Press gloats over ´reality shock´ for Madrid

Champions Barcelona inflicted a humiliating 5-0 reality shock to Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid, befuddling them with a sublime “tiki-taka” one-touch passing game, Spain’s press said Tuesday.

“Reality shock,” headlined the Catalan daily El Periodico.

“5-0 – Barca humiliates Real Madrid with showpiece game,” gloated fellow Catalan daily La Vanguardia alongside a photo of striker David Villa celebrating one of his two goals.

Leading daily El Pais said league champions Barca “humiliated Real Madrid with a demonstration game”, to go two points clear of their arch rivals at the top of the Spanish first division.

Sports daily Marca, always close to Real Madrid and ready to back Portuguese coach Mourinho’s side, paid compliment to the Barcelona’s “memorable symphony” on the pitch.

“An impressive demonstration of the game by the champions, a lesson in class, intelligence and precision,” said the number-one Spanish sports daily, adding that it was the “biggest defeat” of Mourinho’s career.

Fellow sports daily AS, which also favours Madrid, said Barcelona played against a “Madrid without soul” and unable to answer or pressure their rivals.

“It was the paragon of tiki-taka,” the paper said, referring to the quick, short-passing game that allowed Barcelona to dominate the field at the Nou Camp.

“The avalanche of goals serves to clarify the situation: Madrid and Mourinho since his arrival have not won anything yet,” AS said, deflating the enthusiasm that has built around the team since his arrival this season.

“Medals from other wars don’t count here,” the paper added, alluding to Mourinho’s boasts of earlier successes in Portugal, England and Italy.

“This proof should be enough to lower Madrid expectations and the tone of the coach which is only tolerable (and even then with difficulty) if Cups rain down from heaven.”

Mourinho, 47, was unveiled as Real’s new coach at the end of May after leading Inter Milan to an historic treble of successes in Italy’s Serie A championship, the Italian Cup and Champions League.

Catalan sports daily Mundo Deportivo said the Barcelona-Real Madrid match will “live on in legend” for the “brilliant” way Barca played, clearly showing “that they are the best team in the world.”

“As one fan said, their football should be classed as a world heritage for humanity,” Mundo Deportivo said.