El Clásico: the biggest club match on the planet

eZe^

Over two legs El Clasico draws in more viewers than the FIFA world cup final. It is the clash between the two biggest teams in Spanish football history, FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid. This game isn't like any other in world football, it is not a rivalry that is purely footballing, it is the rivalry between two cultures, two different nations, two very different footballing symbols. It's a clash between two teams that have never been relegated from the Spanish first division, a clash between the team that has the most CL titles and a team that has never failed to appear in European competitions since their inception something like 56 years ago.

Real Madrid, the club representing Castile, and the Spanish royal family. A club that under General Franco was used as a political tool to convert the masses to fascism. Franco founded the paper Marca, another political tool used to convert any socialist/ communist minded Spaniards to fascism. A club who's president was one of the main reasons we now have the Champions League, a club who have more league and CL titles than any other European heavyweight. Surely they dwarf any other opposition teams in Spain?

FC Barcelona, a club representing Catalunya, and an identity that went against all of General Franco's ideas. FC Barcelona play at the Camp Nou, a place that during the Franco era was the one of the only places in the Catalan region where it's people could safely practice their culture and traditions. A club that was made change it's name because of fascism, FC Barcelona was the face of freedom for the Catalan people during times of civil war. Barcelona's newspapers are Sport.es and El Mundo Deportivo. A team that refuses to have commercial sponsors on their jersey, instead opting to promote the charity UNICEF. Surely a team with such noble intentions deserves to win all the time? :pac::pac::pac:


Recently Real Madrid have been atrocious due to an unbelievable injury crisis, worse than the one Barcelona suffered last season. They have had injuries to Robben, Sneijder, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Canavarro, De La Red, Diarra, Metzelder, Higuain, Pepe and Miguel Torres. Luckily it is said that they will be boosted by the return of Robben, Canavarro and Higuain for this match.

On the other hand, their rivals Barcelona have enjoyed the best start they have ever had a Liga campaign, scoring 44 goals in 14 ties, they have at the moment the top striker in Europe, and the top player in Europe. Eto'o makes his return after being suspended for the Valencia game due to picking up 5 yellow cards. Barcelona have been the form team in Europe so far this season.

This game is being played at the Camp Nou in 6 days at 9pm GMT. All sensible brains would bet on a Barcelona win, but this is the Clásico, all form goes out the window. Madrid will always have a good shot considering they sold their soul to devil back in the 50's to steal Di Stefano from Barcelona. This game is a huge banana skin for the Blaugrana and usually I'd bite your hand off for a point. BUT, considering how SH*T we were last season at the Bernabeu after giving them the fcuking guard of honour we have to restore some pride, I need a win here.

Medina Cantalejo is the referee for this game, and he is the most erratic man on the planet, infact, I can almost guarantee that there will be a bloody sending off. Terrible referee, could potentially cost either side a win with his decisions. Anyway, regardless of the outcome, one thing is for sure - This is the biggest club game on the planet, and we'll see a good game of football.


Barca formation;

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VV

---

--Alves

---

Puyol

---

Marquez---Abidal---

---

Toure

---

---

Xavi

---

Gudjohnsen

---

---

Messi

---

Eto'o

---

Henry

---

Madrid formation;

---

Casillas

---

--Salgado

---

Ramos----Canavarro---Marcelo-

---

Gago

---

---

Guti

---

VDV

---

---

Higuain

---

Raul

---

Robben

---

HalloweenJack

Can Real play Sevilla first?

I'm a neutral when it comes to El Clasico. I detest both clubs, though I'd probably see Real as the lesser of two evils.

EDIT - Also, surely Real had to change their name under Franco as well?

Tbh, changing from FC Barcelona to CF Barcelona is hardly a big stretch.

Charlie

the biggest club match on the planet

Newcastle don't play Sunderland till Feb. :pac:

eZe^

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Can Real play Sevilla first?

I'm a neutral when it comes to El Clasico. I detest both clubs, though I'd probably see Real as the lesser of two evils.

