the hot notes of Barça-Madrid

Justice is built by playing well. With the epic victory against the eternal rival, Barça has the League much more up for grabs than on Saturday. Such a sentence was appropriate because the spring asthenia usually leaves the Blaugrana team starving (remember the previous seasons) and at some point, taking into account how the fight for relegation is, it will surely be lost along the way. If there is no hecatomb in April and May, it will be the first League that Xavi and Laporta (coach and president) will celebrate together. An obligation, considering the financial pressure the club is under, and a fantastic starting point to achieve the calm on the pitch that, due to the Negreira case, will be missing in the box office and in the offices. This Sunday’s, moreover, is a well-deserved victory, based on passion and good play despite Pedri’s absence. Well done to everyone.

It can’t be that bad. It was the big surprise of Xavi’s line-up and social media immediately buzzed. Sergi Roberto despairs an important sector of Barcelona fans and has become accustomed to being the target of criticism. But the technicians trust it and the management appreciate their willingness to play at half price. That is why he has renewed for one more season and, discreet to the point of boredom, ends up sneaking into the eleven of games as important as the classic. Quiet and versatile, he already has four goals in this League, one more than Ansu Fati and two more than Ferran Torres (LOL). The last marked Courtois in a typical interior play with arrival. Reusenc is an essential basic; like onions in any minimally decent kitchen. And Kessie, survivor hero, like the tasty red pepper.

As if he had been shot. In the absence of forwards more inspired than the current Benzema and Lewandowski, the Barça-Madrid preview highlighted the individual duel between Vinícius and Araujo as the most exciting. The Blaugrana centre-back plays on the right-back only when the Madrid winger threatens on the wing and, until now, he had always come out victorious. On the other hand, in this Sunday’s classic, the battle was equalized in the least expected play. Powerless on the dribble, Vinícius scored a small victory by centering on the head of Araujo, who inadvertently headed the ball into the net of a Ter Stegen who was stunned as if he had been shot in the chest. Don’t scare us, Marc!

Watch out for celebrations, Marco. Kessie, after a magnificent move set up by Lewandowski and Balde on the left side, put the parish in his pocket with an agonizing goal that went up the scoreboard and left Madrid on the canvas. The Ivorian’s header came in an isolated action on the counter, with the opponent dislocated by the urgency and the target canceled out to Asensio, which meant 1-2, for a millimeter offside well detected by the VAR. Thinking it would be legal, the Mallorcan celebrated by looking at the stands and pointing to the Madrid crest, just now that there is talk of a possible signing for Barça next summer. Watch out for these gestures, Marco, in case Florentino keeps the renewal offer down and Jorge Mendes, your future owner, is interested in sending you to Barcelona.