Barcelona vs Real Madrid Preview

February 25, 2013 By Angela Asante

Topics: El Clasico 2013, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Copa del Rey

El Clasico comes twice this week – first in the Copa del Rey and then in La Liga. The Catalans and Los Blancos are both entering Tuesday’s match having won at the weekend.

Team news and analysis

Barcelona are eager to knock out Real Madrid from the Copa del Rey but only victory or a goalless draw on home soil will do. Lionel Messi keeps scoring goals for fun in the Spanish La Liga.

However, he failed to find the net in his last two cup matches – at the Bernabeu in the first leg of this Copa del Rey semi-final tie and at the San Siro against Milan in the Champions League. Fresh from helping Barca overcome Sevilla in a comeback situation in La Liga, La Pulga is set to give Real Madrid’s defenders a tough time on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Raphel Varane who saved the first leg of El Clasico at the Bernabeu for Real Madrid will be fired up to shut down Messi.

The Blaugrana have been accused by critics of having no effective Plan B whenever Lionel Messi’s influence does not prove enough to win a game. Jordi Roura will be keen to put critics to bed by guiding the team to yet another cup final.

Barcelona are in danger of crashing out from Europe in the Last 16 so they will pour maximum efforts in defending their Copa del Rey title. With no major injury, the Catalans seem ever ready to take on Jose Mourinho’s men.

Last Saturday, Kaka was handed a rare opportunity to play 90 minutes of football. Mourinho’s trust in the 30-year-old Brazilian midfielder paid off well as Kaka scored a late equalizer before playing a role in Gonzalo Higuain’s winner against Deportivo. Suddenly, it seems that the former Milan playmaker stands a genuine chance of making Mourinho’s First XI in El Clasico.

Starting Kaka could give Jose Mourinho more attacking options giving Karim Benzema’s unconvincing form of late. The Frenchman who lacked efficiency in the first leg of this Copa del Rey semi-final tie is reportedly racing for fitness.

Khedira, Özil and Ronaldo constituted Jose Mourinho’s effective triple substitution at the Riazor. The trio is expected to start at the Camp Nou as Modric, Marcelo and Essien may have to content themselves with a place on the bench.

Angel Di Maria picked up two yellow cards within 20 seconds last weekend and will eventually be unavailable for El Clasico in La Liga come Saturday. This could work as extra motivation for the Argentine on Tuesday.

Barcelona and Real Madrid’s last three meetings at the Camp Nou

April 21, 2012: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid (La Liga)
August 23, 2012: Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid (Spanish Supercup)
October 7, 2012: Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid (La Liga)