No Rest for Powerhouse Barcelona

Barcelona went into Sunday’s Clásico match 3 points behind Madrid at the top of La Liga’s table. It was crucial for Barcelona to come away with 3 points before they go to Japan to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup.  Despite a slow start against rivals Real Madrid, Barcelona did just that.

I am a die-hard Barcelona fan; when I saw them concede a goal to Madrid within the first minute, I was quite upset.  However, I knew there was much game time for Barcelona to correct that mistake and play properly, so I stayed calm.  The game was back and forth until Alexis Sanchez scored the tying goal thanks to an assist from Messi. That marks Alexis' first goal in a Clásico match.

From then on, it was all Barça. Xavi and Iniesta controlled the midfield, with help from Messi coming back as he always does. Xavi got on the score sheet with a good volley that had some help from Marcelo's heel just 8 minutes into the second half.  That is the moment when Barcelona took control of the match.

During the match they changed the formation to a 3-4-3, pushing Alves up to right wing and pulling Puyol to right back. It was a good decision by Pep because the 3rd goal came off a Dani Alves cross, finding Fábregas at the back post to head the ball home. Overall, it was a great team performance.

After the game, Barcelona had no time to rest as they got on a flight to Japan. Barcelona had to adjust to the different time zones and continue training for their semi-final game. They played against Al-Sadd and came out as victors, 4-0.   It’s clear that Barcelona are heavy favorites to win the Club World Cup. 

The stage is set for a spectacular final against Santos on the 18th.  It should be a great match— powerhouses Lionel Messi and Neymar will be facing off.

By: Rolando Zuniga

Edited: Matt Sinacore