Real Madrid - FC Barcelona | La Liga Matchday 29 | Mar 23, 2013

Congrats on the victory. Iniesta and Messi were amazing.

I'm more disappointed with Tata. Don't play Cesc and play Nerman in his position would've won this more comfortably without the red or PK ffs.

Honestly, we started okay, we could have been 2 up before madrid really had a sniff at goal. That could have changed things. Messi y u miss sitters and score harder goals?

Very unexpected and thoroughly welcome win. We were serious and determined. Didn't reach a crazy level of performance but was enough to clinge this vital win. Really enjoyable game.

Messi MOTM with the hattrick ofc. Even though he started poorly with a really bad 1on1 miss, he stepped his game up, got us back in the game before halftime and then had the cool to take both penalties successfully. Neymar would've been the FOTM had he not won that penalty. Still, he's responsible for leaving Alves exposed so much in the first half directly leading to the first 2 goals.

Midfield was alright I guess. Not spectacular but then again not bad either, did enough to secure possession for most of the game but couldn't penetrate Madrid's defense convincingly. Cesc was the worst of the lot contributing basically nothing the entire game other than a yellow card for taking Pepe's bait. Iniesta's left footed opening goal was pretty good.

As for the backline, Pique was surprisingly solid. Mascherano had a poor day, missing interceptions left and right and being outjumped and outmuscled by Benzema multiple times. Alves was also caught out of position a number of times and seemed helpless against Di Maria for most of the first half. Alba had a quiet, careful game, nothing to write home about. And finally Valdes had an average game. He wasn't particularily responsible for any of the goals but only had 1 decent save I can remember of.

Tata's "surprise" was switching around Masch and Pique at the back which I can't really wrap my head around as it only created problems rather than solve any. First 2 Madrid goals could've easily been avoided if it was Pique marking Benz instead of Masch. Then again you could argue that Benz would've been approaching from the other side if the 2 CB's were positioned the usual way.

Subs wise, Pedro on for Neymar was spot on and probably about 70 mins too late if you ask me. Alexis for Cesc was also spot on and definitely at least 30 mins late. All in all great game and it'll be very interesting to see how it's gonna affect Madrid in the remaining 9 games. 1 draw and they're out!

Hahahaha, SCREW MADRID. Diving all game long, getting a penalty outside the box and fouling all the time, and they lose. Suck it!!!!

It's a miracle we won considering Tata's many mistakes in this game, what a poor coach. Pep would never chose the lineup only based on name. Mascherano and Neymar starting this game was a transvesty.

My utmost appreciation and love to Messi and Iniesta, who carried us forward tonight, and I also applaud Pique for being the only good defender in our squad, although some kneejerk poster will come and post gifs of each and everyone of his mistakes when they happen and call him rubbish.

Stejo wrote:Cesc was the worst of the lot contributing basically nothing the entire game other than a yellow card for taking Pepe's bait.

That's very untrue. Cesc surely was not at Iniesta's leve and slightly worse than Xavi, but he did things. He delivered two great balls to Neymar that he squandered at the begining of the game. He also contributed in the build up of Iniesta's goal with a very nice between the lines pass to Messi that Xavi probably wouldn't have tried.

Tata's tactics won us this game. Best Barca coach in history. 2/2 against City. 2/2 against Real Madrid. Big game coach.

free_cat wrote:
That's very untrue. Cesc surely was not at Iniesta's leve and slightly worse than Xavi, but he did things. He delivered two great balls to Neymar that he squandered at the begining of the game. He also contributed in the build up of Iniesta's goal with a very nice between the lines pass to Messi that Xavi probably wouldn't have tried.

Came home a bit late and missed the first few mins of the game, caught it just as Iniesta was scoring, so if he had some good stuff at the opening ok, but for the next hour that I watched him I can't really recall anything worth mentioning. Anyway, he wasn't exactly terrible but it was obvious we needed Alexis in his place for the speed. Quite a few times he would receive a ball in space and just couldn't reach it fast enough.

