Spanish Supercup 2012 | 2nd leg: Real Madrid V Barcelona, tonight at 21:30 BST

[Maciej]

1 - Thursday, 21:30 BST at Nou Camp,
2 - Wednesday, 21:30 BST at Bernabeu.

Better result in the league opener for Barcelona (5-1). They started well, won three points after 45 minutes and with today’s game in mind they could rest themselves after the break. Real Madrid didn’t beat Valencia (1-1) and fought for 90 minutes. Messi already impresses, Ronaldo is still on holidays.

The first game is at Nou Camp. I can’t see Barcelona losing this, but obviously, the game on Wednesday will be crucial.

 

[Ish]

Is it just me, or has this fixture (literally) been done to death over the past 3 seasons? (anyone have a clue how many times they've met over the past 3 seasons?)

Messi v Ronaldo
Diving v Thuggery
Cheating v more Cheating
World class footballers
Mourinho

Can we ask for anything more?

 

[Maciej]

(anyone have a clue how many times they've met over the past 3 seasons?)

13.

2009-10: league x 2
2010-11: league x 2, Copa del Rey, Champions League x 2
2011-12: league x 2, Copa del Rey x 2, Supercup x 2

 

[FCBarca]

Mou has publicly been downplaying the Supercopa but this is a routine tactic of his, no one involved with the match is actually buying it.

El Pais has echoed as much quoting an unnamed source with RM that the manager has attached a great deal of importance to winning the Supercopa and thwart any potential psychological edge going forward - to emphatically delineate a change in hegemony/era

In fact, the speculation is that Mou has spent more time preparing for this tie than he did the CL semifinal with Bayern - in other words, this has massive importance

I like the look of Barça atm as well as their attitude, they appear motivated to remind the world there will be no change in the cycle. So, I expect the team to battle tonight and Mou downplaying matters actually suggests to me that he wants to avoid psyching up his opposition

Unleash Leo

 

[Jimy_Hills_Chin]

Is it just me, or has this fixture (literally) been done to death over the past 3 seasons? (anyone have a clue how many times they've met over the past 3 seasons?)

Messi v Ronaldo
Diving v Thuggery
Cheating v more Cheating
World class footballers
Mourinho

Can we ask for anything more?

It has been done to death. I have no interest in it at all, especially as both teams are virtually the same as last year.

 

[Ish]

Thanks for the figure, Maciek.

@JHC: Yeah, I'll probably watch it but simply due to there not being anything else of interest on. It's just a glorified Community Shield match anyway. I'd be much more interested in watching the league or UCL clashes (if they were to meet).

 

[amolbhatia50k]

13.

2009-10: league x 2
2010-11: league x 2, Copa del Rey, Champions League x 2
2011-12: league x 2, Copa del Rey x 2, Supercup x 2

Total overkill.

Is the Supercup valued in Spain? Or is it like our community shield? Seems rather strange to have a two legged tie at the beginning of the league season.

 

[FCBarca]

Total overkill.

Is the Supercup valued in Spain? Or is it like our community shield? Seems rather strange to have a two legged tie at the beginning of the league season.

It typically has a diminished value compared to the other cups but due to the participants, it'd have great value even if they were playing ping pong

 

[Sarni]

In fact, the speculation is that Mou has spent more time preparing for this tie than he did the CL semifinal with Bayern - in other words, this has massive importance:

The only possible reason for that would be that he has had 3 months with no league games beside the Valencia one before this game. There's absolutely no way that he valued Supercopa more than CL even if you'd like to believe so. It's a minor trophy and at the end of the season you'd rather end up with league or CL than anything.

 

[Maciej]

Total overkill.

Over the past three seasons we've played City 11 times. Not a huge difference then.

And we don't have two-legged ties in FA Cup and Community Shield...

 

[FCBarca]

The only possible reason for that would be that he has had 3 months with no league games beside the Valencia one before this game. There's absolutely no way that he valued Supercopa more than CL even if you'd like to believe so. It's a minor trophy and at the end of the season you'd rather end up with league or CL than anything.

I believe Mou recognizes that there are no victories that trump a victory over Barcelona - none.

El Pais has had the pulse of RM's camp under Mou and quoting club sources on how important this tie is only confirms what any fan of these two clubs already know - when they play one another, it always matters more

 

[amolbhatia50k]

It typically has a diminished value compared to the other cups but due to the participants, it'd have great value even if they were playing ping pong

That's just pride and confidence. It doesn't actually mean anything concrete.

 

[FCBarca]

That's just pride and confidence. It doesn't actually mean anything concrete.

So what sort of tangible meaning is there in footy apart from trophies let alone one that generates pride/confidence?

It's a trophy and it's against you're most heated adversary, if one thinks it has little/reduced importance, then they don't really know much about these clubs

 

[amolbhatia50k]

So what sort of tangible meaning is there in footy apart from trophies let alone one that generates pride/confidence?

