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Barcelona came from a goal down to bag a 2-1 win in the first leg of the Copa Del Rey Quarter-Final as once again Pep Guardiola got the better of Jose Mourinho.
Perhaps ‘deja-vu’ is not quite the best word to describe Real Madrid’s third successive defeat to Barcelona in as many matches.
There was the last-gasp 3-2 win in the Spanish Super Cup back in August, the thoroughly deserved 3-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu in the league back in December and now of course the well earned 2-1 win in the first leg of the Copa Del Rey.
This before the gaieties of last season are even recalled (remember the 5-0, or the 2-0 Champions League semi-final, or even the 1-1 in Madrid to all but wrap-up a third successive La Liga crown?) and suddenly a pattern begins to emerge as clear as, well a set of Lionel Messi heels.
No matter what ‘the translator’ tries, no matter which dastardly and defensive tactics he seeks to employ, or how vicious he allows his leg-breaking pitbulls Pepe and Ricardo Carvalho to be as they attempt to callous the finest hands in football i.e. Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi; the result is always the same – justice for football, spiritual retribution and victory for the ‘beautiful game’.
Messi – a player who the so-called ‘Special One’ probably doesn’t even rate – continues to torment his abusers and ensures that Mourinho’s very big mouth is kept firmly shut.
There was no Tom Henning Ovrebo, there was no controversial red card, there were no disputed goals, but there were 80,000 deluded Madridstas who naively believed that the second coming has occurred in the form of the translator from Portugal.
Sorry to break the bubble here Madrid fans but the second coming happened a long time ago. In fact, it happened back in April/May 2008 when then champions (and the word then must be stressed) Real Madrid beat a Barcelona side bereft of any Catalan pride, confidence and honour 4-1 in the Spanish capital.
The defeat coupled with that famous blank stare on captain Carles Puyol’s face said it all and was enough for the Blaugrana hierarchy to decide to make do with Frank Rijkaard and bring in the untested Pep Guardiola.
Thus as the Messiah had predicted in the Gospel of Matthew, he came “like a thief in the night” to usher in a new age nobody – not even Satan…sorry Mourinho…the enemy of football could, can and will stop.
‘2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu, and we beat you again’ came the triumphant cries from the small pocket load of Barca fans situated high in the upper tier at a ground which is fast becoming their second home.
‘We are ready for them’, said a bellicose Mourinho prior to the game – that was of course until kick-off arrived and the visitors got into their swing.
Perhaps it is not so much deja-vu Mourinho is suffering from. Rather it is battered-wife syndrome.
You know, always wishing for the best despite getting the worse from somebody you love to hate but at the same time hate to love as you get beat again…and again…and again…and again.
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