dule where have u been bro????
Fan Versus Fan: Barcelona - Real Madrid
It is that time of the year in Spain. Life stops and the country gets split down the middle as everyone waits for the latest edition of El Clasico. Goal.com asked Barcelona fan Sergi Samaranch and Real Madrid fan Chett Winter to set the scene.
GOAL: First of all, how do you feel about your side's season so far?
Sergi (Barcelona): Mixed feelings. Due to injuries we have not reached the level we should have as well as being slightly over confident has led to some bad performances and bad result away from home. But there is not much room for complaint given that we have qualified for the Champions League knockout round with some ease and will overtake Real Madrid soon enough in the league.
Chett (Real Madrid): It has been decent; we’ve been decisive when it matters staying top domestically and in Europe; we’ve put teams to the sword better than anyone in Europe save Inter as far as I’m concerned. However, unless our team play improves we could easily lose our advantage, because we haven’t been convincing enough. We need to dominate possession more, because that’s the hallmark of a truly great side, and is the only thing we’re missing right now.
GOAL: What were the goals at the start? How have they been revised, if at all?
Sergi (Barcelona): To win everything. I am not sure that they have changed, but I think the aim has to be one trophy first of all and then see what else happens given the failure last season to win anything. Another aim, which we may not be able to do anything about, is to win a trophy while Real Madrid win nothing again. Some of stuff that Predrag Mijatovic has been saying makes that even more important.
Chett (Real Madrid): This may sound clichéd, but at Real Madrid, the goals are always the same: to win everything. We’re still in all competitions, and looking strong in all as well. We’re top of the league, we topped our Champions League qualifying group, and look almost certain to advance in the Copa. Some away performances have been mechanical and lethargic, but in the end we’ve been tallying up the points at a better rate than anyone else. So we’re still in to win it all, definitely.
GOAL: How do you rate your opponents' start to the season?
Sergi (Barcelona): Having removed Fabio Capello because his football was not exciting enough, they have brought in a coach that plays exactly the same way. The fact that they are top and have not been beaten more times than they have is down to a combination of luck, resilience and the opposition being overawed by playing them at the Santiago Bernabéu. It won’t last though.
Chett (Real Madrid): Their start has been decent; I’ve never been one of those hitting the panic button. There have been some poor results and some lacklustre performances, but again, the points are on the board for all to see, they’re right in it. They have looked almost toothless at times though, or rather, too predictable and easy to defend against.
GOAL: Who do you think has the edge heading into this weekend's game and why?
Sergi (Barcelona): We do because we are at home and the win at Valencia appears to have really given everyone a lift. The fact that Samuel Eto’o is back too has given the team a focal point up front and if Thierry Henry is fit then we could have a superb front three with Ronaldinho and can ignore their snipes about Lionel Messi being out. Madrid were very average against Osasuna and if they play like that things will be very different this weekend.
Chett (Real Madrid): Home advantage might give them what you’d call an “edge”. Despite the fact we’re ahead in the league and have the more recent bragging rights, they’ll arguably be the hungrier side largely due to the expectation.
GOAL: Tactically, where do you think the key to this game will lie?
Sergi (Barcelona): In midfield. Madrid will have to stop us from employing the quick passing game which will see their possession of the ball be very limited. Frank Rijkaard will have to ensure that the defence stays focussed as well as Madrid will definitely come to play on the break and before last weekend we had let in a couple of early goals due to concentration at the start of games.
Chett (Real Madrid): Through the middle. Neither team lines up with a genuine set of wingers (assuming Arjen Robben won’t start in such a big game considering his questionable condition). I see it being relatively end to end rather than one team containing the other, so I think it’ll be all about who shows more solidarity down the middle of the pitch: defending tightly when needed, and being able to outwit each other with passing moves when going forward.
GOAL: Which opposition player do you consider to be the greatest threat to your team in this clash?
Sergi (Barcelona): Probably Ruud van Nistelrooy as he will be their main man when they launch the counter-attacks. He also likes to drop back quite a bit and can be effective in the build-up. Sergio Ramos is also dangerous attacking down the side, but he may not be able to do that as much if he has to consider that Ronaldinho will enjoy the space that he leaves if he is caught up front.
