The stage is set once again as Barcelona and Real Madrid will take to the centre floor to lock horns in yet another epic El Clasico battle at the Camp Nou.
The first leg of this encounter ended in a convincing fashion with Barcelona thumping Real Madrid 3 – 0 right in front of the Santiago Bernabeu faithfuls.
From that period the Catalans’ have only recorded two losses in all competions. Succumbing to a narrow 1 – 0 loss to their Catalan neigbour, Espanyol in the first leg of the Copa dey Rey quarter finals.
A competition Barcelona went ahead to win after coming out favourites in the return leg and inevitably sealing their first title for the season when they walloped Sevilla 5 – 0 in the final, to continue their dominant reign in the Copa dey Rey competition.
Raking up the 30th Copa dey Rey triumph, more than Real Madrid, who is sitting pretty in third spot with 19 trophies, four behind Athletic Bilbao are are second with 24 titles.
There second loss of the season came in a shocking Champions League exit when Roma turned the tables on them in the second leg of the quarter finals, annihilating the Catalan side 3 – 0 and sending them packing; a comeback the Giallorossi faithfuls will look back to, after losing the first leg 4 – 1.
Barcelona, who some pundits cited “will struggle” at the beginning of the season when Barca were out-witted 5 – 1 on aggregate by Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup, have not only proved doubters and football doom-mongers wrong, but there unbeaten run thus far in the LaLiga Santander is just a foothold to there impeccable ability to thread the needle.
Having already sealed its 25th LaLiga trophy last weekend when they defeated Deportivo La Coruna 2 – 4, with Messi getting his 30th career League hat trick on that occasion, Barcelona will certainly wish to go one better than their rivals, Real Madrid, as they look to finish this season’s LaLiga summit with an unbeaten record; a feat never before achieved by any Spanish teams.
Real Madrid however, have had a torrid campaign at the League. Presently third on the log having lost 5 matches already and 15 points behind Barcelona. While also suffering elimination in the quarter finals of the Copa dey Rey to Leganes.
Same can’t be said in the Champions League however, as there strong dominance in that one would ensue they get a personal record, third consecutive Champions League final spot against Liverpool, in Kiev.
Arguably, the greatest rivalry in world football. With new names like Coutinho and Dembele having much to play for to also register their names among the El Clasico elites; Madrid’s Asensio and Vasquez delivering when called upon. And Iniesta set to leave at the summer, having one last gasp of action, the stage certainly will be a thing to behold.
Will Real Madrid be able to replicate a form that saw them humble the likes of Bayern, Juventus and PSG, is one question that would be on the lips of lovers of the game.
With four matches left in the order of Realmadrid, Villareal, Levante and Real Sociedad and only one away match against Levante, Barcelona would feel the League glory isn’t complete, as they look forward to becoming Spain’s first ever team to go through an entire League campaign unbeaten.
Real Madrid however would have other ideas, as they will look forward to deal a blow to the Catalan’s quest for the League supremacy.
