Spanish League: Day 32

REAL MADRID 1 - BARCELONA 1

The words were silenced and football talked. It was time to put the cards face up, to discover who was bluffing and who had good hand. The rhetoric ran out to Real Madrid when the ball started rolling. That was the time of Barcelona, which left the League almost sentence, if it was not already before. If Barcelona did not win the Classic was because it lacked ambition, determination and also some football to finish Real Madrid when white team was lying on the canvas. It all worked out with two penalties, converted by Messi, who had never scored against Mourinho's teams and Cristiano, who had never scored against Barcelona. Medicine to soothe egos

Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi

Also had influence the disastrous referee's performance. Muñiz Fernández, tangled all and left no one satisfied. He noted a clear pernalty Alves made on Marcelo and forgave the expulsion of the Barcelona side defender. If he whistled penalty, he should show the second yellow card. Another example of the inconsistency of the referee.

Real Madrid only reacted when team was defeated, with all lost. Then made a face wash that ended up leaving a pleasant memory in its fans. It was when whites played with ten, by the expulsion of Albiol (here the referee had no hesitation), but above all with Özil in the field. The German's presence seems essential in this team.

Madrid proposed a padlock match, deforest the Barcelona's geometric soccer, disrupt its passing lanes. To do this, no one watered the high grass of the field to curb the ball. As second mission, to play counter-attack, complex adventure even for the titans as Cristiano Ronaldo, because the Real Madrid placed the trench far away from Victor Valdes.

Madrid threatened especially in the corners. Near the end of the first half, after a corner, Ramos headed toward Cristiano who also with the head, came close to score goal. Adriano avoided it under the crossbar. At the brake, Madrid had achieved its first target, disable the vertebral body of Barcelona. In the jungle, Iniesta, Xavi and Alves had little weight in the game.

The second half began with a kick from Cristiano Ronaldo to the post to which Barcelona replied with the first goal of the night. A long ball to Villa who ended down by Albiol. Penalty and red card for the central defender. Messi scored from the penalty spot and then Real Madrid began to recover itself and Barcelona to lose control.

The goal had a perverse effect for Barcelona. In advantage and superiority, Guardiola's team distorted. Lacked the nerve, which so often has been characterized the team, to seal the scoring. Puyol's injury, who reappeared by surprise, was indigestible to the Catalans. His coach changed two lines to repair one. Busquets was placed as central defender and Keita came into the midfield. Barcelona lost the thread.

Madrid's response was very commendable. Throughout its history, has always been a very brave team, even more when situations require epic. If Barcelona was cramped with Puyol's pain, Real Madrid revitalized with a football which had denied itself previously. And everything from Özil, the troubadour convicted at the beginning. The reward for this Madrid's boot pride, another one and not the last, was found ten minutes remaining when the referee said the penalty kick from Alves. Cristiano scored his goal to end the first chapter of a series that will continue on Wednesday with the Final of the Copa del Rey. But that is another story.

Summary

Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu

Attendance: 79,500

 Goals: 0-1, m.53: Messi (Penalty) 1-1, m.82: Cristiano Ronaldo (Penalty)