Chett (Real Madrid): I don’t think I would’ve said Messi even if he was playing. After last year, we would have given special attention towards not making the same mistakes, and if there is something bad to be said about Messi, it’s that he’s not that adaptable. Iniesta is a hard worker and can be a difference-making player, but I don’t know if he’ll be decisive. Ronaldinho is a player that can make the difference even at the worst of times, but right now I think the biggest threat is Eto’o. He’s only just come back, but he loves playing against us since we let him go, he’ll be in high spirits, and he will be the focal point of their attacks. Contain him and we could well contain much of Barca’s goal threat.
GOAL: Would you want him in your team?
Sergi (Barcelona): We do not need either player. Van Nistelrooy has a great goalscoring record, but would he do anything more than Samuel Eto’o? No. As for Sergio Ramos I do not think that he is any better defensively at right-back then Carles Puyol, who has proven that he too can go forward and cause opponents problems. We also Gianluca Zambrotta, so the squad is not short of options.
Chett (Real Madrid): I wanted him when he was here, so I won’t lie like I wouldn’t take him now. He offers something different to Ruud and Raul, who are quite similar…so yes, he’d be a good addition.
GOAL: What are your team’s strengths at the moment?
Sergi (Barcelona): It is a difficult one as the team has showed how strong it can be at the back by conceding the least goals in the league this season. Then the forward line is one that any club in the world should be envious of. With the return of Eto’o all that flair from the sides can now turn into goals as was shown at Valencia last weekend.
Chett (Real Madrid): Incisiveness. As I’ve said before, only Inter have looked more prolific amongst Europe’s major players for me, with Man United and Arsenal being good shouts too. We are very strong going forward.
GOAL: And weaknesses?
Sergi (Barcelona): Well, it would have been the lack of focus in the early minutes of the game. Away from home there have been far more weaknesses than in Camp Nou, but they could be behind us now. At home the team has very few weaknesses as the 100 per cent record shows. If I was being really picky, it is the fact that we have to learn to break down nine-man defences more frequently as the majority of visitors play that way.
Chett (Real Madrid): Failure to retain possession in midfield. Yes, the defence have had “Real Madrid moments”, but every team – even many great ones – have lapses at the back, they’re merely blown out of proportion at Madrid. There is work to be done there, but a lot of pressure would be removed from them if our midfield retained the ball a little more convincingly... Sneijder is a chief offender as he gives the ball away a lot, as is Guti on one of his “off” days. Diarra is hit-and-miss as well but always improving; Gago is the best possession player we have, but unfortunately it looks like he might not start.
GOAL: Who from your team should we keep a particular eye on here?
Sergi (Barcelona): It has to be Eto’o. He is back in the groove and always loves to score against Real Madrid to prove a point to them. The sharpness that he showed last weekend in Mestalla shows that this season he waited until he was truly ready to come back before he did, unlike last year when he was a bit hasty. Fabio Canavarro will have his work cut out keeping Eto’o quiet.
Chett (Real Madrid): Got to be Robinho. Raul loves the big games, and Ramos will be relentless, but Robinho is eager to establish himself amongst the best in the world. He’s been in incredible form since the news of his girlfriend’s pregnancy, and she’s just given birth this week. He’s running, he’s shooting, and he’s even crossing. Puyol is likely to be at right back for them, and the battle between them should be great, but I can foresee Robson drawing many a foul from the mighty perm and causing Barca a fair bit of grief.
GOAL: Who is your all time number one hate figure, or object of amusement, from their lot?
Sergi (Barcelona): All of them. No, at the moment the only player that stands out is Guti, but he is not popular anywhere. The amount of new faces and lack of familiarity means that they will just be abused for being Real Madrid rather than anything that they have done. Of course, in the past Luis Figo stands out, while Michael Laudrup should never have gone there from us either.
Chett (Real Madrid): Don’t really have a hate figure to be honest, but Oleguer is always good for a laugh. Unfortunately he’s unlikely to start this weekend; him versus Robinho I’d love to see.
GOAL: What would you envy about them, if anything?
Sergi (Barcelona): The fact that they are four points above us is the only thing. But that will not last and once we have overtaken them we will have nothing to worry about. Despite being above us at the moment, I still think that their fans that are not blinkered are slightly envious of the way that we play as I could not watch Barça play the way they do every week.
