The FC Barcelona strongman has been rested for one week after tests revealed his bruise will need about seven days to heal.


Puyol was substituted in the 78th minute of the match against Real Madrid after receiving an earlier knock to his right knee from a ferocious tackle by Raul Gonzalez. There were initial fears that the injury that sidelined Puyol for over three months was going to rear its head again. However, such fears have been cut off after scans and tests revealed that Carles Puyol will be having a quiet Christmas and will not be available for active training when Barca's camp re-opens on December 29th. It's stil not certain if Puyol will be playing in FC Barcelona next match against Alcoyano in the Copa Del Rey quarter final second leg match slated for Camp Nou on January 2nd, 2008.

Watch highlights and Julio Baptista's strike that decided the el clasico.


One moment's slip resulted in one goal...and the only goal of the encounter:

The hard fighting but unlucky Barca players are disappointed but still optimistic of turning things around after the Christmas break.


A downcast Gabriel Milito and a host of worried Barca stars were outspoken in the press conference after the el clasico disaster. The players spoke with dismay as well as hope for a turn of the table when the new year commences:




Gabriel Milito:

We were unable to recover after their goal. In the second half they took advantage of their counter-attacks very well. They were very well positioned and they worked very hard to keep us from finding a way through to their goal. The defeat is hard and it hurts. But the teams that win titles are the ones that no how to overcome hard times. I believe in the team. They are seven points clear, but I still think there is a long way to go and we must not lose faith. It is sad because the team came from a very good run and we have won all our other home games comfortably. Everyone who was out there tried everything we could. Maybe we have not played our best game, but I have a clear conscience knowing that we gave it our all. We expected Madrid to play as they did. They closed up their defence well and they used their fast players well on the break.

Xavi:

We are sad about the result. We thought that a draw would have been fair. Neither team had a great game. We did not take any of the chances that we had. We were not comfortable. They have worked very hard, physically. We had real problems creating our play. They were strong at the back. Before the goal we had a clear chance and we did not take advantage of that. There is still a long way to go. We have to continue working and try to turn things around. We have to lift ourselves in 2008 and to continue battling for trophies.

Andrés Iniesta:

We expected to be a point behind them and this has hit us hard. The seven-point gap is recoverable. We have to begin the year in different form and there is still a long way to go. They only had one chance and they have scored, while we have had several chances and have not. That was the difference.

Víctor Valdés

It was a pity. Nobody wanted to lose in Camp Nou and even less so against Madrid, but now we must look ahead. The second half was wide open and could have gone one way or the other. But we were unlucky in front of goal. To try and come from behind was difficult and even more so when they sat back and only played on the counter-attack. There is still a long way to go. It is a difficult day. It has to be analysed with confidence and to move forward, which we still can.

FC Barcelona's President Joan Laporta wants to forget the past.


The progressive and forward thinking President has swept the events of the unfortunate el clasico behind him, preferring to look on ahead to know what lies in store for the Catalan giants after the winter break. While praising visiting Real Madrid, Laporta is concerned with securing continued support for the Barca squad, as this is a trying moment for the the whole team, officials and fans. Laporta said after the match that:

Madrid played a very strong game. We had chances and we could have scored, but in the end it did no go as we wanted it to. The game is already in the past and now we have to work to reduce the gap. We have not lost anything and we have to continue aspiring to the title now. The fans have to be behind the team because they need it more than ever.

The Blaugrana helmsman remains hopeful despite disappointing loss to Los Merengues.


A shocked coach Frank Rijkaard was clearly not happy with the result of the el clasico which, was there to be a goal, should have gone to Barca, if any one would have predicted. However, the reverse was the case. Real Madrid stole the show with a lone strike by Julio Baptista. With a seven point difference between the two top La Liga teams, it all appears the race is over, but not yet. On the lone goal of the match, Rijkaard said:

Julio Baptista's goal has given Real Madrid an important advantage. It is a strong blow, because we worked hard for the win. We have to digest the defeat and then look ahead. There are still a lot of games to still play and it is certain that Madrid have an advantage, but anything is still possible. The goal broke the rhythm of the game for us. It was a goal that hurt us and made things more complicated. It came at a time when we had just had a clear chance and gave the opposition a boost and made them more comfortable as they were able to sit back and close up in defence.

Rijkaard believes Barca can still come back in the second half of the league:

It was not Barça's night. Now we have to continue working with pride and with hope. We have to believe in our chances. They have fought until the last moment and I always had a hope that we would change the result.

The Dutchman ended the post-match conference with compliments for the winners, Real Madrid:

They worked well as a team. I felt that that they were well positioned across the pitch, which we expected. They did not create many clear chances, but at the same time their defence pressured our forwards very well. In the end, Madrid played well and were very organised. When they won possession they went forward very forward and with real force.