Match Preview: Sunday 22/10/2006 21:00 (GMT +2): La Liga, Match Day 7
REAL MADRID - FC BARCELONA 2:0 (1:0)

Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid – Capacity: 80.000
Referee: Alfonso Pérez Burrull


Goals:

1-0 Raul (3´)
2-0 Van Nistelrooy (51´)


Real Madrid (4-2-1-3): Casillas - Sergio Ramos, Helguera, Cannavaro, Roberto Carlos - Diarra, Emerson - Guti (Beckham 83´) - Raúl, Robinho, Van Nistelrooy (reyes 80´) - Manager: Fabio Capello


FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdés - Zambrotta (Oleguer), Thuram, Puyol (Thuram), Sylvinho - Edmilson (Motta), Xavi, Deco (Giuly 55´) - Messi, Gudjohnsen (Saviola 66´), Ronaldinho - Manager: Frank Rijkaard


Match Report:

Back in town, but too late for the report. Therefore only a short report this time. The game is over and the desaster public. So, no need to repeat everything again, will concentrate on the comment.


FC Barcelona lost their first La Liga match this season and despite this bitter defeat by arch rivals Real Madrid last night, Barca stay top of the table. Barca´s starting eleven made clear that they came to win at Bernabeu but returned to Barcelona empty handed.


Spanish international and Merengue icon Raul opened the scoring after just 3 minutes. He finished a well timed cross from Sergio Ramos on the right. Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy decided the game just 6 minutes after the break.


The quick lead just minutes after the kick-off was exactly what Real needed. Barca was trying to impose their one-touch football and was willing to win this game by showing a lot of attacking intention, while the Merengues sat back, trying purely to counter attack. with the strong defensive midfielders Emerson and Diarra playing in front of there 4 man defence line, it made it impossible for Barca to penetrate the last third of the pitch. And when it happened, the forwards wasted the good scoring opportunities.
The 2-0 by Van Nistelrooy killed the game off. The unbelievable heavy rain was not to Barca´s favour and the Merengues were able to administer they 2 goals lead until the end of the game.


An interesting match but Real took advantage on two occassions, while Barca did not.


My Comment:

0-2 against Real Madrid! A defeat against Real is always a bitter pill to swallow, especially when you see the Merengue supporters afterwards celebrating their victory all over the city .


We have lost only the battle but not the war!
Barca could have got a better result and this is the annoying part. The early goal was the perfect start for the "Los Blancos" and Barca did not convert their own chances.

What would have happened, if at the 24th minute Gudjohnson or just a few moments later Leo Messi would not have put the ball over but into the goal?
Or if the ref would have given a penalty Sergio Ramos brought Gudjohnsen down?

What about a second yellow card for Emerson just a few minutes prior to the half time whistle when he simply hacked down Barca´s Leo Messi?


Losing two matches in a row does not mean that the Barca team is in the middle of a big crisis. In fact, both matches have been very difficult away matches against two very strong opponents. We can not win everything.
We are still leaders and top the Primera Liga. We are still second in the Champions League and with two important home games (against Chelsea and Werder Bremen), we still have it in our own hands to qualify.


The next home match win against Recreativo is a must and we need to bag these 3 points. A win would keep the moral high and the team would regain confidence, confidence needed for the next weeks.


Yes, we miss Samuel Eto'o, and which team would not? But I am confident that all our forwards will strike again. They are all quality footballers and have goal scoring skills.


I look positive into the future, especially, after a slight dip in form and we are still at the top. May be in a few weeks, we all have a smile on our face again!


Visca el Barca!