Chett (Real Madrid): Their youth system. Ours is great, but we give most of our talent away, theirs is the only one which stands out as being markedly better over the last decade or so.
GOAL: What was the best bit of business ever done between the two clubs?
Sergi (Barcelona): I would say that it has to be signing Luis Enrique for free when they allowed him to leave. He came to us and had his best years here and became a real favourite. Quite why they let him go is still a mystery, but he soon became one of us and seemed to like beating them as much as we did.
Chett (Real Madrid): Figo. What a player he was. Obviously didn’t win an incredible amount of trophies with us, but he was just amazing to watch.
GOAL: What's your fondest memory of past clashes against them?
Sergi (Barcelona): 5-0. Camp Nou, January 8, 1994. That was without doubt the best game as Romario scored a hat-trick and we embarrassed them. There have been other victories, including the win two years ago when their fans applauded Ronaldinho, but I watched that on television. Being in the Camp Nou in 1994 and seeing us beat them by five goals was something that will live with me forever.
Chett (Real Madrid): I can’t pick one to be honest. The 4-2 win in 2005 was an amazing game, but it ended in a losing cause as far as the league title went. The 3-0 in the 2000 season was pretty sweet as well, comprehensively beat them; didn’t win the league that season but then neither did they, and we obviously got Champions League glory, so that’s a decent candidate as well, and of course the comprehensive 2-0 last season was almost too good to be true at the time; it won us the league.
GOAL: What do you think the score of this match will be, and how will it affect your week?
Sergi (Barcelona): 3-2. I think it will be an exciting game as both teams have goals in them. If we win then I will have a great week and Christmas will go really well. If we do not win then all I can think is that I will feel angry.
Chett (Real Madrid): Oh who knows… I think it could be uncharacteristically quiet. I feel Schuster might want to keep it as tight as possible in order to try and squeeze a win out. I’ll say 1-1, but if I’m honest, they’re more likely to win than we are. Battle and war though, we’ll see who’s where at the end of the season.
i wonder how this one is going to end??
Fan Versus Fan: Barcelona - Real Madrid
It is that time of the year in Spain. Life stops and the country gets split down the middle as everyone waits for the latest edition of El Clasico. Goal.com asked Barcelona fan Sergi Samaranch and Real Madrid fan Chett Winter to set the scene.
GOAL: First of all, how do you feel about your side's season so far?
Sergi (Barcelona): Mixed feelings. Due to injuries we have not reached the level we should have as well as being slightly over confident has led to some bad performances and bad result away from home. But there is not much room for complaint given that we have qualified for the Champions League knockout round with some ease and will overtake Real Madrid soon enough in the league.
Chett (Real Madrid): It has been decent; we’ve been decisive when it matters staying top domestically and in Europe; we’ve put teams to the sword better than anyone in Europe save Inter as far as I’m concerned. However, unless our team play improves we could easily lose our advantage, because we haven’t been convincing enough. We need to dominate possession more, because that’s the hallmark of a truly great side, and is the only thing we’re missing right now.
GOAL: What were the goals at the start? How have they been revised, if at all?
Sergi (Barcelona): To win everything. I am not sure that they have changed, but I think the aim has to be one trophy first of all and then see what else happens given the failure last season to win anything. Another aim, which we may not be able to do anything about, is to win a trophy while Real Madrid win nothing again. Some of stuff that Predrag Mijatovic has been saying makes that even more important.
Chett (Real Madrid): This may sound clichéd, but at Real Madrid, the goals are always the same: to win everything. We’re still in all competitions, and looking strong in all as well. We’re top of the league, we topped our Champions League qualifying group, and look almost certain to advance in the Copa. Some away performances have been mechanical and lethargic, but in the end we’ve been tallying up the points at a better rate than anyone else. So we’re still in to win it all, definitely.
GOAL: How do you rate your opponents' start to the season?
Sergi (Barcelona): Having removed Fabio Capello because his football was not exciting enough, they have brought in a coach that plays exactly the same way. The fact that they are top and have not been beaten more times than they have is down to a combination of luck, resilience and the opposition being overawed by playing them at the Santiago Bernabéu. It won’t last though.
