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Real-Barca Supercopa draw opens La Liga season

Comment: 0 August 15th, 2011 by: admin

The Spanish football season kicked off with a 2-2 stalemate between fierce rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona during the Supercopa first leg last Sunday.

The match, set in Madrid’s home field, saw a 2-1 Barca lead by the end of the first half, before Madrid came back with an equalizer to end full time with a 2-2 tie.

Hosts Madrid were in control of the entire game for most of the full period, claiming their first goal through Mesut Ozil in the 13^th minute, coming from an assist by Karim Benzema.

Barca came back after a free kick in the 35^th minute went from midfielder Thiago to Lionel Messi and eventually to David Villa, who launched the ball in an arch straight to the upper right, and into a 1-1 draw.

It was during extra time of the first half when Messi came flying down the right and launched the ball past Real Keeper Iker Casillas, officially ending the 1^st half with a Barca lead.

The second half then saw Xabi Alonzo, after an assist from Pepe, slot the ball past a total of three defenders, and then past Barca keeper Victor Valdes to tie the game.

Signs of possible tension rising between the two rivals began to surface when a slide by Pepe on Daniel Alves ignited a few tempers, resulting in a brief fracas.

Despite the lack of a win, Barca manager Pep Guardiola cheered the draw, explaining that it provides added advantage to Barcelona, set to host the second leg Wednesday.

‘We managed a feat and our head managed to cope with our fatigue, this was a good result,’ said Guardiola.  ‘By Wednesday we will continue [to prepare] without delay to compete against Madrid and I hope our fans will help us get where our legs will not be able to.’

Guardiola, who marked his 184^th straight match as Barca manager with the Madrid match, said the tactics and the strategies will remain constant throughout the competition.

‘Surely Real Madrid can win,’ he said, ‘but not this time.’

The Barca manager also hinted at the possible Wednesday appearance of new acquisition Cesc Fabregas, who is set for a medical exam in Barcelona on Monday.

‘[Monday] he will present himself and then we will see if he plays on Wednesday,’ said Guardiola.

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