If there was an enduring image of today’s El Clasico it is that of Lionel Messi celebrating his penalty. He spreads out his legs, pumps his chest out and raises head and arms to the fans like Moses displaying the most important commandment.
That the stadium, happened to be Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu and the fans in teir vast majority home-grown and visceral tribal opponents of FC Barcelona made the gesture defiant in itself. What made it cheeky was that it broke with Messi’s usually more modest grsture to his late granny in heaven and instead caricatured Cristiano Ronaldo’s favourite goal scoring pose, designed to draw attention to himself.
Lest we forget there has been a lot of goal scoring between the two players over time, quite unprecedented in fact. Its taken years of rivalry for the two not only to be on another planet when it comes to goal scoring in all competitions, but also to break practically every statistic known, but in doing so, to converge in their self-belief.
Prior to today’s encounter, Ronaldo trained alone for two days just to get fit-so much did he care about it. But if he had just equalled Messi in numbers of Golden Balls won- five each now- Messi was damned if that was going to leave him trailing , not least when it came to an El Clasico performance in enemy territory.
Thus a strange osmosis took place in this game of two halves. Ronaldo was the key danger man in the first half, running poor Sergio Roberto ragged trying several shots at goal in the first forty-five minutes..
As for the first goal of the match,, it was the kind that a motivated FC Barcelona should and did take, emulating the hosts, with a lightening counter-attack started with Busquets passing to Rakitic who sprinted into space in the middle of the pitch. He then beat Modric and then just as Varane tried to close him now , leaving Suarez unmarked, Rakituc passed to the Uruguayan who slammed it into the net from 12 yards. The goal seemed made to look so simple by a Real Madrid that looked ludicrously exposed.
The third goal in extra time should never have been allowed. A repay showed the ball and Messi across the right hand touchline.
But it was game over by then , well won by a Barca team that while still far from the brilliance of the Guardiola years had Iniesta ceacelessy marshalling the troops and Messi running around ,in selfless support, and a permanent threat to the men in white.
It’s rare to see Ronaldo and Messi in direct physical contact with each other. But Ronaldo stole the ball from Messi’s feet just in front of the Real Madrid goal, and from the same position headed off a Messi corner . On a third occasion Ronaldo blocked a pass from Messi that had it reached its destination might have opened up another opportunity at goal.
This was a game with several chances missed by both sides with one each by Ronaldo and Messi saved by some brilliant goalkeeping by ter Stegen and Navas respectively.
Not the greatest or most passionate of Clasicos with Real Madrid fans abandoning the stadium before the end so as not delay their lunch much longer (kick-off was I pm local time in order to placate those wanting to watch the game in Asia, gamblers many of them I presume ).
It was a game that nonetheless showed elements of a duel between the two best football players on earth and that, I guess, in itself may have satisfied part but not all of the estimated half billion global audience.
Given that this was a Clasico played just two days after the politically highly charged Catalan elections, it was a football match strangely showing little evident signs of its politics. There were very flags of any description, and whistles and boos for the visitors and Viva Espanas diminished as the game wore on.
There were no huge bust up with the referee, or between the players. In the end of wasn’t Ronaldo who threw a hissy fit, but Isco who was evidently furious with Zidane for leaving him on the bench and bringing on Bale , along with Asencio and Nacho,instead.
By contrast Barca’s achievement seemed all the greater given that it had nowhere near Real Madrid’s strength in depth- but it not a memorable performance by either team.
It was as if the players deep down were looking forward to their two weeks Christmas break, and didn’t want to spoil the season of good will by turning the match into a battle zone. Even Real Madrid’s Carvajal’s red card for handling Barca’s Paulinho’s shot at goal seemed paradoxically gifted- for it led to Messi’s penalty.
