Lliga | Round 33: Real Madrid - FC Barcelona 2-3

[Total-Football]

I don't mind a loss as it's almost certain. Just don't embarass us infront of our Madridista entourage for god sake.

[serghei]

You never no what Barca will turn out, hopefully some angry motivated one...but if everything goes normal we'll see the difference between two teams. RM will defend as a unit, with front 3 just arround center line. Of course they are not the bes defensive line ever to lived but they will form one. You'll see even CR down there. Behind them midfield standing close and not just in line so they'll cover those in-between lines zones....and defenders following their midfield closely.
And then, you'll have us. Suarez will run towards Navas like a med men when Navas will have like 10 options who to pass. Messi will stand uninterested, and if we had Neymar he would be angry on the left. Of cousre our 3 team midfield will get overrun with ease so you'll have our defenders doing 1 vs 1 all the time. They are actually good in thoose, but when you win 9/10 1 vs 1 it's still a goal that one you lost. Add a set piece and aerial power and they'll score at least 2. We'll play with short passing, no movement and Iniesta turning slowly with ball because he has noone free. Maybe with some magic from Messi we'll score, maybe not but we'll play the same for 90 mins.

Of course maybe we see a angry, hungry Barca in some God mode, which I hope is the true, but that's for gamblers to discuss.

So true. Especially the pressing part. Instead of doing it this shallowly, I'd rather we didn't do it at all. There is no pressing if the opponent has 2-3 easy pass solution at all times. Pressing is when he doesn't have good passing options and he is forced to get rid of the ball.

[Barcaman]

Can't hold back, need to use all of our ammo tomorrow.

[BarcaOG]

pretty pessimistic about this one...fortunately for us we have not been trashed by real since 2008, even as we have handed out infrequent clasico demolitions since then. i fear it is time we were on the end of one..

[Dan1983]

We're going to lose 2-1. I can't see them thrashing us as they never do.

[evilhita666]

I feel there is absolutely no way we can win, or even draw, tomorrow... I just hope we don't get humiliated...

[sickstar]

Enrique should focus on motivation healing instead of technical aspects. Yes, learning from previous mistakes is a must but it is team's spirit that need to be lifted this time.

Just think it as if it is a fight to escape from relegation zone.

[Neeraj]

I wish we could put up a completely different strategy to take them by surprise. Sit back, defend deep and play on the counter, like we did a few times back in the 2015 season. This way, Madrid have to make the play, which they are no good at. Also, less chance of us getting humiliated. However, this is never ever ever going to happen, so let's just hope Messi finally breaks his Clasico goal scoring drought, cause let's face it, only he can save us tonight.

[kilian]

If we sit back and let them play, they will murder us with crosses.

[Windhook]

We don't have the players to defend. Our whole system is based on ball control, the moment we give the ball possession to our opponent, we're done. This is the style of football practiced at La Masia. I don't mean they don't teach the kids a thing about defending, but once the ball is in the air you have no control of it (in Guardiola's words) and Real Madrid have mastered this chaotic style.

[serghei]

We don't have the players to defend. Our whole system is based on ball control, the moment we give the ball possession to our opponent, we're done. This is the style of football practiced at La Masia. I don't mean they don't teach the kids a thing about defending, but once the ball is in the air you have no control of it (in Guardiola's words) and Real Madrid have mastered this chaotic style.

That's the bigges tactical mistake I put on Lucho tbf. We truly don't have a team who can defend in the classic way. This is why we are almost forced to try to apply pressure in the first two thirds of the pitch. Something we really don't do.

[Neeraj]

That's the bigges tactical mistake I put on Lucho tbf. We truly don't have a team who can defend in the classic way. This is why we are almost forced to try to apply pressure in the first two thirds of the pitch. Something we really don't do.

Exactly. When your entire defence relies on intense pressure upfront, for which we don't have the players for, it's not difficult to see why we are always defending 1v1's and always conceding. Not only do we not press enough for this system, I would say we have gone from the team with the most intense pressing in the world to a team that barely presses effectively. We have seen it all season, the likes of Sevilla, Eibar, etc. easily bypass our press with some smooth passing (which ironically we can't seem to do either).

With the summer signings, Mourinho like attitude towards home grown players and ridiculously poor tactics, Enrique has stuck a large dagger into the heart of this team.

[Behrox]

Just a thought. If we lose today, this means that there is no chance in hell of Unuze getting appointed head coach whereas the reverse would make it pretty much possible. Would you take a loss to Madrid to avoid becoming Milan 2.0?

[Lelouch vi Britannia]

Would you take a loss to Madrid to avoid becoming Milan 2.0?

Absolutely. I'd take a 10-0 loss over becoming Milan 2.0.

[Neeraj]

This whole Unzue thing is so ridiculous, that I failed to even consider that as a real possibility upto recently. OBVIOUSLY the squad all wants Unzue, the players would always want a comfortable status quo without a new manager to bust their chops and bring in real change, possibly chucking half the deadwood out.

The problem is the board is spineless, clueless, corrupt, etc. and will make Unzue look like the natural choice; "Barca DNA...players love him..." is the bullshit we will hear. If this happens, I'd completely lose it.