Let me start by saying this article is not an attempt to renege on my opinion that El Classico had become too predictable, prior to the Copa Del Rey quarter final between the pair. From a footballing standpoint my belief remains the same, what we saw in those 180 minutes was nothing new. Madrid’s admirable 2-2 draw at the Nou Camp evoked many opinions but originality was not one of them.
After all Mourinho has tried every solution in the book to best the Catalans. Rather this article is about the off field events in the lead up and aftermath of the second leg, the ramifications of which are yet to be fully realized or understood.
Pep Guardiola must have watched the events unfolding in Madrid with a degree of satisfaction but also trepidation. Having seen his team secure another win at the Bernabeu, he was now witnessing an apparent implosion in the Capital. The fans and players were in open rebellion against the Special One, Mourinho`s cloak of invincibility was not so much pierced as ripped apart. Madrid were tearing themselves apart over their inability to beat Barca.
The Catalan faithful must have been watching with joy, but Guardiola had picked up on the dangers of the situation. He could envisage a broken Real who would come to the Camp Nou with nothing to lose and attack his unsuspecting team. He recognized the threat of the wounded beast.
He attempted to convey his fear on the eve of the second leg by acknowledging his team had a problem as every assumed their passage to the semis was guaranteed. He hoped to relay the message of vigilance to his troops but unfortunately they failed to grasp the concept.
Pep must have watched aghast as his team sleepwalked through the first half. Madrid spurned chance after chance yet Barca seemed reluctant to learn their lesson. Then two quick goals before half time gave Barca a hideously undeserved advantage. Relief must have washed over the manager as he assumed his team had seen off the storm and could settle down and control the second half.
But yet again his men could not spark themselves into a satisfactory level of focus. In the end a hushed stadium witnessed the ignominy of the great Barcelona hanging on for dear life in the supposedly impregnable Camp Nou.
The Madrid press rejoiced in a glorious defeat, they had finally seen the attacking performance they so desired. Mourinho had bowed to player and peer pressure when selecting the team but he pounced on his chance to bring his disenchanted players back under his blanket of suspicion and paranoia; by highlighting perceived refereeing injustices.
Guardiola disparagingly dismissed Madrid’s valiant effort by haughtily claiming his team would have done the same given the circumstances. As Madrid continued to hail their performance in the following days, Pep with a hint of disdain claimed to understand their elation. He was obliged to remind everyone his team had gone through and they had been better over 180 minutes. However he was fooling no one, if anything his own players barely disguised relief gave the game away.
Guardiola in the press conferences has set his default position to polite and cautious. You have to observe the delicate inflection of his voice to grasp his true emotion. Not only was he annoyed at how his team let Madrid come so close to pulling off a miraculous comeback, he was incensed. This was confirmed yesterday when Guardiola expressed his satisfaction his team did not beat Valencia in the first leg of semi final (despite having plenty of chances). He reasoned his team would now have no choice but to win at home, which is true, but it was also a stinging reference to the Madrid game.
A glorious opportunity had presented itself to strike a decisive blow to Madrid as they lay prostrate on the floor but the Blaugrana`s complacency had seen them squander it. In all of this complacency is the key element, which Guardiola is forever guard against.