday no matter the outcome but with the momentum that Barcelona have coming into this game and the issues which appear to be setting in at Real, a home win would go some way to ensuring that it is the Catalans who are successful in winning the Spanish League title. The magic of Messi is coming back all the time and he is nearing his absolute best. He can lead his team to victory here and avenge that October defeat, but as the last 17 fixtures between the two have seen both teams scoring, take this into account when making your selection.
Barcelona to win and both teams to score 17/10 @ Boylesports
