Barcelona reached Champions League finals

The last of the four Clasicos came to an end in a stalemate but Barca still advance to the Champions League finals through a superior quotient after beating archrival Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, 2-0. The match in Madrid on 27 April was full of controversies that leads both teams raising complaints to the UEFA. If you are watching last today's rain soaked game at the Nou Camp, it was relatively a different game with less infractions but I still could see some resemblance of what happened last week at the Bernabeu. It is sad to see Madrid's exit from the Champions League but they are playing without their tactician on the pitch and was reported no where to be found on the stands. The Los Blancos are also without defender Pepe and Ramos, the crucial element of the Merengues defensive wall.

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It was after Pepe was sent off that Barca was able to score its first goal, penetrating the once sturdy wall of the Los Blancos. Subsequently, Mourinho got his own red card too right after the call when he argued the uncharacteristic sending off of his ever reliable defender. Many have said and believe that Barca is playing or is good at diving acting (not on playing the game of football) during the match and was highly favored by the referees. This leads to the complaints filed by both teams but was later turned down and denied by the governing body (UEFA).

Barcelona are not awaiting the winner between ManU and Schalke on their own second leg tomorrow at  the Old Trafford. ManU is protecting a 2-0 lead after humiliating Schalke right at their own home pitch last week. A ManU win or even just a draw is enough for them to advance in the finals to face Barca and this could be a rematch of the 2009 Champions League finals at Stadio Olimpico, in which Barcelona won. Then Barca earned a historic treble in that season by winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey, to add to its Champions League silverware. But this time, even Barca will win in the finals there will never be a treble again for we all know who won the just concluded Copa del Rey at the Mestalla.

Messi Beats 10-man Real Madrid

Real Madrid’s chance for a treble has farther lost its grip as the Los Blancos succumb to the pressure during its first leg semifinals Champions League game at the Bernabeu, losing 0-2 in the third El Clasico. Although they have taken already the Copa del Rey but they are also 8 points behind Barca in La Liga with only 5 more games left to play. And going to Nou Camp, on 3 May for the second leg, down by 2 goals is hard to imagine if Real still has hope of advancing to the finals at Wembley. What disturbs me is Real finished the match again with 10 men on the pitch and eventually was beaten black and blue by Barca.

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It seems that Iker is not Paul eventually. He slipped for the first time in his predictions or was it caused by other factors such as the referee, who have given Pepe a straight red card. That also triggers the sending of Mourinho to the stands. Would the game be the same if Real Madrid is not short handed? I doubt but not very certain also because Champions League competition is a different level. But we have seen Real Madrid fought back with a 1-1 draw last 16 April and eventually diffuses Barca’s resilience in the Copa del Rey finals, three days back and claim Mourinho’s first silverware in Real Madrid. Aside from it is the third Clasico, what is common amongst the three is Real finished the game again with 10-man for the fourth time. There have been several reactions about game officials officiating, favoring Barcelona’s way and mainly the reason why Mourinho was sent off.

I wonder if Barca will be able to score those two goals if it was against 11 men on the pitch. Barcelona is the best team right now but many would refute for they might just be good actors in acting diving. Those were just hypothetical but nonetheless were shared by many others. The return leg next week on 3 May is a difficult stride for Real Madrid to overcome since they will be playing without Ramos and Pepe and a tactician who can’t be on the bench.

Champions League Semifinals - Third El Clasico

The Champions League finalist are starting to shape up with ManU’s 2-0 win away at Schalke gives them the upper hand in the return leg on 4 May at Old Trafford. While tomorrow’s third El Clasico has been predicted by Iker (the Octopus) for Real Madrid to win the first leg at the Bernabeu. So far, with Iker’s predictions in the recent Clasicos came out with good outcome and is a perfect 2 out of 2 correct results. He may have predicted correctly the previous two games but tomorrow’s game is a different story.

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Barcelona would slug it out again after losing in the Copa del Rey finals at the Mestalla but they struggled in beating Osasuna in their La Liga game last Saturday. While archrival Real Madrid hammered Valencia 6-3 at their own turf when they came back in the Mestalla after winning the Copa del Rey three days earlier.

The Copa del Rey win was the first silverware for Madrid under Mourinho. It is also their first win against Barcelona in seven attempts. Losing to Barcelona came to a halt after a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu for the first of four El Clasicos. And they are hoping that tomorrow’s third Clasico will roll on the winning ways against their archrival. I want to see the Merengues in the Champions League finals at Wembley Stadium but the Blaugranas are trying to do the same. Or I would say, take revenge for they were eliminated by Mourinho (with Inter) in the same stage last season.

