As you can see, we’re quite taken by the abundance of Clasicos this month, and the night before Clasico 2.0 (not my idea, someone somewhere wrote that), we give another go at the Real Madrid-Jose Mourinho-Barcelona thing.
We’ll start with Barcelona and their manager, Josep Guardiola. He spoke about the upcoming Cup Final, doing a bit of trash talking, something he doesn’t always get involved in. Regarding Real’s tactics for the game – Real have a variety of systems and game plans. Five minutes into the game we know what their tactics are and we’re able to respond. Mourinho mentioned that Pepe can easily stop Messi. Guardiola on the matter: I’m not responsible for what Mourinho has to say.
Barcelona’s head coach also referred to Saturday’s 1-1 draw – We talked about the mistakes we made in the match and we’re hoping to do it right this time around. Real’s style and the way they play is completely up to us and what we do in the game. Guardiola also commented on the Messi incident (kicking the ball into Real Madrid fans), saying he spoke to him about it and he apologizes if anyone was hurt from and by his actions.
On to Jose Mourinho, but not his words or any controversial comment – this time the way he’s talked about. Iker Casillas, Real Madrid’s goalkeeper and likely to open at the Cup final, despite the tradition of letting the second string keeper start the matches in Cup play (Barca are playing Pinto) – Mourinho is a great winner and I’m sure he will lead us to victory. Funny. Instead of believing in the mega star squad and teammates he has, they have faith in their manager to pave the way.
Real’s general manager, Jorge Valdano, also spoke about the game – Moruinho has experience in finals, he knows how to handle these matches. We have very talented players and my message to them is that they can succeed.
This is probably the greatest thing about Mourinho – he shines brighter than anything else around him, including a club, probably the biggest in the world. He directs all the talk, the criticism and fire at himself. He defends the players. He attacks the whole world, with cause and without. A player like Cristiano Ronaldo, usually a lightning rod for all sorts of attention is completely focused and playing the best football of his career. He doesn’t get the Messi-like recognition because of his persona and his reactions in games some times. That doesn’t matter – 29 league goals, 41 in all competitions, 74 since arriving from Manchester United.
It’s Mourinho against the world, while Real Madrid and the players, a group that individually might the best in the world but not there yet as a team, can be relatively shielded from the media. Only problem is – does this create an over reliance, mentally, on Mourinho from the players? Do they have faith they can only beat Barcelona with the right tactics, guidance?
I conflicted, a few days since Saturday, who took more from the draw – Barcelona, showing themselves and Real they can play at half speed and thrust and still dominate (72% possession and pretty much the same amount of chances) or Real Madrid, showing amazing spirit with 10 men, playing better as the game progressed and eventually getting the equalizer, no matter how much of blown call it was by the referee. I was leaning towards Barcelona when the match ended. Still, not losing to Barcelona for the first time in quite some time, even with 10 men, has to give them a confidence boost. Or do they need Mourinho to tell them it was good for them? I guess we’ll see in Part 2 of 4 tomorrow night.
9 responses to “Guardiola on Real, Messi and Mourinho – Bigger than Real Madrid?”
Good article, but it’s worth noting that possession is almost irrelevant when it comes to Barca. See the 2-0 Hercules loss; they had near 80% in that game as well, but it came to nothing. Looking at past season statistics for Barcelona losses tell you the same story. The problem is that it’s not traditional possession; it isn’t controlling the ball in every area of the field – it’s primarily centered in the midfield with back and forth passes that often take 20-30 before the ball is advanced, regardless of whether that eventual attack comes to anything.
I’m not criticizing Barcelona by any means, they have a system that works fantastically for them. But you can’t look at their possession stat and determine whether they’ve won or lost a game, whether they’ve played well or not, because their possession stat is almost invariably the same no matter what kind of game it is. You will never be able to look at a Barcelona possession statistic the way you can in, say, a PL game, where a 60/40 slant is notable. 80 isn’t notable for Barcelona. It’s par for the course, win or lose.
Both teams have been pretty impressive this season, but while Barca remain the team to beat, Real Madrid haven’t convinced me they can end Barca’s domestic domination and it is for that reason I will back the hosts here. There is no doubt this will be a very tight game but I believe Barcelona will sneak a victory and return to the top of La Liga.
@shehpati i think they already played the league match and he’s talking about the cup final 😛
“Barcelona will sneak a victory and return to the top of La Liga” they are already 8 points clear of real madrid .. exactly what league are you watching ?
am a bar fan 4 live still death do us part
I think this report has not been written from a neutral point of view…what the hell has been written under messi photo..listen ..if u r a real football fan just look at the performance of messi and ronaldo. you will find out the difference.The way messi is playing , ronaldo cant even dream ever. If messi is not better than ronaldo why the hell he has become two times FIFA world player.why he has been scoring more than ronaldo and everyone else in the world.
I am very surprised that people are still comparing Messi and Ronaldo when messi has been compared to all time bests. It is the media that keeps the dead battle alive becaz people like it. Messi and Ronaldo could be compared once when ronaldo was at his best. But now messi has surpassed ronaldo a long way. Just watch the game and compare the contribution of each player for the team, compare the involvment.Messi builds the play from the mid field exchanging passes with everybody from pique in the defence to vila up front.What does Ronaldo do? HE gets the ball from somebody and tries to show is useless trick and losses the ball or selfishly shoots the ball.Thats all he does. comapre both the goals and assists .Messi is on top Messi dribbles with pur[pose . I can imagine madrid without ronaldo but i cannot imagine barca without messi.
I dont deny that ronaldo was once better than messi but now . Messi is the best. Ronaldo is lucky because of messi to stil have his name around the media because of the comaprison.
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Ooh!without any doubt,messi is far better than cronaldo.luk at messi’s goals,dribbles,passes and comparism with greatest legends in world football.Even pele says messi is better than maradona but b4 he could agree that messi is better than him,he must score more than 1000goals and messi is close to that.
@Ayinla I find it difficult to pick “Best Ever”… every generation in soccer is very different. Pele and Maradona wouldn’t have been that great if they played now. Soccer has changed so much and keeps changing every so and so years. I’d pick Messi over Ronaldo though.