WHAT A GAME OF FOOTBALL.
Where Barcelona edges out Real Madrid 3-4 in a game that cranks up the pressure in the La Liga. Where, for the very first time in a long while, the Spanish Premiera has become a three horse race; a race intensified after Lionel Messi’s overhyped hattrick gave Barca three crucial points.
I’m a neutral in La Liga, which is precisely why I loved this match. It had everything – quality players, goals; fights, broken records; red cards, penalties, and lots of glory. The fact that it was Real and Barca facing off, and that there was so much at stake just made it, for me, one of the best games of the season.
Iniesta opened the scoring after, what, 26 passes? He banged it into the top corner after some pretty drab passing which culminated in Messi getting the space to find him. And while it was a fantastic start to a massively important game, the slow tippy tappy almost lulled me to sleep.
Look, I’m an Arsenal fan; I know what a passing team is. You may call me spoilt, but I have noticed that Barca’s passing isn’t as good as it’s made out to me. I won’t deny that it is precise and effective, but it’s hardly mesmerizing nowadays. Certainly incomparable with the Arsenal of the old or Liverpool of the present, in my opinion.
Anyway, if it brings home the bacon, I don’t see why many Catalans should be concerned. After all, results are more important than performances, and a well taken Iniesta goal seemed to mean that Barca had come about this game the right way.
Until Angel di Maria stepped in.
In the first half, many of the stars of the encounter had underwhelmed a bit. Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar and Bale didn’t seem to be up to it. Amongst the crisis of entertainment, an unlikely individual stood out.
Di Maria had a fantastic first half. While Ronaldo and Bale struggled to find their feet, he highlighted the glaring defensive deficiencies of Barcelona by whipping delicious deliveries onto the rampaging Benzema. Two of those chances were taken, and Real Madrid snatched the lead within five minutes against a visibly shell shocked Barcelona.
The first half wasn’t done yet. There was still time for Barcelona to conjure up an equalizer, and it came from Messi (who else?). He played a fantastic pass to Neymar, who should've taken a shot at first touch. Instead, he held on the ball and shabbily played it back to Messi. No matter though, as the Argentine moved swiftly and slotted the ball amidst a crowded Real box. A fight and two yellow cards later, the whistle was blown.
2-2 at half-time. All to play for.
In the second half, Real regained the lead after a dubious penalty decision. In fairness, they always looked like the likely team to score, what with Bale feeding Benzema and the latter missing his seventy eighth chance of the game. But anyway, on 53, Ronaldo ran at the defence, was fouled outside the box and won Real a penalty.
Was it a penalty? Absolute bollocks, Ronaldo was clearly challenged outside the box. Some people are questioning the ref’s decision to sanction the incident as an offence altogether, but for me it’s a no-brainer. In modern football, even the slightest contact can be deemed as a foul, and even though there is no doubt Ronaldo made the most of the challenge, it was an offence.
It wasn’t a penalty though, but Ronaldo accepted the gift and slotted the ball into the bottom corner. The goal meant that Barcelona had to pick themselves up and save their title challenge in less than 40 minutes.
Where Barcelona edges out Real Madrid 3-4 in a game that cranks up the pressure in the La Liga. Where, for the very first time in a long while, the Spanish Premiera has become a three horse race; a race intensified after Lionel Messi’s overhyped hattrick gave Barca three crucial points.
I’m a neutral in La Liga, which is precisely why I loved this match. It had everything – quality players, goals; fights, broken records; red cards, penalties, and lots of glory. The fact that it was Real and Barca facing off, and that there was so much at stake just made it, for me, one of the best games of the season.
Iniesta opened the scoring after, what, 26 passes? He banged it into the top corner after some pretty drab passing which culminated in Messi getting the space to find him. And while it was a fantastic start to a massively important game, the slow tippy tappy almost lulled me to sleep.
Look, I’m an Arsenal fan; I know what a passing team is. You may call me spoilt, but I have noticed that Barca’s passing isn’t as good as it’s made out to me. I won’t deny that it is precise and effective, but it’s hardly mesmerizing nowadays. Certainly incomparable with the Arsenal of the old or Liverpool of the present, in my opinion.
Anyway, if it brings home the bacon, I don’t see why many Catalans should be concerned. After all, results are more important than performances, and a well taken Iniesta goal seemed to mean that Barca had come about this game the right way.
Until Angel di Maria stepped in.
In the first half, many of the stars of the encounter had underwhelmed a bit. Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar and Bale didn’t seem to be up to it. Amongst the crisis of entertainment, an unlikely individual stood out.
Di Maria had a fantastic first half. While Ronaldo and Bale struggled to find their feet, he highlighted the glaring defensive deficiencies of Barcelona by whipping delicious deliveries onto the rampaging Benzema. Two of those chances were taken, and Real Madrid snatched the lead within five minutes against a visibly shell shocked Barcelona.