It's a trophy and it's against you're most heated adversary, if one thinks it has little/reduced importance, then they don't really know much about these clubs

I'm not saying it's meaningless but the feeling of pride and confidence from beating a rival and that of doing so whilst winning something you genuinely value are two different things. We beat City in the community shield but them beating us twice in the league was a million times more important. The community shield was a moral victory (what I meant by pride and confidence). Their thrashing of us at old trafford was real. It wasn't just pride. It was definitive. It actually mattered.

 

[FCBarca]

Yeah but you saw how things went mental after Barcelona won last season right? Marcelo? The eye gouge?

It's big but then again, it's always big

 

[Theon]

It typically has a diminished value compared to the other cups but due to the participants, it'd have great value even if they were playing ping pong

So true.

 

[Theon]

Looking forward to this, Benzema will probably start ahead of Higuain even though the latter scored against Valencia, and I think he could score tonight.

 

[KM]

What is the expected first XI for Barcelona?

 

[Theon]

Iniesta in for Tello I would guess, even though he was brilliant at the weekend, maybe Sanchez as well for Pedro.

The defence and midfield should be the same though, don't see why he would change it, so Xavi and Fabregas ahead of Busquets sitting. Then Messi flanked by Iniesta and one of Pedro/Sanchez.

He did score but this would be too soon for David Villa I think, no need to rush him back.

 

[FCBarca]

Should be interesting to see what the lineup is for Barcelona because there has been a lot of local speculation on whether Vilanova has a caginess in his own style. Tito's first test, on his own, against the master psychologist - we'll see if he blinks

Tello goes commando

Spoiler

 

[Jacob]

Meh, never liked these classicos, they are too frequent these days... rather see Sunderland-Swansea to be fully honest.

 

[Trigg]

El Clasico is always entertaining, I'm certainly looking forward to it.

 

[jojojo]

The biggest news of the day is highly muppet friendly.
Carvalho, Sahin and Kaka haven't travelled with the team.

Pepe's still at home recovering from that bang on the head from Sunday.

 

[Antisocial]

Well it's rarely dull, and there's a chance that some football might be played in-between all the hysteria, play-acting and drama. Also pretty much guaranteed a fight at some point, if not on the pitch then on the sidelines.

 

[NewDawnFades]

They aren't that frequent, not much more frequent than in any other league where two teams dominate over a period, meaning they face each other in cup competitions regularly.

Plus this is the first El Clasico of Mourinho v Vilanova and is also the first since Madrid broke Barca's period of dominance. A lot of potential to be an interesting game and anyway, the standard is always so high it's worth watching.

 

[Varun]

Always a good watch the classicos, regardless of how regular they have been of late. Will try and catch the game. Something or the other always happens, both on and off the pitch.

 

[OB]

Madrid will score fast early on, then Barca will equalise at HT, and take the lead in the second half and win 2-1.

2nd leg there will be diving, cheating, and Madrid will have a bad decision against them, and it'll end 2-2.

 

[Snake Plissken]

I've noted the names of those who declared they arent bothered about these games anymore because they're too frequent.

If they speak the truth I won't see these names later on tonight discussing the game

 

[FCBarca]

Pepe's still at home recovering from that bang on the head from Sunday.

Is he still mumbling about being Pablo Escobar?

Spoiler

 

[bosnian_red]

No idea why some people say they don't care about these games, or aren't interested in them. It's a bit stupid to say you aren't interested in watching the two best teams in the world currently (arguably) play against each other, for a trophy. They also rate the supercopa much more than we here rate the community shield. Can't wait for this one, a shame that I'll have to be working during the second one and can only catch half of it.

 

[rcoobc]

A lot of moaning about these games on here, if you dont like it don't watch it It's nothing to do with English football or United after all (to the United fans).

I'm really looking forward to this, first marquee games of the season.

 

[Orton]

Well Pepe wont be playing, so there wont be too much embarrassing antics tonight.

 

[Dion]

Tello goes commando

I think you might have lost something in translation there

 

[Epic]

Well Pepe wont be playing, so there wont be too much embarrassing antics tonight.

(Insert a Serio Busquets picture here)

 

[kouroux]

The top 5 best players on show in a match.What's not to like ?

 

[Relevated]

Madrid 2-0.

 

[KM]

FAO Indians, any idea if this will be televised on Indian TV Tonight?

 

[kouroux]

Arbeloa to act like his usual cnut in these matches.Usually elbowing someone

 

[FCBarca]

I think you might have lost something in translation there

Open to interpretation

 

[TheBest]

FAO Indians, any idea if this will be televised on Indian TV Tonight?

On ten action and ten hd but it starts around 2 am, I'll watch it at 7 in the morning.