Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is known as the ‘Special One’ but last night Barcelona proved who the special ones really are.
Barcelona’s 5-0 mauling of their bitter-rivals showed that they are still top dogs in Spain.
Incredible
The Spanish champions were outstanding. We have seen them rip apart lesser teams in the past but they ripped apart their main rivals and deserved the incredible win.
This was not Panathinaikos or Almeria that Barca were facing but a team who are rated as one of the best teams in the world.
Character
Mourinho is looking ahead to Real’s next match against Valencia. He told Sky Sports: “We must have character,”
“You cannot cry when you concede four or five goals. You must be anxious to return to work and win the next match.
“I wish the Valencia match was tomorrow and not Saturday. After such a bad match you must go right back to work, play and win.”
Real Madrid under Mourinho is a work in progress and hadn’t faced a proper test so far this season. Last night was the acid test for Mourinho’s young side and they failed. They had looked imperious all season but Barca proved last night that they are not at the same level of the champions.
Brilliant
Real Madrid was really poor last night but it was because Barca were simply different class. Barcelona played their usual high tempo game. They play with the same style every game with the same verve and pace no matter who they are facing and they didn’t change their style just because they were facing their biggest rivals.
Barcelona are truly a joy to watch. I don’t think I have ever seen a team play like they do. There are almost no new words I can find to describe the experience of watching David Villa and Co.
Team
Barcelona as a team has been together for a long time. Real Madrid by contrast seems to sign numerous players every summer. They lack the consistency that Barca has. Real Madrid haven’t been together long enough to have the sort of spirit that runs through the Barca ranks. That spirit was shown when all the Barcelona players and coaching staff celebrated Jeffren’s fifth goal.
And Barca aren’t just a set of individual world-class players, they are a true team. Although Leo Messi gets a lot of plaudits, he is still humble enough to say that he thinks that teammates Andres Iniesta or Xavi should win the World Footballer of the Year. Barca isn’t just a one man team.
Real might have great players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil but they are not yet a team unit. As Barca gained a greater grip of the game Ronaldo got more and more frustrated. In the end he hardly got a kick.
Coaches
Pep Guardiola vs Jose Mourinho was always going to be a fascinating battle and the Spaniard won all ends up. We all know Mourinho’s relationship with Barca and he was so desperate for a victory over the champions.
Mourinho was predicting victory, well just being his usual confident self. Guardiola was quieter and let his team do the talking. Guardiola got it spot on. He kept it simple by letting the players play their usual outstanding style.
Generation
The way Barcelona are currently playing they are coming very close to bettering the dream team, if they haven’t already. The likes of Messi and Xavi will go down as some of the best players to ever grace the Nou Camp.
Confidence
Even though they have been playing well this season the hammering of their nearest rivals will fill Barca with a vital psychological advantage over their rivals. Barcelona was behind Real Madrid before last season’s Classico and moved above them with a victory.
That victory gave Barca the mental edge over their capital rivals and enabled them to clinch the La Liga title. Although it’s a long season I can’t see Real stopping Barca from again reigning in Spain.
Madridista’s will have to wait a while to see the best of their team, as they need time to gel as a unit. Jose Mourinho will need all his strategic skills to help his players to recovery from this defeat. I wouldn’t be surprised if Barca now goes onto dominate at home and abroad.
Has Classico victory ensured that Barcelona will win the La Liga title?
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