Yes, both Real Madrid and Barcelona have their strengths and weaknesses. Thus, when it comes to naming the true favourites, it is largely a matter of management.
Certainly, trying to determine who has the best players only raises issues of personal taste. It is not wrong however to assess both teams’ positives and weight their advantages along with their expectations. This puts into question the form and aim of each key player in El Clasico.
All 22 active players on the field after the referee’s opening whistle will surely be ready to put on a good show for a million reasons. But then, each player will be having his challenges; and one could identify these challenges as the results of both teams’ close standards - which eventually increases the excitement ahead of El Clasico in the Spanish capital.
In this article, we briefly compare the players to watch from both clubs, starting by the defensive areas of the two giants.
Iker Casillas vs Victor Valdes
It is undeniable… At the two ends of the stadium, the performances of the two goalies will determine the final goal margin in the game, and - in all probability - the winning side.
Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas has shown great reflex on many occasions in La Liga this season. He has indeed conceded three more goals than Barcelona’s Victor Valdes, even though the Catalan keeper is a game ahead. Yet, one should note that the national team playmaker has found himself under pressure much often than his rival.
In 14 league starts, Casillas has made 40 saves and has no yellow card in his record. That is 20 saves more than Valdes, who has played 15 full games so far and has two bookings.
Who has the edge? Looking at statistics, then clearly, Barcelona’s forwards will have to be wary of Casillas’ flair. Likewise, El Clasico is unique, and therefore, Real Madrid’s front men could expect to face a 100% alert Valdes - ready to exhibit the very best he has for his team’s benefit.
Pepe vs Carles Puyol
Everybody remembers how Mourinho chose to use Pepe as the main man to stop Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals last season at the Bernabeu. Without a shadow of a doubt, the Portuguese defender is not an easy player to beat on the pitch.
But Pep Guardiola also has a lot of options to design his strategy in a way that will balance his team’s efforts. With Carles Puyol anticipated to start, the Catalans’ final third is not expected to lack of power.
Both Pepe and Puyol have developed themselves in the areas of pressure and precision. While the Madrid man will once again be keeping a close eye on Lionel Messi, Los Cules’ No.5 ace will be targeting whoever decides to lead the Madrid attack - whether Karim Benzema or Gonzalo Higuain.
Pepe has 11 starts and a league goal this season, whereas Carles Puyol only has 5 appearances. He still managed to enter the scoring sheet in La Liga once.
Marcelo vs Dani Alves
Both Brazilian stars are known to move upfront in tough games, in attempts to supply their colleagues in attack more energy. From quick runs to crosses and from tricky moves to useful tackles, Marcelo and Dani Alves know perfectly what to do when they are asked to have free roles on the flanks.
This can be dangerous for players having to deal with them on both sides. While they are not likely to confront each other directly in El Clasico, Marcelo could help Pepe or Sergio Ramos stop Messi’s runs, whilst Dani Alves’ mission could be to prevent Cristiano Ronaldo from causing harm at any point in time.
In 12 games, Marcelo has scored two goals and made one assist. His rival Dani Alves has yet to shake the back of the net in La Liga, but he can be content with five assists.
Xabi Alonso vs Xavi Hernandez
Both midfielders have imposed themselves in their respective squads. With their accurate passes and comfort in their positions, the two talismans have the ability to control the speed and style of games.
Surely, Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso has not yet reached the level of FC Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez in terms of individual honours and nominations. Still, he is a player to watch in almost every game he plays, just as Xavi.
The Barca playmaker has established a solid relation with Messi on the pitch, which has proven to confuse and discourage many of the Catalans’ opponents overtime.
Knowing that Barcelona players are used to maintain their connections during attacking movements by means of through balls and short passes, Xabi Alonso could opt to go for long balls, so as to create contrast in midfield and force the visitors in El Clasico to make excessive use of clearing headers at their own disadvantage.
Lassana Diarra vs Andres Iniesta
You can never know what to expect from these players. Both Diarra and Andres Iniesta rely on dribbling accuracy to feed their team mates with great balls during the creation of promising opportunities.
Again, the issue of discipline could be raised; in eight appearances, Diarra has earned two yellow cards - compared to Iniesta, who has been booked only once in nine appearances.
Besides this, it is the Spaniard who seems to be the most daring in front, having made 19 shots overall and 4 assists.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi
This is one of the main reasons why people will be watching El Clasico live between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The world’s top two players are loaded with expectations, and in view of their current form, they are not likely to disappoint.
Despite the fact that Ronaldo and Messi have made scoring look so easy, they might not turn out to be goal scorers on Saturday evening. After all, positive contributions would automatically derive from team work, and doing things right or playing their role faultlessly would obviously cause the crowd at the Bernabeu to be pleased with their performances.
Ronaldo and Messi are currently joint top scorers of La Liga with 17 goals each, and they also share a position in the assist standings.
In other comparisons, David Villa could come up against Karim Benzema or Gonzalo Higuain. Either way, leading the attack of either side will mean to ensure that the goals are scored no matter what.
Based on statistics, it would be advisable for Jose Mourinho to let the Argentinian striker start, since his efficiency in front of goal has led him to score 12 goals thus far. Assist leader Angel Di Maria could also be compared to Cesc Fabregas, as both attackers have appeared to be at the source of many goals for their respective teams.
Though their level of agitation and area they cover may look similar, they are in fact different. Nevertheless, it is the differences of Real Madrid and Barcelona players that make El Clasico as exceptional as it is.
What will happen then? Let the predictions begin…