Copa del Rey - Real Madrid beat Barcelona

Iker, the successor of Paul (I'm sure you know who Paul is) proved that his first prediction in last Saturday's match between fierce rival Real Madrid and Barcelona is not a fluke and not just a onetime success. The other day, he predicted Real Madrid to emerge as winners in the finals of the Copa del Rey at the Mestalla and it proved to be right. And at the moment he is already two out of two correct predictions when Real Madrid beat Barcelona to win Copa del Rey.

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Iker was named after Real Madrid's goalkeeper Iker Casillas, Spain's captain during the World Cup in Africa. Paul on the other hand became so famous when he predicted correctly all eight important games, in as many match, in the 2010 World Cup in Africa, including Spain's first World Cup trophy.

The match did not produce any winner, not until in the added extra-time when Ronaldo superbly executed a perfect header following a pinpoint cross from Di Maria and beat Barca’s keeper in the net. It was all enough to give Mourinho his first silverware since joining Real Madrid and it is also Real’s first Spanish Cup in 18 years. And as usual, the Los Blancos finished the game again with 10 men after Di Maria brings down Messi and once again failed to finish a game in 11 men.

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Nonetheless, the dramatic finale of Copa del Rey brought glory to the Merengues again and is more special considering that it was their archrivals Barcelona that they have defeated. But it’s not the end of it as they still have remaining two matches to fight in the Champions League semifinals which will start of 27 April. It is again another interesting match to watch and if Iker will continue his prefect predictions.

Copa del Rey - Second El Clasico

Tomorrow is another special and important day for Real Madrid and Barcelona football history and it is also the second El Clasico of four games in less than a month. It is much important to Real than with Barcelona since it would be their first silverware since 2007. With the 1-1 draw result of their La Liga game last Saturday, it is more evident that Barca will go on and win the championship trophy unless they will falter in as many games left in the season.

Both teams will see action at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia for the Copa del Rey finals for the first time in 21 years although they have met each other five times already before and Barca has the upper hand, winning three. The result of the game last Saturday could affect the strategies that both Pep and Jose will design whether to have an attacking and defensive tactics.

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The Copa del Rey finals in another game to watch and hope it will produce a spectacular results. So, don't ever miss to watch the game for it is not the result that I am interested but the prediction of Iker the Octopus.

Iker, by the way, is the successor of the well known Paul who correctly predicted all the results in the World Cup Africa last year. While Iker correctly predicted the 1-1 draw result in last Saturday's La Liga game at the Bernabeu and now he is going to prove that his first prediction is not a fluke.

Second El Clasico - The Classic Derby

Tomorrow's second Clasico is not just an ordinary El Clasico for there are so many at stake whoever emerges victorious in the derby. More so for Real Madrid who has been demolished by Barcelona in their first Clasico last 20 Nov 2010 at Camp Nou. The second Clasico will be a barometer in their next three encounters and El Clasico will no longer be just a local engagement but was brought to a higher level in the European competition.

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Real Madrid will not just seek revenge from their 0-5 demolition, they will also have a psychological edge going to the Copa del Rey finals four days later. Then there are more things to prepare for another classic matchup in the Champions League semifinals. The pride of the Merengues is at stake in the four El Clasico. If ever Real Madrid won on 16 April, they will cut the lead of Barcelona in the Primera Liga in 5 points and there are 6 more games left to go. If Barcelona won the second Clasico, it will further bury Real Madrid and extend the gap for 11 more points. And if that’s the case may be then the Los Blancos and Jose Mourinho are less likely to achieve the treble that they are much longing to have.

Whoever is your bet for tomorrow’s second Clasico, I want to see the Los Blancos in the finals of the Champions League. But what hampers on their way is the hard fact that Real Madrid haven’t won the El Clasico for 2 years now.

El Clasico Extends to Champions League

The line for the Champions League semis has been drawn already and it is confirmed that Los Blancos and the Blaugrana are going to face each other not just in the local league. They are going to test each other in the European competition as well and they will meet four times in less than a month. They're going to start it with the second Clasico this coming weekend and will be followed by the finals in Copa del Rey then the first leg of the Champions League semis will start in the Bernabeu on the 27th of April. Comes 3rd May, is the second semis leg and this time will be at the Camp Nou.

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The El Clasico derby is no longer confined in Spain and it have been extended outside of its boundaries, the Champions League. This is very interesting to watch since Real Madrid has been demolished by Barca at Nou Camp but that was in the first Clasico yet. I believe what will be the outcome of the second Clasico matters in the outcome on the succeeding games ahead. One of them will face ManU or Schalke, who are also trying to out-clash each other in the other semifinals slot which will start on 26 April at Veltins-Arena and will be finished at Old Trafford on the 4th of May.

Although I want to see Real Madrid to advance in the finals but it is quite difficult to just dispatch Barca that easily. It is possible for ManU and Barca for a two-peat.