El Classico -Copa Del Rey 1st leg! Wed 18th 21.00 kick off

Davaeo09

Ladies and Gentlemen it's upon us once again. Two of the worlds biggest clubs will duke it out in what is almost a clash of the titans.

Barcelona are looking to take back the copa from Madrid and to try and cause another upset in Madrids impressive run in form, which has left them top of La Liga.

There are some key injuries for both sides with Barca still missing Villa, Affelay, Fontas and now Pedro

Madrid are almost certainly going to be missing Khedira and Di Maria


I really hope both teams stick to footballing, these ties often bring out the ugly in both teams. The super cupa and the game in the Bernebau were both fantastic open games that ebbed and flowed at times. I fully expect this to be an even tighter affair than previous games, and as a Barca fan I am more worried than normal.

Some stats for those who want them
Mou has only beaten Barca once in eight games since arriving at Madrid.
Messi has scored 13 goals in these matches, Ronaldo has only scored 2.

event

time, channel?
where is it?

gimmick

1st leg, Bernabeu Wednesday 9pm (our time) KO.

Professional Griefer

9:00. SS2.

Jax Teller

event wrote: »

where is it?

Spain

parc

Are they playing GAA or soccer lads?

*gets coat*

Phoenix Park

parc wrote: »

Are they playing GAA or soccer lads?

*gets coat*

Soccer..

GavRedKing

Real Madrid as defending Champs will certainly not want to lose their crown, especially to Barca.

With Real 5 points clear at the top is there a case for Real Madrid to rest players and concentrate on La Liga and UCL, if they we're playing anyone other then Barca you'd imagine so but I can see both teams playing full strength teams and going for it.

A score draw is what I predict.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

This fixture is becoming far too common and as a result it's losing it's edge, and gloss. Still massive, but doesn't even compare to April of last year.
Going for a Real win in this one, I don't know how many times Mou can come up against one team and keep losing. I think Barca will be well up for it though, but I'd fancy Madrid in this, 3-1. Only one certainty, Ronaldo to flop, again.

CongoPowers

another Barça win.

just remembered Muñiz Fernández is reffing this one, not as confident now haha.

gebbel

Ix Deadmau5 wrote: »

9:00. SS2.

Not showing on the Sky listings for tonight?

Mars Bar

gebbel wrote: »

Not showing on the Sky listings for tonight?

That would be because it's on tomorrow night.

Shane St.

Anyone got an idea on starting line-ups. thinking about backing Barca

Your Airbag

THFC wrote: »

This fixture is becoming far too common and as a result it's losing it's edge, and gloss. Still massive, but doesn't even compare to April of last year.
Going for a Real win in this one, I don't know how many times Mou can come up against one team and keep losing. I think Barca will be well up for it though, but I'd fancy Madrid in this, 3-1. Only one certainty, Ronaldo to flop, again.

It can never be too common. The maximum possible times they could meet in a season is six and I would tune in for every one of them.

ArmaniJeanss

Your Airbag wrote: »

It can never be too common. The maximum possible times they could meet in a season is six and I would tune in for every one of them.

I agree with the sentiments but think its 8 times they can meet.

2 in European Cup.
2 in Spanish Cup.
2 in Spanish Super Cup (as this season).
2 in League.

(Possible league playoff as well, very unlikely though as La Liga goes as deep as yellow cards in its tiebreaker rules.)

Your Airbag

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I agree with the sentiments but think its 8 times they can meet.

2 in European Cup.
2 in Spanish Cup.
2 in Spanish Super Cup (as this season).
2 in League.

(Possible league playoff as well, very unlikely though as La Liga goes as deep as yellow cards in its tiebreaker rules.)

I'll see your eight and raise you. The super cup. Nine

ArmaniJeanss

Your Airbag wrote: »

I'll see your eight and raise you. The super cup. Nine

Damn, excluded that on the grounds that they couldn't meet there and also play two games in the knockout stages of the CL.
But obviously they could meet in the Super Cup if one had won the Europa the previous year, then play the other 8 games as before.
:mad:

Bodhisopha

Comfortable victory for Barca.

PHB

They could meet 4 times in the CL theoretically. Twice in the group stages and twice in the knockouts, depending on co-efficients.

Richard Hillman

PHB wrote: »

They could meet 4 times in the CL theoretically. Twice in the group stages and twice in the knockouts, depending on co-efficients.

Teams from the same country cant play each other in the group stages.

dfx-

Shane St. wrote: »

Anyone got an idea on starting line-ups. thinking about backing Barca

Other than Pinto will start as ever in the Copa del Rey, it's more about what attitude Barcelona come out with, for example, if 0-1 up. They have a habit - even in the Bernabeu last season against 10 men - of backing off and drawing 1-1.

MisterAnarchy

The teams have met 7 times in the last year
Barcelona have won 3 ,3 have been drawn and Real have won 1 (albeit after extra time)
Cant get enough Classicos

mike65

Don't forget if this game is too rich for your tastes you can catch the second half of El Crapico on ITV1 :pac:

VW 1

Hope Madrid win this one with a big performance from Ronaldo.