The first half wasn’t done yet. There was still time for Barcelona to conjure up an equalizer, and it came from Messi (who else?). He played a fantastic pass to Neymar, who should've taken a shot at first touch. Instead, he held on the ball and shabbily played it back to Messi. No matter though, as the Argentine moved swiftly and slotted the ball amidst a crowded Real box. A fight and two yellow cards later, the whistle was blown.
2-2 at half-time. All to play for.
In the second half, Real regained the lead after a dubious penalty decision. In fairness, they always looked like the likely team to score, what with Bale feeding Benzema and the latter missing his seventy eighth chance of the game. But anyway, on 53, Ronaldo ran at the defence, was fouled outside the box and won Real a penalty.
Was it a penalty? Absolute bollocks, Ronaldo was clearly challenged outside the box. Some people are questioning the ref’s decision to sanction the incident as an offence altogether, but for me it’s a no-brainer. In modern football, even the slightest contact can be deemed as a foul, and even though there is no doubt Ronaldo made the most of the challenge, it was an offence.
It wasn’t a penalty though, but Ronaldo accepted the gift and slotted the ball into the bottom corner. The goal meant that Barcelona had to pick themselves up and save their title challenge in less than 40 minutes.
As it turned out, they did, but in mitigating circumstances. Neymar streaked through on goal and was apparently fouled by Ramos, and the ref pointed to the spot once more. Replays suggested that Neymar, too, had simulated upon minimal contact and a penalty wasn’t the fairest decision. I was okay with that; after all, Ronaldo did not deserve a penalty as well. It was almost like evening up the mistakes. However, what pissed me off was when the ref brandished a red to Ramos and practically handed the tie to Barca.
Messi scored from the spot (of course he did), and made it 3-3 at the Bernabeu after just 65 minutes. And after Real were pegged down to 10 men, one always felt that Barca would come out on top. The only surprise was that it took them till the 84th minute and another penalty decision to break Ancelloti’s men.
Another penalty was awarded to Barcelona after Iniesta jammed himself in between Carvajal and Alonso and went down. Maybe one could argue that Iniesta pulled himself into the foul to win a penalty, but I personally felt that this penalty was a fairly awarded one, unlike the previous two. The ref still had a stinker though, he was worse than half of the Premier League refs.
After Messi completed his hattrick and gave the Catalans the lead, one felt that the game was over and Barca would see it through. That is exactly what happened as they kept Real out for a nervy 3-4 win, one that has rekindled life into their title challenge.
Messi scored from the spot (of course he did), and made it 3-3 at the Bernabeu after just 65 minutes. And after Real were pegged down to 10 men, one always felt that Barca would come out on top. The only surprise was that it took them till the 84th minute and another penalty decision to break Ancelloti’s men.
Another penalty was awarded to Barcelona after Iniesta jammed himself in between Carvajal and Alonso and went down. Maybe one could argue that Iniesta pulled himself into the foul to win a penalty, but I personally felt that this penalty was a fairly awarded one, unlike the previous two. The ref still had a stinker though, he was worse than half of the Premier League refs.
After Messi completed his hattrick and gave the Catalans the lead, one felt that the game was over and Barca would see it through. That is exactly what happened as they kept Real out for a nervy 3-4 win, one that has rekindled life into their title challenge.
The La Liga table makes for interesting reading. Surprising leaders Atletico find themselves ahead of Real (in second) only on goal difference, while third placed Barcelona are only a point behind the two. With 9 games to go and the final Gameweek consisting of (would you believe it) Barcelona vs Atletico, the race for the Spanish Premiera will, no doubt, go to the wire.
While I would love to see an underdog like Atletico win the league, my mind leans towards Real Madrid. Barcelona have looked surprisingly unconvincing against the average La Liga side, while Atletico were underdogs and will be till the end of the season.
Whatever happens, I hope the teams in the three-horse race win five on the bounce together, because that would lead to some finish in Spain. One of the most exciting finales since half a decade could be in the making here, I sure as hell wouldn’t want to miss it.
-Santi (Follow my blog 'Gunning From India' and my Twitter account: @ArsenalBlogz)
While I would love to see an underdog like Atletico win the league, my mind leans towards Real Madrid. Barcelona have looked surprisingly unconvincing against the average La Liga side, while Atletico were underdogs and will be till the end of the season.
Whatever happens, I hope the teams in the three-horse race win five on the bounce together, because that would lead to some finish in Spain. One of the most exciting finales since half a decade could be in the making here, I sure as hell wouldn’t want to miss it.
-Santi (Follow my blog 'Gunning From India' and my Twitter account: @ArsenalBlogz)