El Clasico special – Key battles on the pitch (Part 2)
David Villa vs. Ricardo Carvalho
The two El Clasico debutants play on the opposite ends of the pitch for their respective teams and thus will go head-to-head on numerous occasions. The 40 million euro striker is a big match player and will be eager to perform on the night.
The responsibility of handling the Spain International will rest firmly on the classy and experienced shoulders of Ricardo Carvalho. The Portuguese is a Mourinho favourite and the two go back to the Porto days where Carvalho polished his honed his raw talent
under Mourinho’s supervision. The defender previously followed the tactician to Chelsea and now he has been recalled by his mentor to Bernabeau.
David Villa is a highly clinical striker with the ability to create something out of nothing. Also, his interplay with Pedro and Messi has been such that it’s hard believing they have played together for only a handful of games. Should Carvalho fail to curb
Villa’sinfluence, Blaugrana will already have half the game won.
Xavi vs. Xabi Alonso
The two friends will put aside their sympathies on the night and take to the pitch horns blazing. While the two players are unlikely to directly face each other, they will fight out a titanic battle for the midfield control. These two players are two of
the best midfielders in the world and have prodigious passing ability.
Xavi will be the Blaugnara man responsible for playmaking role while Alonso will look to narrow down the angles and force the Barcelona number six to pass sideways.
Benzema vs. Carlos Puyol
Gonzalo Higuain’s inclusion in the squad was subject to a last minute fitness test. Latest reports now indicate that El Pipita has failed the test thus leaving Karim Benzema as the starting forward. Benzema was another one of Mr. Perez’s big money signings
that failed to deliver. The highly rated striker has had a poor time with Merengues so far. However, Benzema has shown signs of recovery in recent weeks.
With Mourinho ever ready to persuade the former Lyon prodigy, it’s only a matter of time before Benzema returns to his predatory best. The player responsible for handling the threat of Benzema will be placed on the Barca skipper, Carlos Puyol. The Barca
captain always performs admirably against the arch-rivals and more of the same will be expected of the fan favourite.
Mourinho vs. Guardiola
This one is arguably the most important battle on the pitch. In his 10 years of management so far, Mourinho has won six league tiles and 2 Champions league medals among a cabinet full of awards and trophies. No wonder Florentino Perez wanted Mourinho at
the white set at Bernabeau so badly.
Pep Guardiola on the other hand is only in his third year of management and it has been a rosy ride for him so far. In two seasons that Guardiola has played, Blaugnara have managed to win a stunning seven trophies.
The two coaches will fight out a battle of wits and the winner is likely to take the three points home. No matter how prodigious or talented a squad you have, if you don’t have a good manager, you will not win anything. Mourinho and Guardiola are both supremely
talented managers and it would be interesting to see how they go about their tactics and in-game substitutions.
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