Chett (Real Madrid): Their start has been decent; I’ve never been one of those hitting the panic button. There have been some poor results and some lacklustre performances, but again, the points are on the board for all to see, they’re right in it. They have looked almost toothless at times though, or rather, too predictable and easy to defend against.
GOAL: Who do you think has the edge heading into this weekend's game and why?
Sergi (Barcelona): We do because we are at home and the win at Valencia appears to have really given everyone a lift. The fact that Samuel Eto’o is back too has given the team a focal point up front and if Thierry Henry is fit then we could have a superb front three with Ronaldinho and can ignore their snipes about Lionel Messi being out. Madrid were very average against Osasuna and if they play like that things will be very different this weekend.
Chett (Real Madrid): Home advantage might give them what you’d call an “edge”. Despite the fact we’re ahead in the league and have the more recent bragging rights, they’ll arguably be the hungrier side largely due to the expectation.
GOAL: Tactically, where do you think the key to this game will lie?
Sergi (Barcelona): In midfield. Madrid will have to stop us from employing the quick passing game which will see their possession of the ball be very limited. Frank Rijkaard will have to ensure that the defence stays focussed as well as Madrid will definitely come to play on the break and before last weekend we had let in a couple of early goals due to concentration at the start of games.
Chett (Real Madrid): Through the middle. Neither team lines up with a genuine set of wingers (assuming Arjen Robben won’t start in such a big game considering his questionable condition). I see it being relatively end to end rather than one team containing the other, so I think it’ll be all about who shows more solidarity down the middle of the pitch: defending tightly when needed, and being able to outwit each other with passing moves when going forward.
GOAL: Which opposition player do you consider to be the greatest threat to your team in this clash?
Sergi (Barcelona): Probably Ruud van Nistelrooy as he will be their main man when they launch the counter-attacks. He also likes to drop back quite a bit and can be effective in the build-up. Sergio Ramos is also dangerous attacking down the side, but he may not be able to do that as much if he has to consider that Ronaldinho will enjoy the space that he leaves if he is caught up front.
Chett (Real Madrid): I don’t think I would’ve said Messi even if he was playing. After last year, we would have given special attention towards not making the same mistakes, and if there is something bad to be said about Messi, it’s that he’s not that adaptable. Iniesta is a hard worker and can be a difference-making player, but I don’t know if he’ll be decisive. Ronaldinho is a player that can make the difference even at the worst of times, but right now I think the biggest threat is Eto’o. He’s only just come back, but he loves playing against us since we let him go, he’ll be in high spirits, and he will be the focal point of their attacks. Contain him and we could well contain much of Barca’s goal threat.
GOAL: Would you want him in your team?
Sergi (Barcelona): We do not need either player. Van Nistelrooy has a great goalscoring record, but would he do anything more than Samuel Eto’o? No. As for Sergio Ramos I do not think that he is any better defensively at right-back then Carles Puyol, who has proven that he too can go forward and cause opponents problems. We also Gianluca Zambrotta, so the squad is not short of options.
Chett (Real Madrid): I wanted him when he was here, so I won’t lie like I wouldn’t take him now. He offers something different to Ruud and Raul, who are quite similar…so yes, he’d be a good addition.
GOAL: What are your team’s strengths at the moment?
Sergi (Barcelona): It is a difficult one as the team has showed how strong it can be at the back by conceding the least goals in the league this season. Then the forward line is one that any club in the world should be envious of. With the return of Eto’o all that flair from the sides can now turn into goals as was shown at Valencia last weekend.
Chett (Real Madrid): Incisiveness. As I’ve said before, only Inter have looked more prolific amongst Europe’s major players for me, with Man United and Arsenal being good shouts too. We are very strong going forward.
GOAL: And weaknesses?
Sergi (Barcelona): Well, it would have been the lack of focus in the early minutes of the game. Away from home there have been far more weaknesses than in Camp Nou, but they could be behind us now. At home the team has very few weaknesses as the 100 per cent record shows. If I was being really picky, it is the fact that we have to learn to break down nine-man defences more frequently as the majority of visitors play that way.
