Barcelona have one foot in UEFA Champions League final after victory over Real Madrid
Barcelona have all but ensured that they will be competing in the UEFA Champions League final after they defeated Real Madrid 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of their semi-final tie on Wednesday night.
The match started as one of the most boring El Clasicos in recent memory, as both teams struggled to create anything of note in the first half. Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho seemed to be aiming for a draw. The Galacticos sat back in defence and were content to let Barcelona attack them, resulting in a fairly lackluster first 45 minutes.
The action started to pick up in the second half, as Barca came out all guns blazing in the hopes of getting a precious away goal. However, the Real Madrid defence stood strong, and the match seemed to be destined for a nil-nil draw.
However, the contest was turned on in its head when defender Pepe was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Dani Alves. It was a harsh decision, as there was no intent on Pepe’s part. Manager Jose Mourinho was dismissed from his technical area in the aftermath of that incident for his comments to the referee.
Sensing blood, Barcelona surged forward. Lionel Messi took advantage of the weakened Madrid defence to score two goals in the final 15 minutes. It looks as though there is no way back for Real Madrid now. The Catalans have got a two-goal cushion when Madrid travel to the Nou Camp for the second leg.
It seems that we are destined for a repeat of the 2009 Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United. The Red Devils also have a two-goal lead to protect when they face Schalke 04 at Old Trafford in a week's time.
However, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has a habit of pulling off seemingly impossible feats, and it would be foolish to write off the Galacticos just yet. We will find out whether Real Madrid can fight their way back into the contest when they take on Barcelona at the Nou Camp on 5th May.
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