For the third time in 12 days, rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona take to the pitch to add to their storied history. Only this time it's under the biggest set of circumstances yet.
The Spanish powers meet at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal tie (2:45, FX/FoxSoccer.tv/Fox Deportes) with the stakes rising high after their tense bout in the Copa del Rey final last week.
Both coaches are getting caught up in the heat of the moment as well, as Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho exchanged jabs at their pre-match press conferences during the week. Both will have to overcome some personnel losses, as Barcelona will be without Andres Iniesta and Maxwell, and Madrid will not have Ricardo Carvalho or Sami Khedira available.
If you will be watching the Champions League Clasico, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the action.
hahhaha finally someone hits Sergio. Last years dive and peek really pissed me off last year.
As SBI would say nice tap-in by Messi.
Ronaldo definatly is no longer the player who use to dive all over the pitch. More often than not he is fouled and the refs dont call it bc of his past reputation. There was a great example in the Copa Del Ray last week.
Shameful from Adebayor.
I agree he did it twice too
+1 didn’t even think about that
Because Barcelona is on the field
That adebayor shove is more deserved of a red than the Pepe mistackle
FIFA needs to make clear instructions to it’s referees about Mass Confrontation. I think carding the captain when it happens should be the answer because it’s ridiculous, it brings the game into disrepute and generally makes in completely unenjoyable to the fans.
Get rid of this whining BS now!
Wah? I hate his diving, but he seems like a great player to me
that’s what you get for starting w/ 3! forwards on the bench.
how is it we are watching a game where Cristiano Ronaldo is the least whiney player on the pitch?
What a burst of pace from Affelay. Pure speed.
Di Maria is starting to look like a huge bust for Madrid.
MESSIIIIII GOLLAZOOOOOOOOOO
Gol de Messi!
Oh S**t! For Real?! I gotta see that!
so the ball just magically rotated just as Pepe’s foot was there becuase alves didnt touch the ball.
How has Diarra escaped a card so far?
What about LD’s flying half-roll?
That is the fourth time in the last 2 games they have played together that a Madrid player clearly stepped on a Barca player and then seemed shocked that the player was in pain. They may not be intentional, although I’d doubt it, but you at least know you stepped on them and should pretend to feel bad.
+1 I agree. Too much diving. Ruining the game.
Yeah, that looked intentional from that angle. He cut his stride short and went down directly on the leg.
Pedro has spent the night grabbing his face when he was hit in the chest, he will get less than zero support from anyone.
Replay shows that Marcelo intentionally stomped on Pedro. Nice.
He didn’t win the ball man, heck he didn’t even touch it.
HE DIDN’T WIN THE BALL
Jesus, he didn’t even touch the ball. He got all leg.
No question.
Come one be honest, both teams are equally embellishing every single touch
LOL, WIN!
you mean winning the bal once on the run and then challenging for the ball again and winning it. There was no jump kick in there sorry
Thought Pedro was exaggerating until I saw that Marcelo jumped on his leg. Difficult to tell if that was intentional or not, hard to see.
I’d much rather watch the diving than the little girls rolling around holding there knees after the dive or every contact
Duece with a BRACE agaisnt Bolton. Game aint over yet. Hat-trick perhaps?
C’mon… a running jumping studs up challenge is and always will be a red card
All 3 commentators on the spanish broadcast (spanish as in spain) all say that the ref botched this one.
Meanwhile in England. Dempsey has 2.
They need to yellow card the captains after a warning or two for the surrounding of the ref
Real Madrid’s diving is an embarrassment to the game. Nothing worth watching.
that is usually given as a yellow, that kind of tackle is seen frequently.
hahaha right when i tune back in a soft @ss red. I thought Alves died and now here comes the dives all over the place.
He didn’t even touch the ball.
I’m embarrassed for every player on the pitch. This match has been a shame. As the announcer said, we’re seeing the worst of the best. The diving, faking of injuries, and attacking the ref after every call has to be addressed with fines and suspensions after games. It’s out of control.
No question.
That looked really painful. Poor challenge.
I’m calling it now. Two more reds will be shown
I’m sorry but that is not a red at all. I don’t have a horse in the race, but that was absolutely ridiculous.
mourinho too? oh boy… Madrid will be ablaze tonite….
haha Jose is in time out!
I will never understand how a crap player like Pepe is on a team like Madrid.
because he won the ball and had himself behind the defense