Chett (Real Madrid): Failure to retain possession in midfield. Yes, the defence have had “Real Madrid moments”, but every team – even many great ones – have lapses at the back, they’re merely blown out of proportion at Madrid. There is work to be done there, but a lot of pressure would be removed from them if our midfield retained the ball a little more convincingly... Sneijder is a chief offender as he gives the ball away a lot, as is Guti on one of his “off” days. Diarra is hit-and-miss as well but always improving; Gago is the best possession player we have, but unfortunately it looks like he might not start.
GOAL: Who from your team should we keep a particular eye on here?
Sergi (Barcelona): It has to be Eto’o. He is back in the groove and always loves to score against Real Madrid to prove a point to them. The sharpness that he showed last weekend in Mestalla shows that this season he waited until he was truly ready to come back before he did, unlike last year when he was a bit hasty. Fabio Canavarro will have his work cut out keeping Eto’o quiet.
Chett (Real Madrid): Got to be Robinho. Raul loves the big games, and Ramos will be relentless, but Robinho is eager to establish himself amongst the best in the world. He’s been in incredible form since the news of his girlfriend’s pregnancy, and she’s just given birth this week. He’s running, he’s shooting, and he’s even crossing. Puyol is likely to be at right back for them, and the battle between them should be great, but I can foresee Robson drawing many a foul from the mighty perm and causing Barca a fair bit of grief.
GOAL: Who is your all time number one hate figure, or object of amusement, from their lot?
Sergi (Barcelona): All of them. No, at the moment the only player that stands out is Guti, but he is not popular anywhere. The amount of new faces and lack of familiarity means that they will just be abused for being Real Madrid rather than anything that they have done. Of course, in the past Luis Figo stands out, while Michael Laudrup should never have gone there from us either.
Chett (Real Madrid): Don’t really have a hate figure to be honest, but Oleguer is always good for a laugh. Unfortunately he’s unlikely to start this weekend; him versus Robinho I’d love to see.
GOAL: What would you envy about them, if anything?
Sergi (Barcelona): The fact that they are four points above us is the only thing. But that will not last and once we have overtaken them we will have nothing to worry about. Despite being above us at the moment, I still think that their fans that are not blinkered are slightly envious of the way that we play as I could not watch Barça play the way they do every week.
Chett (Real Madrid): Their youth system. Ours is great, but we give most of our talent away, theirs is the only one which stands out as being markedly better over the last decade or so.
GOAL: What was the best bit of business ever done between the two clubs?
Sergi (Barcelona): I would say that it has to be signing Luis Enrique for free when they allowed him to leave. He came to us and had his best years here and became a real favourite. Quite why they let him go is still a mystery, but he soon became one of us and seemed to like beating them as much as we did.
Chett (Real Madrid): Figo. What a player he was. Obviously didn’t win an incredible amount of trophies with us, but he was just amazing to watch.
GOAL: What's your fondest memory of past clashes against them?
Sergi (Barcelona): 5-0. Camp Nou, January 8, 1994. That was without doubt the best game as Romario scored a hat-trick and we embarrassed them. There have been other victories, including the win two years ago when their fans applauded Ronaldinho, but I watched that on television. Being in the Camp Nou in 1994 and seeing us beat them by five goals was something that will live with me forever.
Chett (Real Madrid): I can’t pick one to be honest. The 4-2 win in 2005 was an amazing game, but it ended in a losing cause as far as the league title went. The 3-0 in the 2000 season was pretty sweet as well, comprehensively beat them; didn’t win the league that season but then neither did they, and we obviously got Champions League glory, so that’s a decent candidate as well, and of course the comprehensive 2-0 last season was almost too good to be true at the time; it won us the league.
GOAL: What do you think the score of this match will be, and how will it affect your week?
Sergi (Barcelona): 3-2. I think it will be an exciting game as both teams have goals in them. If we win then I will have a great week and Christmas will go really well. If we do not win then all I can think is that I will feel angry.
Chett (Real Madrid): Oh who knows… I think it could be uncharacteristically quiet. I feel Schuster might want to keep it as tight as possible in order to try and squeeze a win out. I’ll say 1-1, but if I’m honest, they’re more likely to win than we are. Battle and war though, we’ll see who’s where at the end of the season.
i wonder how this one is going to end??
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