Of course they did!
It took 33 minutes for the MESSI bug to hit the Santiago Bernabeu when Lionel plays the ball to XAVI who chips it over the defence and back into MESSI's path, who took it down with his left foot and shot past the onrushing Iker CASILLAS with his right foot. It was nice to see all Albiceleste players on the starting line up; MESSI, Gabriel MILITO (both Barca), Gonzalo HIGUAIN, Fernando GAGO & Ezequiel GARAY (all Madrid).
As for the rest? You know the result and you saw what happened, So the comment box is yours.
Not to forget there were plenty of goals elsewhere.
In the Segunda Division, Juan Pablo CAFFA was on target for Real Betis in their 4-0 win over Cadiz. Marco RUBEN was on the score sheet for Villareal B in their 2-0 win over Girona.
Fresh from their Champions League success, Inter Milan were held to a 2-2 draw away to Fiorentina. Diego MILITO scored with a close range shot in the 74th minute to make it 1-1 after the home side took the lead earlier. Down in Serie B, Grosseto hammered Vicenza 4-0 with Luis Maria ALFAGEME on target for them.
The party was still ongoing in Newcastle as the Toon Army celebrated their quick return to the Premiership with a 4-1 win over Blackpool. Jonas GUTIERREZ kicked things off in the 12th minute with a deflected goal.
Then in the French Ligue 1, Gonzalo BERGESSIO scored his first goal in 2 months for St Etienne in their 2-0 win over Sochaux. In Portugal, Ernesto FARIAS scored the only goal in FC Porto win over Rio Ave. Lastly, Eulogio ZARATE scored the winner for Grasshopper against Neuchatel Xamas in the Swiss Super League.
P/S - A special note to GK to remind me that I owe him a glass of beer for getting the prediction right whenever I come down to Canada. Cheers!!!!
If it wasn't for Iker, Messi would of had another hat-trick. Glad Messi and Barca gave Real Madrid a big glass of shut the hell up juice.
ReplyDeleteJack!
Yes! couldn't be happier. He should have scored 2 more; one of them maybe he should have passed. But he was not even looking, so I will give him a benefit of doubt. And he started it all; played hard and now I am going to browse through some news now; feels goood.
ReplyDeleteMilito nor Garay had good games, they were actually quite poor. Gago was decent but was playing very dirty in the end. I hope this does not put a factor into Diego's choice to take Gaby Milito. I could live without Garay, G.Milito maybe needed.
ReplyDeleteJack!
Haha, thanks John! Whenever you make the trip over to Canada I will hold you to that beer....
ReplyDeleteGreat to see Messi score again in the classico. On the other hand it wasn't very pleasing to watch Higuian today. He had very little touches and only came close to goal once sending the ball wide of the target. Gago didn't do much other than foul the Barca attack. Milito was decent but not amazing though I still hope for a World Cup call up....
Cheers John! ;)
I watched the clásico online on a Greek channel!
ReplyDeleteI thought XAVI was the real star of the show. He had the two assists but he could have had 4 had MESSI scored those two chances he enjoyed in the second half (all credit to CASILLAS for stopping them).
And one particular note from me. Not that I'm comparing again something that MESSI did with something Diego has done in the past, but that run before MESSI's goal was very very similar to the run Diego made in the famous Hand-of-God goal against England. A quick pass to the right and off to collect the 1-2. Of course the resolution was very different and the ball was passed by XAVI rather than deflected by a defender.
It just rang a bell and took me back for a nano-second as I was watching the game.
Another clutch performance from MESSI if you ask me.
I read an article earlier on The Guardian (which is nowhere to be found right now on their website) in which one of their writers was saying something along the lines of "none of what MESSI did against Arsenal would be validated if he didn't perform against Madrid".
What a ridiculous thing to say and in any case...MESSI proved him wrong.
Pipita disappointed. He didn't have many chances and the one he had, he blew it way wide and over. But I guess he was a victim of the lacklustre performance his whole team had.