EDIT - Also, surely Real had to change their name under Franco as well?

Tbh, changing from FC Barcelona to CF Barcelona is hardly a big stretch.

Ah ya sher, it's no big deal that there was a ban on the Catalan language and that FC Barcelona had to change their name to the Spanish equivalent in the interests of fascism. Sher, why don't the English come back and take over cork, and ban people from calling it Corcaigh, hardly a big stretch. Sher they had to take the Catalan flag out of their badge too, but that's not a big deal either right? Nobody likes yellow and red together anyway.

Sorry for making the thread early btw, I just can't wait. Not going over this year because of everytime I go to see Barca in the Clasico we lose or draw. Bad omen.

HalloweenJack

eZe^ wrote: »

Ah ya sher, it's no big deal that there was a ban on the Catalan language and that FC Barcelona had to change their name to the Spanish equivalent in the interests of fascism. Sher, why don't the English come back and take over cork, and ban people from calling it Corcaigh, hardly a big stretch. Sher they had to take the Catalan flag out of their badge too, but that's not a big deal either right? Nobody likes yellow and red together anyway.

Are you Catalan?

eZe^

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Are you Catalan?

Part Catalan yes, because of my father. But I wouldn't be the most active, I don't really know enough about our history to start mass internet tirade's looking for independence and whatnot. I do have a respect for the history though. Realistically, I'm much more an Irish man unfortunately.

redout

Unless Madrid show me something tonight I dont rate thier chances at all. I dont care if it be Chelsea, Man Utd, Inter, or AC Milan on current form they would all be getting beat in my opinion. I hope Madrid get whipped and whipped good. I remember the people celebrating on my street last year after the whipping dished out in EL Clasico. They took over the fountain at the local roundabout and the police had to block of the surrounding streets for a couple of hours. All this because of victory in a league game after la liga was already won at that stage.

The people here really show their support with their heart on their sleeve. I have never witnessed anything like it. This game brings the whole of this country to a standstill. It is in a different league to say Utd v Liverpool, Inter v AC Milan, big games without question but nothing like this. I would recommend any football fan to come here aand witness it. It is a truly unbelievable experience. The only thing I can think that rivals it in the way that the whole country is intrigued is the superbowl in America.

HalloweenJack

I respect the Catalan struggle. I'm Irish, I know about nationalism.

I'm just sick of the whole victimised feel and general smugness that goes with Barca.

And when you see how succesful, comparatively, Athletic have been when they follow the Basque-only policy, to me, it makes Barca look like a greedy cousin.

eZe^

What about Boca vs River Plate? Id love to go to that, or Olympiacos vs Panathanaikos, or Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce!

eZe^

HalloweenJack wrote: »

I respect the Catalan struggle. I'm Irish, I know about nationalism.

I'm just sick of the whole victimised feel and general smugness that goes with Barca.

And when you see how succesful, comparatively, Athletic have been when they follow the Basque-only policy, to me, it makes Barca look like a greedy cousin.

I can understand what you're saying, but I don't agree. What Athletic does is unbelievably noble, but look at what has happened to their club as a result of them holding onto ALL of their traditions. They have been alleged of match fixing, they risk being relegated for the first time in their history, there was a time when Athletic were the most feared team in Europe ffs. They have also ended up getting a shirt sponsor, something they vowed they would never do. Barcelona never had a Catalan-only policy, so I don't see how you can compare Barca to Athletic, Barca haven't broken any of their traditions.....

Galvasean

eZe^ wrote: »

, or Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce!

Perhaps from the safety of an armored van.

