Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdés said this past week that every Clásido is won or lost based on "little things". Ok, there are instances where outstanding individual performances are what set the stage, but for the most part

Whoever says soccer is not is full of it. The game itself has evolved into a chess match and the analysis of such has to be done with a microscope.

One big question mark is the first quarter hour of the match. How Real Madrid comes out at kick off will say a great deal about the way the match will be played.

The match, as glitzy and glamourous as it is is going to come down to the most boring and drab details. The team that does the dirtiest work will come out on top.

Biggest matchup: Xavi vs. Xabi
While the media that runs the world football machine will have you thinking that Messi and Ronaldo will make the difference there is a matchup that could tell the tale. Although that may be true in the scoreboard, the gestation of any goal scoring opportunity or the  will come from the feet of either Xavi and Xabi Alonso.

Although it's a cliché, the truth cannot be more obvious.

If Xabi Alonso beats out his Spain teammate, then Madrid is on the right track to get the three points.  The same goes for Xavi if he is given time and space to be the usual offensive metronome for the Blaugrana. 

Xavi will have a formidable task of having to face the pressure of Xabi on defensive while possibly Fernando Gago will be waiting to take clean up whatever mess Alonso makes in his recovery function.

If the Real Madrid coaching staff watched what Arsenal did early on in the match, they saw that the Gunner midfield pressed the defense, and Xavi was blocked out.  He had to play the ball first time; short-circuiting Barcelona's transport of the ball and forcing them into long passes.  This would fall perfectly into the hands of Madrid, forcing their psuedo-trident of Messi, Bojan, and Pedro to fall back and start to attack from their half of the pitch. Barca with little possession is like Roger Federer without a racket.


I have the ball.  Now what do I do?  
If there is a team that have players that know what to do with the ball, it's Real Madrid.  Yet there are times that they seem somniferous and the ball movement isn't as fluid as it could be.  They will have to make every touch count and every offensive opportunity mean something- especially if it goes in the back of the net.

Yet, if they come out the same way they have in the previous weeks, their archrivals could make it an unprecedented fourth consecutive over the Merengues. 

Player who will have to respond: Gago or Diarra

If you base yourself on probable lineups, Fernando Gago will come out on top over the Mali international.  If I were Manuel Pellegrini I would definitely have Lass in there because he has more marking ability than Gago.  He is also more disciplined when it comes to covering spaces left by teammates such as Sergio Ramos.   Gago does tend to drift a bit and if he is caught too far up when Sergio Ramos ventures upward on offense, Barca could exploit that hole with Pedro.

Watch out for...
Madrid's lines.  If Madrid want to pressure appropriately, they will have to do it in compact fashion.  They have the guns to corral Barcelona, but sometimes they do get too crazy and the spacing between their lines becomes affected.

Keep an eye on the spacing between the Madrid midfield and its backline. If this does happen, expect a possible field day by Lio Messi.  One thing is Xabi Alonso or Fernando Gago attacking the ball... another thing are those two (or any other player) in chase mode.

As we mentioned last weekend, Madrid have all the ingredients in place to win this match.  We usually say that if there is one factor that is relevant is that Necessity always trumps History.  But today we'll find out if Necessity can trump the hunger to make history. 

Madrid have the necessity to come out of a shadow that has never been there before.

Madrid need to win in order to justify their offseason. 

Madrid need to win in order for CR96 to get the Barca monkey off his back and prove that he does show up in the big games.

Madrid need to win to salvage their season.

Madrid need to win to salvage the Florentino Pérez 2.o.

Do I need more reasons? 

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