Hala Madrid

jive

Hope Ronaldo comes in huge so everyone will stfu about big game player carry on. Don't care who wins nor how the game goes cause i can't watch it :mad: Ronaldo Messi hat tricks would be nice, il catch the highlights on youtube ;D

NinjaK

mike65 wrote: »

Don't forget if this game is too rich for your tastes you can catch the second half of El Crapico on ITV1 :pac:

el crapico? :rolleyes:
Cant wait:)

Nemanja91

When is the second leg? Working tonight

SteelyDanJalapeno

Pinto starts in goal for Barca, liability

NUTZZ

Nemanja91 wrote: »

When is the second leg? Working tonight

The second leg is on January 25th!

Blatter

Ronaldo to batter them and shut everyone up.

SteelyDanJalapeno

Blatter wrote: »

Ronaldo to batter them and shut everyone up.

Finally after 8 awful el classicos out of him, you think he can do it?

KeithAFC

Hopefully it is as good as the all-priests five-a-side over-75's indoor challenge football match.

Blatter

TiltedBrain wrote: »

Finally after 8 awful el classicos out of him, you think he can do it?

I thought he was quite good in the Classico in the Copa last year. Played up front on his own, held the ball up well and brought others into play. Scored the winner with a fabulous header too.

Luap

Anyone have the teams? :P

Blatter

Maloney_o9 wrote: »

Anyone have the teams? :P

They won't be out for another hour mate. I'd predict a pretty much full strength for both sides besides Pinto in goal for Barca. Have a feeling Higuain will get the nod over Benzema as he didn't start the last Classico and competition is fairly strong between those two. Kaka played well when he came on at the weekend so he could be in with a shout at starting too.

---

Casillas

---

Arbeloa

---

Ramos----Pepe

---

Marcelo

---

Alonso

---

Khedira

---

---

Ozil

---

Di Maria

---

Higuain

---

Ronaldo


Cesc

---

Messi

---

Sanchez

---

Iniesta

---

Xavi

---

---

Busquets

---

Abidal

---

Puyol

---

Pique

---

Alves

---

Pinto

---

Havermeyer

THFC wrote: »

This fixture is becoming far too common and as a result it's losing it's edge, and gloss. Still massive, but doesn't even compare to April of last year.
Going for a Real win in this one, I don't know how many times Mou can come up against one team and keep losing. I think Barca will be well up for it though, but I'd fancy Madrid in this, 3-1. Only one certainty, Ronaldo to flop, again.

Far too common and blighted with over-the-top gamesmanship from a bunch of nancies on both sides.

Maybe we'll see some football in between all the play-acting tonight.

Here's hoping.

barone

jose to nut pep after loosing 4-0..

Turtyturd

Barca to win...Messi MOTM. I reckon most attention will be on the Wolves Birmingham game.

applehunter

Barca looked a bit all over the place the other night.

Madrid to get a good win I think.

CongoPowers

applehunter wrote: »

Barca looked a bit all over the place the other night.

Madrid to get a good win I think.

Madrid were fúcking terrible at the weekend, more so than Barça.

colly_06

Law of averages and all that, I can see a Madrid win.

applehunter

CongoPowers wrote: »

Madrid were fúcking terrible at the weekend, more so than Barça.

Any day a team wins out in Mallorca they couldn't be that terrible

Blatter

applehunter wrote: »

Any day a team wins out in Mallorca they couldn't be that terrible

They were ****e in the first half, but done quite well in the second.

Reported Real team, not confirmed though - Casillas; Altintop, Ramos, Carvalho, Coentrao; Lass, Xabi, Pepe; Ronaldo, Higuaín, Benzemá.

Interesting if true.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Blatter wrote: »

They were ****e in the first half, but done quite well in the second.

Reported Real team, not confirmed though - Casillas; Altintop, Ramos, Carvalho, Coentrao; Lass, Xabi, Pepe; Ronaldo, Higuaín, Benzemá.

Interesting if true.

I'd imagine that would be a 4-4-2 from Mou then? Something like;

Casillas
Ramos --- Pepe --- Carvalho --- Coentrao
Altintop --- Lass --- Alonso --- Ronaldo
Higuain --- Benzema


If that's the case I can only see a Barca win. Perhaps he's going for a 3-5-2 moving Pepe in midf? Either way, that team doesn't look like it can hold Barca.

Blatter

THFC wrote: »

I'd imagine that would be a 4-4-2 from Mou then? Something like;

Casillas
Ramos --- Pepe --- Carvalho --- Coentrao
Altintop --- Lass --- Alonso --- Ronaldo
Higuain --- Benzema


If that's the case I can only see a Barca win. Perhaps he's going for a 3-5-2 moving Pepe in midf? Either way, that team doesn't look like it can hold Barca.

Altintop right back - Lass, Alonso, Pepe in midfield - Ronaldo, Higuain, Benzema up front, I reckon. Although Lass has played at RB this season so he could be there with Altintop in midfield.

Barca confirmed full strength apart from Valdes. Pinto, Alves, Puyol, Pique, Abidal, Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta, Cesc, Sanchez, Messi

ft9

Barca to batter em.

4-0

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

After seeing the line-ups I'm changing my prediction to a Barca win.

curry-muff

Is it 9 kickoff or coverage?

ft9

curry-muff wrote: »

Is it 9 kickoff or coverage?

ko

Warper

both teams not in the best of form despite their win records. jose playing 2 strikers singles his intent - he gets beaten playing defensively so what has he got to lose. This could go either way but Barca have a bit of a hoodoo over Madrid these days so Barca to hammer them again.

Marty McFly

Anyone got any good streams for this? Trying to watch it off the phone in wor[HTML][/HTML]k.