Henry got a hat-trick against Valencia in Barce's last game. Add the return of Eto'o and I can see a lot of goals.

kensutz

The biggest derby of the year is just over.:D

Bubs101

I went to Roma Lazio once and I couldn't recommend it enough. Even in the safe neutral stand there were a bunch of fights, Lazio fans tried to push the Roma team bus over on the way in and then the day after (Roma won 5-1) there was some kind of procession in the colleseum where (I think) Roma fans started burning Nesta shirts which I saw a bit off, not sure if it was legal or not. It was phenomenal although i doubt it's as fun since they clamped down

titan18

eZe^ wrote: »

Over two legs El Clasico draws in more viewers than the FIFA world cup final. It is the clash between the two biggest teams in Spanish football history, FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid. This game isn't like any other in world football, it is not a rivalry that is purely footballing, it is the rivalry between two cultures, two different nations, two very different footballing symbols. It's a clash between two teams that have never been relegated from the Spanish first division, a clash between the team that has the most CL titles and a team that has never failed to appear in European competitions since their inception something like 56 years ago.

Real Madrid, the club representing Castile, and the Spanish royal family. A club that under General Franco was used as a political tool to convert the masses to fascism. Franco founded the paper Marca, another political tool used to convert any socialist/ communist minded Spaniards to fascism. A club who's president was one of the main reasons we now have the Champions League, a club who have more league and CL titles than any other European heavyweight. Surely they dwarf any other opposition teams in Spain?

FC Barcelona, a club representing Catalunya, and an identity that went against all of General Franco's ideas. FC Barcelona play at the Camp Nou, a place that during the Franco era was the one of the only places in the Catalan region where it's people could safely practice their culture and traditions. A club that was made change it's name because of fascism, FC Barcelona was the face of freedom for the Catalan people during times of civil war. Barcelona's newspapers are Sport.es and El Mundo Deportivo. A team that refuses to have commercial sponsors on their jersey, instead opting to promote the charity UNICEF. Surely a team with such noble intentions deserves to win all the time? :pac::pac::pac:


Recently Real Madrid have been atrocious due to an unbelievable injury crisis, worse than the one Barcelona suffered last season. They have had injuries to Robben, Sneijder, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Canavarro, De La Red, Diarra, Metzelder, Higuain, Pepe and Miguel Torres. Luckily it is said that they will be boosted by the return of Robben, Canavarro and Higuain for this match.

On the other hand, their rivals Barcelona have enjoyed the best start they have ever had a Liga campaign, scoring 44 goals in 14 ties, they have at the moment the top striker in Europe, and the top player in Europe. Eto'o makes his return after being suspended for the Valencia game due to picking up 5 yellow cards. Barcelona have been the form team in Europe so far this season.

This game is being played at the Camp Nou in 6 days at 9pm GMT. All sensible brains would bet on a Barcelona win, but this is the Clásico, all form goes out the window. Madrid will always have a good shot considering they sold their soul to devil back in the 50's to steal Di Stefano from Barcelona. This game is a huge banana skin for the Blaugrana and usually I'd bite your hand off for a point. BUT, considering how SH*T we were last season at the Bernabeu after giving them the fcuking guard of honour we have to restore some pride, I need a win here.

Medina Cantalejo is the referee for this game, and he is the most erratic man on the planet, infact, I can almost guarantee that there will be a bloody sending off. Terrible referee, could potentially cost either side a win with his decisions. Anyway, regardless of the outcome, one thing is for sure - This is the biggest club game on the planet, and we'll see a good game of football.


Barca formation;

---

VV

---

--Alves

---

Puyol

---

Marquez---Abidal---

---

Toure

---

---

Xavi

---

Gudjohnsen

---

---

Messi

---

Eto'o

---

Henry

---

Madrid formation;

---

Casillas

---

--Salgado

---

Ramos----Canavarro---Marcelo-

---

Gago

---

---

Guti

---

VDV

---

---

Higuain

---

Raul

---

Robben

---

You left out that Franco made it impossible for Barcelona to sign Di Stefano and as a result, Di Stefano went on to play for Real. He formed possibly the deadliest strike partnership ever with Puskas.

eZe^ wrote: »

What about Boca vs River Plate? Id love to go to that, or Olympiacos vs Panathanaikos, or Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce!

