El Clasico

El Clasico
Messi vs Ronaldo

The partisan crowd at the Camp Nou

El Clasico! Barcelona vs Real Madrid! Messi vs Ronaldo! Catalonia vs Spain!

The Camp Nou was covered with the Catalan flag 'La Senyera' last night and there was a vibrant and hostile atmosphere from the Catalonian fans towards the Real Madrid players. There was no doubt that this game was worth more than just three points as it was the most politicised El Clasico yet. The Catalonians are desperate for their own independence and they definitely left their message for the Spanish government.

But on the field, as usual, it was the rivaly was between the two finest players on the planet, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo that dazzled the world. The performance of these two players last night showed us that there are no other footballers on earth who compares with them.

Barcelona vs Real Madrid is a fixture that excites any football fan around the world. It was the first El Clasico of the season and it did not disappoint. The game ended in a two all draw with Messi and Ronaldo providing the goals.

Barcelona had to field a weakened side due to injures to key players such as Carles Puyol, Eric Abidal and Gerrard Pique. It was left to Javier Macherano and attacking midfielder Adriano to play as the two centre halves.

Ronaldo exploited this and used it to cut open the Bacelona defence causing gaps to appear accross the back line which ultimately lead to the Real Madrid opening goal.

And who else but Ronaldo, the man who has scored two hat tricks in two games, to put his side ahead after 20 minutes. Real Madrid caught Barcelona on a counter attack and Benzema fed the ball to Ronaldo whose shot beat Victor Valdes at his near post. Madrid took a surprising lead.

Ronaldo puts Madrid ahead

With the half hour mark approaching, it was the little Argentinian who levelled the score for Barcelona from 12 yards out. Pepe, the Real Madrid centre half went up for the header too early and Messi was there to punish him for his misjudgement.

 

Messi Scores the equaliser

It was one all going into the half time break. Nothing could separate the two Spanish giants.

Real Madrid came out the most dominant in the early stages of the second half and they even had two clear penalty shouts turned down by the referee.

Just after the hour mark, Messi struck again, this time it was from a curling free-kick that he navigated gently into the top corner past Iker Cassilas. The Catalan crowd were bouncing!

Messi strikes his curling free kick

 

However their joy was short lived. A lovely pass through to Ronaldo left him one on one with Victor Valdez and Ronaldo was able to strike the ball past the Barcelona keeper. That silenced the partisan crowd.

Barcelona more or less controlled the last twenty minutes with some chances coming here and there from both sides. But the game ended in a two all draw. A weakened Barcelona side will take this result. As for Jose Mouriniho's men, they remain eight points behind their rivals in fifth place.