© EuroFootball.com
Wednesday's "El Clasico" clash between Madrid's "Real" and "Barcelona" teams will capture the attention of football fans around the world. The eternal rivals will face off at the "Santiago Bernabeu" stadium, with enthusiasts divided into two camps cheering on their respective teams. Who will emerge victorious in the first leg of the Spanish Cup semi-finals?
Arguments abound for both those who support "Los Blancos" and those who root for "Blaugrana".
The sports section of the portal 15min.lt has also divided into two camps, with journalists supporting both teams:
"Real" fans: "Real" has finally started to show good form. Their game is finally reminiscent of what the team demonstrated last season. Today, "Barca" will "at least" concede 3 goals.
"Barcelona" fans: A dream for "Barca". My team is playing this season like this: "You score 3 against us, we'll score four against you." "Barca" plays relentlessly, leads in "La Liga", and the loss to "Real Sociedad" means nothing - just doesn't let us rest on our laurels.
"Real" fans: The league is no longer important for Madrid. They no longer have a chance in the Spanish championship, so the team is now focusing all its energy on the "Copa del Rey" tournament. It will have much greater significance. Double motivation for the players.
B: But your team will be without the injured Iker Casillas and Pepe, as well as the suspended Fabio Coentrao, Sergio Ramos, Angel di Maria.
R: On the other hand, "Barcelona" will play without their coach Tito Vilanova, who is struggling with health problems, and Marcelo has already joined our team.
B: "Barca" will not hide the tension, as the second leg will take place at the "Camp Nou" stadium, where we are always stronger.
R: On the other hand, "Real" will try twice as hard: first - they will want to show that they are powerful and not afraid, and that they finally play well; second - before the second leg, they will have to fight with "Manchester United," so today at home they will try to block "Barca" from the very beginning, which has worked before.
B: Lionel Messi has scored at least one goal in 16 consecutive matches, and remembering the last "El Clasico," he knows how to score against "Real."
R: Cristiano Ronaldo has already scored 10 goals this month and scored a "hat-trick" twice. In the 500th match of his professional career, the leader of "Real" will definitely mark it with at least one goal.
B: Jose Mourinho has managed "Real" in 14 "El Clasico" matches, where the goal ratio of 28:19 is in favor of "Barca," and out of the last 8 "El Clasico" matches at the Madrid stadium, "Real" has won only one.
R: However, the Spanish Super Cup showed that "Real" can defeat the Catalans even when playing at home. Moreover, in the last 31 matches at home, we have not lost once - 26 wins, 5 draws.
B: "Real" has long been plagued by internal problems, unrest, and discord - players do not listen to the coach, the coach does not communicate with the players.
R: What the media says is not necessarily true. "A wounded beast is doubly dangerous," as the saying goes. These matches are an opportunity to prove that the team is united and powerful. Remember the words of Mesut Ozil, that the players only laugh at the unrest bubble blown up by the media.
Recent five "El Clasico" matches:
"Barcelona" - "Real" 2:2 (La Liga)
"Real" - "Barcelona" 2:1 (Super Cup)
"Barcelona" - "Real" 3:2 (Super Cup)
"Barcelona" - "Real" 1:2 (La Liga)
"Barcelona" - "Real" 2:2 (CDR)