I'll add Wisla Krakow and Cracovia to that as having been to one of the games, I can tell you its scary.

eZe^

Bubs101 wrote: »

I went to Roma Lazio once and I couldn't recommend it enough. Even in the safe neutral stand there were a bunch of fights, Lazio fans tried to push the Roma team bus over on the way in and then the day after (Roma won 5-1) there was some kind of procession in the colleseum where (I think) Roma fans started burning Nesta shirts which I saw a bit off, not sure if it was legal or not. It was phenomenal although i doubt it's as fun since they clamped down

Ya, one of my mates is a Lazio fan, he has been over a few times, don't think I like some of the things I've heard about Lazio from some of their fans though. Although I don't know much about Roma's history at all, are they any better? Were Lazio or Roma predominantly fascist or whatever?

Bubs101

Lazio are THE fascist club in Italy so I'd say there's a good chance that Roma are communist. The split is because Rome represents the city and Lazio represents the countryside of Rome though so it may not be political.

Edit: Looking at Wiki, Rome does have a strong recent tradition of left leaning mayors in the recent past so it's possible Roma are communist but I never noticed and I've been there 12 times

eZe^

But I thought the whole Lazio vs Roma thing happened because Roma was a club formed by merging every team in Rome together, and Lazio were the only ones who managed to stay independent.

Anyway, anyone heading over for the Clasico? How about you Redout? Gonna fly over to Barna for the day? It'd be worth it for something like this;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc_hEb_it8I

gimmick

^ I was looking to get tickets for it as it is actually on my birthday, but anything i found were outrageously dear, so just going to have to barstool it.

Looking forward to this game this year more than most. Barcas form is incredible and I would love to see them humble Real in revenge for the 4-1 in May. But I have a sneaky suspicion Real will pull it out of the fire and scrape a dirty 0-1 or something. Hope I am wrong.

redout

eZe^ wrote: »

Anyway, anyone heading over for the Clasico? How about you Redout? Gonna fly over to Barna for the day? It'd be worth it for something like this;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc_hEb_it8I

If you can get me 2 tickets that cost less than €300 each then let me know man.

eZe^

gimmick wrote: »

^ I was looking to get tickets for it as it is actually on my birthday, but anything i found were outrageously dear, so just going to have to barstool it.

Looking forward to this game this year more than most. Barcas form is incredible and I would love to see them humble Real in revenge for the 4-1 in May. But I have a sneaky suspicion Real will pull it out of the fire and scrape a dirty 0-1 or something. Hope I am wrong.

redout wrote: »

If you can get me 2 tickets that cost less than €300 each then let me know man.

Anybody that was willing to queue was able to get tickets for the 3rd tier of Lateral a few weekends ago for about 73 euro. They are sold out now unfortunately, shoulda enquired a few weeks ago. Not worth risking now unless you'll be in Barcelona for that particular weekend, not mani soci's will be giving up there tickets for this game anyway so by now it'd only be scalpers. There is a new scheme for selling tickets introduced now where you can buy tickets online. If you are a soci you can buy tickets for any game at any time, but if you are not am member you can only buy 15 days prior to the game.

http://www.servicaixa.com/nws/servlet/serviticket.sis.servlets.hSrvRecinteEvent;jsessionid=J7124vJcpL6QMfb48qhvqsdXDzR9Z3j71n2L8khzyn2TBXSW1Zhw!570442845!-609972789?codRecinte=5100&codEvent=51400&codTipusEvent=3&idioma=ING&CODIUSU=P034CB03&SERVICE=VENDA

Thinking of going over for Feb 8th'ish for the Sporting game, tickets from as low as 20 euro is a bargain really. I'll spend 50 euro for a 1st tier Lateral / Grandstand seat.

redout

Servicaixa is good. I have used it a couple of times. Got my tickets for Atletico Madrid v Barcelona off of it last season. I agree that you need the socio but all Barca games can be got without it as the Nou camp is never sold out bar El Clasico, big champions league games maybe Espanyol but not sure on that. Last night game only had 86,000 with about 10,000 - 12,000 empty seats

eZe^

redout wrote: »

