The moment that the Champions League Semi Final draw kept Barcelona and Real Madrid apart fans around the world began to wonder if an el Clasico Champions League Final could actually happen. Now, half way through each of the semi-finals it seems like this possibility is pretty much inevitable.
Barca and Real have met each other on 262 occasions, but never directly for the biggest prize in all of club soccer. There have been four meetings between the two giants in the Champions League (or the old European Cup). Three of these were semi final contests in 1959-60, 2001-02, and 2010-11, while one somewhat inexplicably took place in the first round back in 1960-61.
With all the pageantry, all the history and all the ill feeling between the clubs it would make for an insane spectacle in Berlin on June 6. Here are five reasons why the match is odds on to happen.
5 – Bayern’s tactical gamble missed by inches
Some have called it brave. Some have called it crazy. Others have called it suicide. One thing that is for certain is the tactics with which Pep Guardiola attacked Barcelona on Wednesday at the Camp Nou were certainly unique. Playing the first 15 minutes man to man with the best passing team in world football was a move no one saw coming and against all odds it almost worked. Yes, Luis Suarez should have scored when one on one with Manuel Neuer, but when you play tactically like this you are counting on your goalkeeper making at least one extraordinary save.
The moment Pep was looking for then came when a ball squared into the box by Thomas Muller fell almost perfectly to the predatory Robert Lewandowski. Lewandowski has made his career on these types of chances and all he had to do was side foot the ball home to give Bayern a precious away goal. At that point Pep would have switched to four at the back (as he soon did) and defended the lead knowing an away goal was in the bag and attacking Barca on the break. Shockingly Lewandowski fluffed his lines, completely missed the ball and the rest is history.
4 – Real played about as badly as they can
The most shocking aspect of the game on Tuesday night between Real Madrid and Juventus is just how badly Madrid played. Los Blancos came into the contest as heavy favorites, but their game was epitomized by the play of under fire winger Gareth Bale. Bale, like Real, was well below par and it seems like the criticism in the press is getting to him. With Madrid basically playing the game with 10 men due to his ineffectiveness they looked sluggish and short of ideas.
Bale is at his best when used as a wide player who can float around and target defenders one on one. In this Real team however he too often passes on chances to get at his defender in fear of trying to beat a man and losing the ball. Juventus on the other hand were well up for the game, but you have no choice but to be like that when Carlos Tevez is spearheading your attack. Tevez may have his issues off the field, but on it there is no one in the world who gives more for his club on a game to game basis.
3 – Real got the vital away goal
There is a theory that it is better to lose 2-1 on the road in a two-legged cup tie than to draw 0-0. This test will be proven true when Real Madrid get home to the friendly confines of the Bernabeu and put Juve through the ringer. Real now know that a 1-0 win in Madrid will see them through thanks to the headed effort of Cristiano Ronaldo which become so valuable if Juventus fail to break Madrid down.
The other plus for Real in the home leg is that they will get Karim Benzema back to spearhead the attack. Though there was some talk that he would be able to play in Turin, his injury issues prevented him from travelling with the team. Real look to me a much more stable unit with Benzema in the team as he plays so well with the likes of Ronaldo and James. With Lika Modric, a surprisingly valuable member of the team, also working back toward fitness Madrid will be a different team at home.
2 – Barca will score in Munich
Barcelona celebrated the Neymar goal in added time at the end of their first leg like it had put them in the Champions League Final. That is because it essentially did.
It is almost impossible to see the Barca front three of Leo Messi, Neymar and Suarez, going an entire game without scoring a goal. The three players compliment each other so well with their combination of speed, vision and finishing that it is easy to make an argument for them as the best attacking trio in the history of the game. The front line has accounted for an astonishing 111 goals in all competitions this season and all three of them are in scintillating form as we get to the crux of the campaign.
To put it in simple terms. If this scoring machine scores just one goal in Munich then Bayern will need to score five to progress. Even for a team coached by Guardiola that seems like a frightening task.
1 – Messi vs. Ronaldo has to happen
Leo Messi is the greatest footballer who has ever lived. In any other generation Ronaldo would be the best of his time. These two deserve a showpiece occasion with everything on the line. It will not happen in the World Cup, Portugal are terrible, so the it will be the Champions League Final where these two superstars of the game get to battle it out over one 90 minute contest which would break all records for viewing figures around the world.