Real Madrid-Barcelona Champions League Semis: Why Madrid Are Huge Favourites

Topics: El Clasico, Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho

Praise or blame history for that, but it’s a fact! Jose Mourinho’s Spanish giants are so much the favourites to win the 2011 Real Madrid-Barcelona UEFA Champions League tie. Live Soccer TV reveals why.

Real Madrid are favourites ahead of the Real Madrid-Barcelona UEFA Champions League semi-final tie. Every rivalry has a history, and the one that eternally exists between Real Madrid and Barcelona is arguably the hottest in world football. Historical numbers don’t change—unless they get faked. Statistics don’t lie—it’s down to us to accept them or not. But facts do create opinions as diverse as humans could be.

When you look at numerous aspects of the Real Madrid vs Barcelona rivalry, wouldn’t it seem obvious to tip Los Blancos as favourites to claim victory in the semi-finals of the 2011 UEFA Champions League competition? One clear truth is that tipping Real Madrid as favourites doesn’t automatically mean, “Supporting Real Madrid”.

Pep Guardiola, in the build-up to Wednesday’s much-anticipated third version of El Clasico, analyzed Real Madrid’s status as he said that Los Blancos have “earned the tag of favourites”. Does this statement transform the Barcelona coach into a Real Madrid fan? Most likely, it doesn’t.

Likewise, proudly neutral Live Soccer TV wants to explain why Real Madrid have “earned the tag of favourites”. Here are several facts and records which put the Spanish giants in a good position to wound their foes in the UEFA Champions League—the battlefield that attracts the eyes of millions of football fans around the world:

The Real Madrid-Barcelona Rivalry In Europe’s Semis—Los Blancos To Hit Luck Number 3?

For ignorant fans out there who thought that this year’s intriguing Real Madrid vs Barcelona match-up in the UEFA Champions League is both clubs’ first meeting in the semi-finals of this European competition, Live Soccer TV tells you to read the following:

Just over more than 50 years ago, Real Madrid clashed against Barcelona in the semi-finals of what was then called the European Cup. Real Madrid had claimed glory in the previous 4 editions and they were determined to make it 5 European Cup successes in a row.

Barcelona were certainly well positioned as the best team to deny Real Madrid more European records. The Catalans had shown their worth in 7-1 and 9-2 aggregate wins over Milan and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively. However, the Spanish giants sent Barcelona home without mercy in the semi-finals of the 1960 European Cup tournament.

At the Santiago Bernabeu, Los Blancos teased the Azulgrana with a 3-1 score line. The legendary Alfredo di Stefano clinched a brace whereas Puskas’ goal in between helped Real Madrid to lower the importance of Martinez’s strike for Barca. The story was quite the same in the return leg of this European semi-final tie.

No comeback for the Catalans; the damage had been done as the score board at the Camp Nou indicated a 6-2 aggregate score line in favour of Real Madrid. And as if the Spanish giants had found luck in the semis against Barca, they went on to beat Eintracht Frankfurt in the final of the 1960 European Cup to grab trophy number 5 on the trot.

The 2002 version of El Clasico in the UEFA Champions League. Barcelona were on the losing side as Real Madrid went all the way to win the cup. “History repeats itself” is a popular saying. When it doesn’t, it takes something very special to overturn it. It was that special thing which Barcelona lacked in the semi-finals of the 2001/2002 UEFA Champions League competition.

In a repeat of the 1960 European Cup semis, the Catalans and Los Blancos clashed again—on April 23, 2002 to be precise. Second half goals from Zidane and McManaman buried Barcelona alive at the Camp Nou.

The Catalans didn’t have enough strength to overturn their 2-0 deficit at the Santiago Bernabeu as a 1-1 draw saw Los Blancos advance to the final 3-1 on aggregate. The rest of the story, you certainly know it. Real Madrid met Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 UEFA Champions League final where a famous strike by French legend Zinedine Zidane powered them to a great 2-1 victory.

If Real Madrid manage to set a positive result against old foes Barcelona come Wednesday, could we start predicting a Schalke 04 vs Real Madrid final? Live Soccer TV is just reminding you that each time Real Madrid have met Barcelona in the semi-finals of the European competition, they’ve went on to meet a German team—in the form of Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen respectively. At each occasion, Real Madrid came out victorious with the European trophy in their hands...

The Real Madrid-Barcelona Rivalry & 6 More Reasons That Make Real Madrid Favourites

The history of the Real Madrid-Barcelona pairing in the semi-finals of the Champions League, previously named the European Cup, is not the only factor that puts Real Madrid on a higher foot than Barcelona in the eyes of many. Live Soccer TV presents you 6 more facts that would give a reason for anyone to share Pep Guardiola’s opinion: “Real Madrid have earned the tag of favourites”.

1) The Jose Mourinho Factor I

Real Madrid hold a big asset in Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese manager, well known as “the Special One”, thought a lesson or two to Pep Guardiola at this very stage of the UEFA Champions League last season. Who has forgotten about Barcelona’s European fiasco against Internazionale (then coached by Mourinho) in the semi-finals of the 2010 UEFA Champions League tournament?

2) The Jose Mourinho Factor II

From Juande Ramos to Manuel Pellegrini, Real Madrid’s record at the Santiago Bernabeu against Pep Guardiola remained extremely poor. Los Blancos still haven’t tasted victory on home soil against Barcelona since 2008, but at least, Jose Mourinho has put an end to Guardiola’s perfect run at the Bernabeu.

3) The Real Madrid vs Barcelona Overall Head-to-Head Record

Real Madrid maintain their head-to-head advantage over Barcelona despite the resurgence of the Catalans under Guardiola since 2 or 3 years now. Statistics reveal the following:
211 matches played; 86 Real Madrid wins; 82 Barcelona wins, 43 draws; 362 Real Madrid goals; 339 Barcelona goals.

4) The Real Madrid vs Barcelona Head-to-Head Record In Europe

Real Madrid once again have the edge—this time, in Europe:
6 matches played; 3 Real Madrid wins; 1 Barcelona win; 2 draws; 12 Real Madrid goals; 7 Barcelona goals.

5) Real Madrid Recovering Step By Step

The first time Real Madrid affronted a Barcelona team managed by Pep Guardiola at the Santiago Bernabeu, the score line was disastrous; it was 6-2 in favour of the visitors, actually. The second time, a 2-0 score line separated both sides. However, the Spanish giants, yet again, were found on the losing side. The third and last time so far, a late Cristiano Ronaldo goal restored a bit of pride and gave hope to home side Madrid.

6) The Calendar And Its Game Of Numbers

Did you know that Wednesday’s Real Madrid vs Barcelona match will mark exactly 51 years since Real Madrid and Barcelona first met in the semi-finals of the Champions League? It was on April 27, 1960 that the Spanish giants recorded a vital 3-1 win over Barca which powered them to achieve cup glory that year.

And maybe, with Real Madrid’s 2011 Copa del Rey final triumph over Barca which followed a non-defeat against their rivals in La Liga, who knows if Jose Mourinho has indeed found the key to unlock Barcelona’s mystical fortress?

El Clasico’s series

Two parts are over—these two domestic battles that saw Barcelona fail to clinch victory. Two more games need to be played. Shall we prepare for a bloody war in Europe?