Servicaixa is good. I have used it a couple of times. Got my tickets for Atletico Madrid v Barcelona off of it last season. I agree that you need the socio but all Barca games can be got without it as the Nou camp is never sold out bar El Clasico, big champions league games maybe Espanyol but not sure on that. Last night game only had 86,000 with about 10,000 - 12,000 empty seats

But for people travelling over, even though they shouldn't worry about getting tickets, they always do. I always use one of my mates soci numbers, up to 20% off like!

redout

eZe^ wrote: »

But for people travelling over, even though they shouldn't worry about getting tickets, they always do. I always use one of my mates soci numbers, up to 20% off like!

Do you know if the Barca socio is like the Man Utd were you can buy say 3-4 tickets but you need a member number for each ticket or does one barca membership let you purchase more than one ?

gimmick

Gang of us headed over for the Deportivo game next month. I am told tickets will be no bother. Really looking forward to it. Ive been in Barcelona twice and both times they were away.

therecklessone

Bubs101 wrote: »

Lazio are THE fascist club in Italy so I'd say there's a good chance that Roma are communist. The split is because Rome represents the city and Lazio represents the countryside of Rome though so it may not be political.

Edit: Looking at Wiki, Rome does have a strong recent tradition of left leaning mayors in the recent past so it's possible Roma are communist but I never noticed and I've been there 12 times

It's kinda complicated: despite being formed from three original Roman clubs after pressure from Mussolini's Fascist Party, Roma's fanbase hails from traditionally working class areas of the city, while Lazio (allegedly the team Mussolini supported) hail from more affluent areas (and Roma fans will tell you from outside the city itself)

Lazio's Ultras most definitely lean to the right of the political spectrum while Roma's were left-wing in the late 60s and into the 70s, but they have moved to the right also (despite that Rome's Jewish community tends to support Roma...understandable when you see how extreme Lazio fans can be)

anonymous_joe

Bubs101 wrote: »

Lazio are THE fascist club in Italy so I'd say there's a good chance that Roma are communist. The split is because Rome represents the city and Lazio represents the countryside of Rome though so it may not be political.

Edit: Looking at Wiki, Rome does have a strong recent tradition of left leaning mayors in the recent past so it's possible Roma are communist but I never noticed and I've been there 12 times

Bologna were more fascist at the time of WW2.

therecklessone wrote: »

It's kinda complicated: despite being formed from three original Roman clubs after pressure from Mussolini's Fascist Party, Roma's fanbase hails from traditionally working class areas of the city, while Lazio (allegedly the team Mussolini supported) hail from more affluent areas (and Roma fans will tell you from outside the city itself)

Lazio's Ultras most definitely lean to the right of the political spectrum while Roma's were left-wing in the late 60s and into the 70s, but they have moved to the right also (despite that Rome's Jewish community tends to support Roma...understandable when you see how extreme Lazio fans can be)

Roma are right wing, Inter are right wing, Juve have no fans in Turin, Fiorentina are right wing these days too iirc. Most of the big Italian teams have shifted over towards the right in terms of fans.

Apparently Mussolini supported Bologna. And Hitler's meant to have supported Schalke. Just felt I'd never get a better chance to mention that last one. :pac:

Bubs101

Regarding the Lazio Roma divide, regardless of the origins the city of Rome is most certainly Roma's territory but if you go out to Ostia or Hadrian's Villa for instance your far more likely to find Lazio fans. I think the Lazio Livorno match a few years back was meant to be the biggest recent clash of Fascism and Communism. It was the one where Di Canio gave a fascist salute to the Livorno fans, brilliance

therecklessone

Bubs101 wrote: »

It was the one where Di Canio gave a fascist salute to the Livorno fans, brilliance

Yes, let's congratulate him for that...:rolleyes:

HalloweenJack

eZe^ wrote: »

Barcelona never had a Catalan-only policy, so I don't see how you can compare Barca to Athletic, Barca haven't broken any of their traditions.....