Finally...a few words dedicated to Gabriel MILITO.
I think he only knows the feelings he must be experiencing by winning at the Bernabeu and helping Barcelona to keep a clean sheet after being publicly tagged by Real Madrid as a player with a career-ending injury that wasn't fit to wear the white shirt.
He then moved to Zaragoza (beat them in a Copa del Rey tie) and won everything with Barcelona.
VALDANO even said (last year) that time proved them right and that MILITO's career was over.
There you have it, VALDANO. You know what Diego would say to you right now (so I won't say it!)
I actually thought Milito had a pretty decent game...Nothing over the top..But kept it simple and solid...
ReplyDeleteRight back at you Valdano!!!!!!!!!!!
Gago was decent as well though Banega is still light years ahead of him..
messi was very good, lots of simple passing and a very nice goal.
ReplyDeletemilito was solid and gago was ok even tho id have him ahead of veron hes still behind masc,ben,pastore,cambassio and aimar then gago and no veron ever!!!!
I havent seen the game, but heard Gago should have never finshed the game?
ReplyDeleteSpot on Sebastian...really Messi's run was very similar to that of Maradona.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with many saying Gago was decent. he (and the complete Real midfield honestly) neither created play nor stopped Barca from creating their plays. Gago was very poor as expected.
Messi was selfish on two occasions. in the first half he was fouled in an attack but he could have sent Pedro one-on-one against Iker. and in the second half, the ball which Iker saved, a play of Mess's statue should have played it to Pedro again who would have easily scored.
Loving Milito, but he horribly broke offside which nearly allowed Vander Vart to score the equalizer.
Very Happy for the win, although I wish Messi scored the other 2 chances he had to complete the rout.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, Milito deserve to go to South Africa after another solid performance. But I hope his injury at the end of the game isn't too serious...
Breaking News:
ReplyDeleteit seems Maradona has made up his mind on NOT CALLING G.Milito. He said that Milito played poorly against Real. This means no chance for Milito.
The link is in arabic so i am not posting it...if you like though just let me know :)
There is an article on Messi in the New York Times today. Sunday edition.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I knew that Diego won't call G.MIlito because of his performance, I was hoping not but then it is what it is.
ReplyDeleteJack!
but by no means did G.Milito had a bad game! one mistake which left VDV onside, but other than that he was solid...he has been solid since he came back from injury.
ReplyDeleteIt's just that Maradona does not like him and that's it...he is looking for a tiny execuse to exclude him...i think he has some issues with the Milito family!
Ever Banega today had a clash with valencia coach unai emery after being subbed. He was valencia's best player and clearly mad for being taken off. Hopefully it won't make emery bench him.
ReplyDeleteHaving watched the Madrid Barca game, I just wish Argentina had a midfielder in the same class as Xavi.
ReplyDeleteWith Riquelme gone, we only have the likes of Veron and Aimar to call upon. While both are very good players, I would not consider them to be as classy as Xavi (or Iniesta for that matter). If only we had Xavi, the World Cup would be a foregone conclusion.
To be honest, I'd be totally fine if G.Milito isn't called. Why? Because he's not that good in big matches. two, he's not that good in the air, aerial area is one of Argentina weaknesses. Third, the main reason: Demichelis is Maradona's fave, Samuel has finally been chosen to partner him. Samuel is way better than Milito, I'm afraid that if Gabriel Milito is called, Maradona would make him a starter instead of Samuel whom Maradona never does really have a faith on.
ReplyDeleteSamuel is the key factor to our success in the WC. Our defense, whom many say our weakness is a lot stronger with him. The bottom line is, I could live with Demichelis, Samuel, Burdisso (for me, our 3rd best defender), and Otamendi/Schiavi (good at PK).
If it would be up to me, my 4th defender would be: Gonzalo Rodriguez, but the first 3 are exactly the same as Maradona's.
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