I dont really know what to say

I am totally delighted with the win, we werent actually better than them, but we won and did deserve it.

I was cursing Martino to high hell during the game, nearly everything he decieded annoyed me. It felt like we won in spite of his rubbish, not because of it. The starting line up and the subs, all of it.

Messi and Iniesta with incredible performances and spirit and I agree, Pique did his upmost. Why he cant do this consistently, I dont know.

Mascherano needs to go, im sorry, but come a big game and its always the same....his aerial ability, or lack there of, is a joke. Benzema isnt even know for his aerial play but he completely had a field day feasting on this useless guy.

The less I say about Cesc vs playing another forward the better. He really is quite useless. Before anyone mentions the pass for Messi's miss, dont bother, it was a great pass...but I cant possible advocate trading one pass for 80 minutes (or however long he played) of slow, unathletic crap...Modric was taking the piss out of him at times, turning in the midfield past him with ease.

I took from this game, we have some of that luck Chelsea had in that CL winning season...and ill take it atm.

Oh and finally, please get Neymar back on the left. Or frankly, play someone else on the right. He got in behind twice very well, great runs...but I dont need to repeat my thought of him on that side. The rare times he found himself on the left, he was much better.

I dont need to talk about the ref, I dont know what the arguements are about. Cristiano got a pen outside the box, Neymar was tripped on his left leg and Iniesta was clearly taken out.

We still have a shot at the title, but these slip ups vs the "others" cant happen, not even once.

Fußball wrote:Tata's tactics won us this game. Best Barca coach in history. 2/2 against City. 2/2 against Real Madrid. Big game coach.

It's incredible that we are winning big games with no coach.

He did two things good in this game: we finally went back to more zonal marking in corners, with a line of 4 with Neymar, Pique, Busques and I think it was Alves, and the rest of players man marking. This can work. And also the set pieces, where we placed the line very far away. Good moves from tata.

But his lineup selection was disgusting and it costed us 2 goals (Mascherano's fails) and playing with almost one man less for 70 minutes (Neymar).

The Franchise wrote:

The less I say about Cesc vs playing another forward the better. He really is quite useless. Before anyone mentions the pass for Messi's miss, dont bother, it was a great pass...but I cant possible advocate trading one pass for 80 minutes (or however long he played) of slow, unathletic crap...Modric was taking the piss out of him at times, turning in the midfield past him with ease.

I will mention that pass and another one he made to Neymar that Neymar also squandered, that play that ended with a shot-pass that Marcelo blocked. And I will also add that no way did CEsc play as bad as you say and never did Modric have a field day vs Cesc. Modric was almost invisible.

A few points I want to make:

I'm one of Pique's biggest critics here so I just wanted to point out that he was an absolute beast today. Iniesta and Messi will get all the love tonight, but Pique was just as great in my opinion. This is also something to note for those that think that when he plays bad it's because he's lost it/never had it. Obviously he does. And when he brings it he really is one of the best CBs in the world. Unfortunately we only get to see it five times a season.

As seen in the OP I didn't want Cesc to start, and I wanted to play with at least one workhorse in the forward lineup. Tata went with what was expected and started his usual "big game" line-up. I see that a lot of people are hating on him right now, but honestly we were able to generate many chances, dominate possession and would have been winning in spite of the goals had Messi or Nerman finished their earlier opportunities. I think we could have been better with that line-up pressure wise, but let's not pretend like we were struggling because of his decisions either.

Mascherano was at fault for both first goals, but there is nothing he can do about being short. This game is a good summary for why he's just simply not right for us.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:
Mascherano was at fault for both first goals, but there is nothing he can do about being short. This game is a good summary for why he's just simply not right for us.

Oh come on, ok first goal it was his height. Second goal however he was just bad. Missed the ball by a yard and not because of height.

Stejo wrote:Oh come on, ok first goal it was his height. Second goal however he was just bad. Missed the ball by a yard and not because of height.

I'm watching a replay now and you're right. I remembered it differently.