Yes, I know Barca never had a Catalan-only thing. I was comparing them because both are representative of more than just their city.

To me, Athletic are more representatve of the Basques then Barca are of the Catalans. Athletic only sign Basque players (not something I agree with but that's for another time). That really cements that they are all about being a Basque club. Barca don't have anything like that. So, to me, Barca aren't on the same level as Athletic. I mean Athletic have done, comparatively, well over the years. Why can't/couldn't Barca do something like that? Clearly, it can work.

I think Athletic have a more genuine claim to represent the Basques than Barca de with the Catalans.

anonymous_joe wrote:

Apparently Mussolini supported Bologna.

Not sure how true that is but the reason Bologna were so successful in the Mussolini era was down to Leandro Arpinati. He was leader of the Fascists in Bologna and he was a Bologna fan. In 1925, Bologna won with plenty of help from Arpinati's thugs. In 1926, he was made presdient of the Italian football federation and stayed there until 1933. In that time Bologna won two titles and won four more while Mussolini was still in charge.

Bubs101

therecklessone wrote: »

Yes, let's congratulate him for that...:rolleyes:

Why not? Was a PR masterstroke in terms of relating to the fans

therecklessone

Bubs101 wrote: »

Why not? Was a PR masterstroke in terms of relating to the fans

Pandering to racist anti-Semites who glorify war criminals is a PR masterstroke? Idiotic more like, even more so considering he hardly needs to relate to the fans he used to stand on the curva with in his youth to watch Lazio.

What next, should Spanish players chuck bananas at Ashley Cole or Emle Heskey the next time they play in Spain to relate to their own? Maybe Mark Noble should spend tomorrow evening hissing at the travelling Spurs fans?

therecklessone

kensutz wrote: »

The biggest derby of the year is just over.:D

The Old Farm?

Bubs101

Part of the attraction for the fans going to that game was the clash, Di Canio only added extra spice to it

anonymous_joe

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Yes, I know Barca never had a Catalan-only thing. I was comparing them because both are representative of more than just their city.

To me, Athletic are more representatve of the Basques then Barca are of the Catalans. Athletic only sign Basque players (not something I agree with but that's for another time). That really cements that they are all about being a Basque club. Barca don't have anything like that. So, to me, Barca aren't on the same level as Athletic. I mean Athletic have done, comparatively, well over the years. Why can't/couldn't Barca do something like that? Clearly, it can work.

I think Athletic have a more genuine claim to represent the Basques than Barca de with the Catalans.

Not sure how true that is but the reason Bologna were so successful in the Mussolini era was down to Leandro Arpinati. He was leader of the Fascists in Bologna and he was a Bologna fan. In 1925, Bologna won with plenty of help from Arpinati's thugs. In 1926, he was made presdient of the Italian football federation and stayed there until 1933. In that time Bologna won two titles and won four more while Mussolini was still in charge.

Yeah I know. Always helps when the head of the FA wants you to win. Didn't Bologna go communist after WW2?

Racing Flat

I went to this a few years ago at the Nou Camp. A great spectacle and a great occasion. And you can get right up close to the team buses as they come in. Well organised, easy to get in and out of ground and good transport links. But the atmosphere was poor . Very little noise made or singing or chanting. Despite a good match and some controversial decisions, minimal passion from the crowd. Surprised and disappointed by this aspect. Was more like being at the cinema .

Bateman

Never been to one, but it doesn't appeal. I like it when there is a decent away team presence in the stands, and that just doesn't happen with this fixture.

carlop

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Yeah I know. Always helps when the head of the FA wants you to win. Didn't Bologna go communist after WW2?

I don't know about the football team but the city itself is very much left-wing, I think I read recently that it's the only city in western Europe with a communist mayor.

titan18

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Not sure how true that is but the reason Bologna were so successful in the Mussolini era was down to Leandro Arpinati. He was leader of the Fascists in Bologna and he was a Bologna fan. In 1925, Bologna won with plenty of help from Arpinati's thugs. In 1926, he was made presdient of the Italian football federation and stayed there until 1933. In that time Bologna won two titles and won four more while Mussolini was still in charge.

