El Clasico Report

Dear Readers,

Firstly, my sincere apologies for writing this post this late.

EL CLASICO REPORT
by Assistant Editor Shaun Lee
Real Madrid 1-3 Barcelona

The 163rd league meeting between the two top teams in La Liga was, as always, going to be a classic. With the Catalan team boasting players like top defender Carlos Puyol, Ballon D'Or winner Lionel Messi and ex-Arsenal favourite Cesc Fabregas and Madrid fielding Christiano Ronaldo, top Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas and natural predator Karim Benzema, both sides seemed to be brimming with confidence.

With torrential rain bucketing down on the Bernabeu, it was inevitable that there may be some sloppy errors present but no one could imagine one coming after a mere 23 seconds, from Barcelona custodian Victor Valdez, whose attempted clearance fell directly into the path of Benzema, a mistake which was, to borrow Rene Higuita's words, "as big as a house". Benzema gratefully accepted the chance and, despite some slight difficulty in doing so, finished with aplomb to put the boys about to fly to Japan on the back foot almost immediately.

The Galacticos stayed on the front foot for the next half hour, pinning Barcelona down in their own half - a "sensation" the Catalans are rather alien to in a league dominated by them. Yet, against the run of play, an excellent run by Leo Messi saw the ball go to Alexis Sanchez. Taking a step to align the ball for a shot, Sanchez slotted the ball across the body of Casillas into the bottom corner.

From then on, Madrid slowly conceded their advantage as Barcelona began to control the game. Despite Barcelona's vastly improved performance, however, a huge stroke of luck was still required to go ahead, with Xavi's low drive clipping the heels of Marcelo as it bounced past Casillas. Without the deflection, the ball would surely have fell kindly into Casillas's hands, as the veteran 'keeper had the shot completely covered.

It was not yet, however, one way traffic, as Ronaldo missed a gilt-edged chance which, as Harry Redknapp would say, "my missus could have scored", inconceivably heading wide from a mere 6 yards out, to the definite horror of the 79990-strong crowd.

From then on, there was no turning back, as Cesc Fabregas easily outpaced Fabio Contreao for a third. Madrid were dead and buried, and showed it, as the remaining 25 minutes proved to be a mere formality.