I didnt say Modric had a field day generally, but everytime we pressed, it was usually Modric who broke the press by turning in front of his back 4, away from Cesc and into space. He did enough times for me to remember and twice he did it so convincingly against Cesc, they showed replays.

And OK, you can name a couple of passes which I dont really recall at this moment. But his overall game, I dislike it. Everytime you pass him the ball, it has to be 100% perfect because he cant move, everytime there is an open space he cant run into it, everytime he is pressured he struggle...come on..I dont even want criticise him every single time. Lets leave it at, I dont like him, probably never will and think him starting these games is not based on merit or whats best for the team.


@ BC we may have had possession, but we did not control the game. I dont care about possession, I care about control. I dont see the justification for another midfielder when it means when we keep the ball its always in front of them and when it actually enters a dangerous area, we struggle to keep it.

Also playing Iniesta/Cesc (they seem to rotate at times) on the left and Neymar on the right was bad defensively. The 2nd goal for example, Neymar didnt get back, Dani Alves got 2 v 1'ed, Xavi couldnt keep up with Di Maria (think it was him) and he had open space to cross to Benzema.

Dani wrote:Also playing Iniesta/Cesc (they seem to rotate at times) on the left and Neymar on the right was bad defensively. The 2nd goal for example, Neymar didnt get back, Dani Alves got 2 v 1'ed, Xavi couldnt keep up with Di Maria (think it was him) and he had open space to cross to Benzema.

That's a good point and something I had not considered (although now it seems obvious).

Well we weren't much better than RM, but we got a deserved win. At this point i'd take loosing la liga more lightly, provided we win the cup.

Fed up with Tata tbh. Why does he keep starting Cesc? Why does he keep putting Neymar on the right? Frustrating to watch this BS

I wouldn't call it a deserved win. It was a deserved draw, and we got luck on our side.

jibers wrote:Fed up with Tata tbh. Why does he keep starting Cesc? Why does he keep putting Neymar on the right? Frustrating to watch this BS

All the coaches before him tried to make Fabregas an important part of the team. He has a WC talent and it difficult to leave him on the bench i guess.

This situation would have to be sorted out after Xavi retire. Sell Cesc to Arsenal or Mu :hum:

Fabregas should never have started the game. He is just too slow and clumsy on the ball. Why does the Barca coach insist on playing him instead of a more "natural" winger?

BARCCCCCCCCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Agreed a draw would have been a more fair result, but we have the win, and for that I can't even put into words how happy I am.

I am happy in some aspects with the team's performance, we created chances, we had some outstanding performers, and we won. This game has really highlighted some of the stuff we've known all along though-- Masch isn't good enough (nor tall enough), Cesc should be shunted in favor of a Xaviesta-Busquets midfield and more forwards, and Neymar should never start on the right.

Honestly never understood the Neymar on the right thing. Why buy a player like Neymar, who cost as much as he did, who is a brilliant player, but who's level of play decreases dramatically on the right...and then stick him on the right? This "big game" line up needs to go.

Defensively, athletically/physically, and offensively I think 3 forwards and Xaviesta-Busquets is far superior to this "big game" line up we have going on.

Iniesta is a magician, Messi is ruthless and Pique was a monster. The three of them were fantastic tonight.

I also think with each passing game it becomes more clear we need at least one physically/athletically superior player that could be slotted into our team, probably in the midfield. A Keita type player...but not Keita.

I'd also like to point out how nice it is to win over this Madrid side that all their fans and people around the world are fapping to, at their own place.

They win vs a poor Schalke team and all of a sudden this is the greatest team in history

Madrid

BarrileteCosmico wrote:I wouldn't call it a deserved win. It was a deserved draw, and we got luck on our side.

Why? We had roughly same amount of chances, but we were mainly controlling the game. Plus, the ref was clearly and idiot and did not make the game easier for us. He did grow balls later on i guess and made the right calls. So all in all, i think it is a fair result, though we weren't much better.

Where can I watch the full game or an extend highlight version.