Actual Madrid confirmed their immense psychological energy below strain of their beautiful run to Champions League glory final season.
They got here from behind towards Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester Metropolis on a wild run to the ultimate, profitable when it appeared almost inconceivable, when all hope was extinguished.
On Sunday, they host Barcelona within the Clasico, either side unbeaten in La Liga, however their opponents arrive in a state of wildly contrasting fragility, bruised from one other harrowing night time within the Champions League towards Inter Milan.
The three-3 draw at Camp Nou left Barcelona on the verge of one other humiliating group stage elimination, whereas Madrid have already wrapped up qualification to the final 16.
League leaders Barcelona who additionally beat Madrid 4-0 on the Santiago Bernabeu final season, by some means arrive as underdogs, bearing recent wounds.
From being drawn within the hardest European group, to controversial refereeing choices in Milan, in addition to having a number of gamers injured, it has been a tough journey for the Catalans.
“It’s a merciless, arduous blow, very merciless,” stated Xavi after the Inter draw. “Now we’ve got to consider Madrid, the Clasico, get better, and on Sunday attempt to beat Madrid on the Bernabeu which gained’t be straightforward.
“Let’s go away the Champions League to at least one facet and concentrate on La Liga, we’re leaders and wish to keep there. We hope that it doesn’t have an effect on us psychologically, or the morale of the gamers.”
Barcelona have to face Madrid with the correct mentality. Turning their frustrations into righteous anger and steely dedication would assist them, but when that spills over into desperation they’re liable to collapse.
Towards Inter Milan they struck shortly earlier than half-time, by means of Ousmane Dembele, however after conceding the equaliser to Nicolo Barella within the second half, they fell aside defensively as they scrambled for one more objective.
It was just like their second half efficiency final weekend towards Celta Vigo, the place solely goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen earned them a 1-0 win. Barcelona misplaced management and in the event that they do this towards Madrid, they are going to be inevitably punished.
Madrid performed poorly in Poland towards Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday and nonetheless got here away with the consequence they wanted, with a courageous Ninety fifth-minute Antonio Rudiger header.
“We confirmed that we by no means quit,” stated Actual Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. “We performed very badly and this will occur in soccer, however the necessary factor will not be to surrender when issues don’t work out.”
Karim Benzema is match as soon as extra and after 5 consecutive appearances with out scoring, will probably be hoping to on the massive stage, earlier than attending the Ballon d’Or gala in Paris on Monday, the place he’s anticipated to win the trophy.
His Barcelona counterpart, Robert Lewandowski, is the competitors’s prime goalscorer with 9 and hit the goal twice towards Inter whilst a few of his team-mates floundered.
Actual Madrid have solely stored one clear sheet in La Liga however, regardless of solely conceding one league objective, Barcelona’s defence looks like the one in tatters, left hoping Jules Kounde can return from harm to patch issues up.
Regardless, Benzema and Madrid will probably be assured they’ll kick their rivals whereas they’re down.
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