I think Mussolini supported Torino.

iregk

This will have to be one hell of a game to eclipse the humdinger that was on last night. For those that missed it, shame on you. Sevilla 4-3 winners at the Barnabeu in what was by some distance the best match of the season in any league for me.

stovelid

Like many others, I love the game for the energy and football itself, but I don't cream myself over the culture and history that surrounds the match, as I'm not from Barcelona or Madrid.

eZe^

Time for Real Madrid fans to follow Schuster and accept the inevitable

You can ditch your Real Madrid shirt, bin your official Real Madrid cheese and pour your Real Madrid Rioja down the sink. It was probably just a repackaged carton of Don Simón anyway. You can drop your Madrid bullfighter's cape and run screaming for the safety of the callejón, or leave your Madrid surfboard forever buried in the sand. As for that infuriating plastic air horn thing: you can stick that, too. And while you're at it you might as well give up on collecting tokens for the Real Madrid toasted sandwich maker with its ingenious non-stick, bread-branding panels. In fact, you can give up on Real Madrid altogether. (You can give up on Real Madrid!) At least you can if you believe Bernd Schuster.

It was after midnight when Fredi Kanouté slipped behind the sponsor-splattered screen and away, as elegant off the Bernabéu pitch as he'd been on it. The bloke in the Sevilla tracksuit raced by noisily pushing two huge metal crates and disappeared, hair flowing out behind. Soon a man with a Madrid blazer and a mournful look departed silently, still wondering why he had to sit next to Schuster, still chewing over Madrid's 4–3 defeat by Sevilla, mentally replaying a game that had one red card but could have had five, that went from 0–1 to 1–1, from 1–3 to 3–3, and from within a referee's whistle of 4–3 to 3–4. And then, suddenly, there was no one. Just an empty space, rain dripping solemnly from the stand above.

Out on Calle Padre Damián, men in boiler suits marched three abreast with giant nozzles like Ghostbusters, blowing sodden leaves, bottles and sunflower seeds into the gutter and a few soaked souls waited for a glimpse of Guti's Audi. Guti, though, had gone. And so too had Schuster. Time to turn out the lights and go home. Perhaps for good. Schuster certainly didn't see the point in carrying on: barely half an hour before he had not just cashed in his chips but pissed on them as well, as journalists looked at one another and mouthed "Madre mía!" Real Madrid, roared the headline in the Catalan comic Sport, "is burning down!". "Madrid in ruins!" giggled El Mundo Deportivo. "What a day!" sighed the cover of AS.

What a day, indeed. One that completed a weekend with two 3–3s, a 3–2, a 3–4 and even a 5–2, one 4–0, four comebacks, and a brilliant Thierry Henry hat-trick. One, above all, which sunk Madrid into crisis. A proper one.

On Sunday morning, the president, Ramón Calderón, just about got the club's accounts through the members' assembly amid accusations and abuse, threats, confrontations, constraint and coercion, hidden interests and open division — thanks not least to the Ultra Sur, bussed in and busy bellowing "Presidente! ¡Presidente!" and "¡Anti-Madridistas, hijos de puta!". On Sunday evening, Madrid lost their fourth league game, their third in four, fans launching into a chant of "¡Calderón, dimisión!" despite the club's cunning plan of whacking the PA volume up to boo-swamping full-blast the second the whistle went. And on Sunday night, Schuster didn't so much put his foot in it as jump up and down. With no shoes or socks on.

