If you ask the coaches, they will say that it is just another game, that it is about fine-tuning the machine and finding solutions for an exhausting season, marked by an unprecedented mid-year World Cup… and they may be right, but everyone they know that Real Madrid vs. FC Barcelona is always more than that. Especially now.
This Saturday, in Las Vegas (United States) may not be a duel for a title but it has the unique seasoning of being the first round between the two best strikers in the world: Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema.
It is said that for the Pole the arrival in Spain was vital to tip the balance in his favor, in a direct heads-up with the Frenchman, perhaps his main opponent, to get his long-awaited Golden Ball. The friendly on North American soil seems just an excuse.
The famous Iberian classic will always arouse great expectation, but from now on it is as if recovering the touch of the duels between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
According to the newspaper Marca de España, the duel in the last year has been as even as expected: Lewandowski has better offensive parameters than Benzema, not only in goals, but also in shots, shots, dribbles, attack actions or expected goals, but Benzema is better in terms of associative statistics, those that refer to passes, crosses, assists or expected assists.
In comparison, Robert won the European Golden Boot this 2021-22 with 70 points, accounted for 35 goals in the Bundesliga, while Karim Benzema has been fourth, with 54 points representing 27 goals in LaLiga.
How and when to see this long-awaited first crossing? Schedule yourself:
Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona
Date: July 23
Time: 10:00 pm (Colombian time)
TV: DirecTV
