Spanish superpowers Barcelona and Real Madrid face off for the first time this season when they clash at the Nou Camp on Saturday, writes HENRY FAGAN.
Widely regarded as the biggest fixture in league sport, the contest harbours an infamously politicised dimension; it is an illustration of the fractious political division between Spanish centralists [Madrid] and the Catalan [Barcelona] region.
While Barcelona have largely had the better of their rivals over the past decade, 2016-17 has had its problems. With a third of the season gone, it is Los Blancos who sit a comfortable six points clear of their chasers. Madrid are thus far undefeated and are playing the better football. In fact, the sides enter the all-important Clasico – matches that have all but decided the league in the recent past – in strikingly contrasting form. While the Blaugrana have won just two of their last five, Real are on a six-game winning streak.
The biggest concern facing a toiling Barcelona side is their inability to retain or properly impose their style of play. With more and more of Spain’s second-tier threats (like Sevilla and Real Sociedad) adopting more aggressive high-pressing tactics, the Catalans have found their 4-3-3 formation increasingly penetrable. Determined to play the ball out from the back, the defenders have found themselves tightly marked or closely shadowed. Unable to link with the midfield, the midfielders have in turn failed to feed the isolated attack.
The problem comes not from the tactics of Barca’s rivals alone – they are nothing new – but rather the side’s present inability to overcome them. Where in the past the midfielders were adept at receiving the ball under high pressure, of ingeniously passing their way out of difficulty and tying things together – this is no longer the case. Amid injuries and a decline in overall performance, the side have been inhibited by a failure to overcome the loss of Andres Iniesta’s fitness and the loss of Sergio Busquets’ best form.
Perhaps the key difference between Real and Barca is that Real have been able to rely on their full complement of first-team stars. Striker Alvaro Morta, defender Raphael Varane, midfielders Marco Asensio, Isco Alarcon, James Rodriguez and Mateo Kovacic – all of them have been impressive when called upon. It is this that accounts for the gap between Real and the rest.
Los Blancos’ toughest task yet, however, could well prove compensating for the loss of the injured Gareth Bale. Out for a reported four months on account of requiring surgery, no other player has produced quite the same level of dynamism and drive as the Welshman has this season.
Barcelona, meanwhile, will be hoping the return of club captain Andres Iniesta can reignite their best form. Recovering their control and their rhythm will be essential if they are to inflict a first defeat on Zinedine Zidane’s men this season. As always, expect fireworks at the Camp Nou when the rivals go head to head.
