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El Clasico 2012: 10 things to expect from Madrid-Barca clash in the Copa del Rey

Isaac Asante, January 18 2012,
El Clasico is not often a game for which detailed predictions can be made with great accuracy, but in this article, we bring you 10 things you could expect from the Real Madrid-Barcelona game tonight.

Lionel Messi could score his 14th goal in El Clasico tonight against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.

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Related Articles: El Clasico, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Real Madrid, Barcelona
1) A goal for Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi only came around the hour mark in the first leg of Barcelona’s match against Osasuna in the Copa del Rey, but he somehow managed to leave the field with a double that helped the Catalans triumph 6-1 on aggregate. He has long been a solid threat to Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, and up until now, the Ballon d’Or 2011 winner has bagged 13 goals in El Clasico. With his personal duel with the Spanish goalie not ready to cool down, one could expect Messi to hit the back of the net yet again tonight.

2) A goal for Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo might be a great attacker, but scoring against Barcelona is not something the winger does easily. In the 7 Clasicos that took place last year, Ronaldo only grabbed a single goal, but its importance was massive.

 

The Portuguese superstar snatched an impressive winning goal in extra time in the final of last season’s Copa del Rey to give Real Madrid their first trophy since 2008. As the next showdown against Barca will be taking place once again in the Spanish Cup, Madridistas will have reasons to believe that Ronaldo will enter the scoring sheet on another occasion.

3) A yellow card for Lionel Messi

In the last Clasico in December 2011, Lionel Messi was booked after a bad tackle that could have easily cost him his presence on the pitch. On January 8 this year, the forward received a yellow card against Espanyol for a handball, and he was penalized again for making the same mistake seven days later against Real Betis in La Liga. Lack of composure tonight could see him get another card for a regrettable error.

4) A disallowed goal

In the Copa del Rey final in April 2011, Pedro netted a goal in normal time, which got disallowed after Messi played the assist marginally late. The following month, a goal from Higuain in the second Clasico of the UEFA Champions League was also cancelled after the referee insisted that there were unacceptable movements in its build-up.

5) A red card

Red cards are not rare in El Clasico. The last time Real Madrid and Barcelona played each other in the Copa del Rey - that was last year - Angel Di Maria got sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card..

6) Controversy

Real Madrid have often rebuked Barcelona for their lack of self-respect and sportsmanship. Los Blancos have been accusing Los Cules of diving and playing with a 12th man in recent Clasicos. Controversy is not uncommon in El Clasico history, and tonight Real Madrid and Barcelona could have another confrontation.Video highlights have indeed put into question some decisions taken by referees; but although such incidents have been great sources of debates and arguments, fans will want to follow a completely fair match this time around. Still, nothing is guaranteed…

7) A dispute

This comes along with controversy… When a side is not satisfied, it often tends to express itself in a more or less decent manner. In the UEFA Champions League semi-finals last year, a confrontation in the tunnel at the Bernabeu resulted in the sending-off of Barcelona’s second choice keeper Pinto. What will happen this time?

8) Indiscipline from the crowd

The crowd usually has a very strong impact in a match, and this is the case for both Real Madrid and Barcelona. At times though, it can appear to be a bit too aggressive. Surely, one remembers how the entire Barcelona fan base was insulted after green laser lights showed up on Cristiano Ronaldo’s face at some point in El Clasico back in November 2009.

9) An own goal

When frustration and pressure reach a high level, anything can happen in a football game. This goes without saying that El Clasico is in itself one of the most demanding encounters in soccer; and for defenders, this fact is not always positive. One might recall Marcelo’s faulty deflection that put Barcelona 2-1 up in the showdown at the Bernabeu on December 10 last year.

10) An early goal

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona know that an early goal can be extremely crucial, especially if the game is tight. The last Clasico contained the quickest lead in the match’s history, as Benzema popped up to stun the Catalans after only 22 seconds. A quicker goal is not likely to be scored tonight, but the action could still explode early enough to trigger anxiety, hope or suspense.
 

Real Madrid vs Barcelona

Date: Wednesday, 18 Jan 2012
Time: 16:00 ( US/Eastern )
Competition: Spain Copa del Rey
Live/Repeat: Live
Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid)

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