It appeared an ordinary press conference with a coach who has exhausted his excuses and withdrawn so far into himself soon he'll be little more than a mushy ball of flesh, until he was asked if beating Barcelona next week was an obligation. A twitch of the 'tache, a tired smile, and the bombshell: "I'm less worried about that game than any other," he said, "winning at the Camp Nou is impossible. Barcelona are flattening everyone. It's their year. The state we're in, all we can do is put in a decent performance. We can't ask for more." The faces in the pine pressroom could have been painted by Edvard Munch. It was an extraordinary thing for any coach to say; for the coach of Real Madrid it was a declaration of weakness at odds with the club's very identity. What the hell was he playing at?

Could it be that Schuster was employing a spot of cunning psychological jiggery-pokery aimed at a reaction? Surely not. The one thing you couldn't accuse Madrid of was a lack of attitude: they'd come back from two down and been denied a probable penalty to win it before conceding in the 85th minute in a performance that was, Roberto Palomar said, "like watching a cripple run the marathon — both heroic and pitiful". Could it be that Schuster was inviting Madrid to sack him, nestling his neck on the block and shouting, "bring it on you bastards! (my cheque, I mean)"? Possibly. He'd called for a golpe de efecto — some drastic impact decision. Perhaps he didn't mean a new player after all; perhaps he meant a new manager. Or could it be that Schuster was just being unusually, if foolishly, honest?

Because while Real Madrid were unlucky; while they had Arjen Robben sent off for screaming "**** you!" at the ref in English, prompting a bout of comic Anglo-Saxon copycatting by giggling potty-mouthed pair Jorge Valdano and Kiko Narváez on Spanish telly; while they had two penalty shouts and complained about the ref (handily ignoring the decisions that went against Sevilla); while they showed they still have the character that saw them overcome their failings and embark upon an incredible run to win an unlikely league title two seasons ago; while they have the players when everyone is fit; while they invariably grow against Barça, and while Gonzalo Higuaín could be genuinely special, they still have huge problems.

The formation is deformed, there's no width, little pace, and an exposed defence collapsing amid injuries and suspensions; a coach who doesn't coach, a captain who's as often a problem as a solution and a playmaker who only makes play when he feels like it, plus a winger who, sadly, hardly plays at all. Oddly, even their saviour no longer saves. "We can't fool ourselves," said Schuster, "we have to open our eyes." And anyone who opened their eyes last night, anyone who opened their eyes 24 hours earlier as Barcelona subjected Valencia to suffocating pressure, defeating them 4–0, can see that right now it's not that Barcelona play better football than Madrid, it's that Barcelona play a different sport altogether.


Sid Lowe

What a fantastic journalist.

TripleAce

From an absolutely neutral point of view, in terms of skills and classy players the biggest match in the world would be Juve A vs Juve B. :cool:

A pity the don't play that too often.

Pighead

Bye bye Schuster. Press conference in Madrid soon to announce his departure.

DubDani

Schuster out and Ramos in.

I am sure Ramos will be glad to have lost his job at Tottenham now.

redout

Yeah I just watched the press conference here. Still on actually with Ramos now. Mijatovic said he decided to fire Schuster because this season things were not going well. He mentioned it to Calderon and the board this morning then brought Schuster in. In all honesty the guy was on the brink anyway and his comments that Real Madrid could not beat Barcelona this week done him no favours at all. Calderon when asked about the comments said thy were not his beliefs.

gustavo

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=57931068&postcount=2

:cool:



I think he'll do reasonably well there hard to see them getting anything on Saturday though

gimmick

Looks like I am going to fuc*king miss this. Stupid bastard X factor.

mayordenis

gimmick wrote: »

Looks like I am going to fuc*king miss this. Stupid bastard X factor.

let me be the first to offer my heart felt condolences


LOLOLOLOL!!!!AS12121 AAHAHA NOOB

bottlerocket

Does anyone know of a bar in Limerick that will be showing this?

Can't wait for this. Yes, anything can happen in a derby but I can't see Madrid raising it to the level they'll need to be at to handle Barca. A comfortable 2-0 or 3-0 home win for me.

redout

A nice bit of info and insight about tomorrows game.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/7773758.stm

stovelid

Nice article are about Barca by Sid Lowe in the Guardian today.