Real Madrid v Barcelona – as it happened
A late equaliser from the outstanding Raphael Varane gave Real a deserved draw in a richly entertaining match
Preamble
In the 164 months between 23 August 1997 and 20 April 2011, Real Madrid and Barcelona met only twice outside La Liga, in the European Cup semi-final over 2002. In the 15 months since they have met seven times outside La Liga, with the eighth and ninth to come in this Copa del Rey semi-final. It's been an orgy of Clásicism, and quantitative affirmation of their unprecedented duopoly, whatever the league table says.
Sometimes, contrary to the received wisdom, the league table does lie. You can't take Real Madrid's league position seriously. Jose Mourinho gave up on the league before the X-Factor and Strictly got going. Jose's up to something, though goodness knows what. What's he playing at? What's his angle? This is a man who would probably consider going on Jeff Bridges' Big Lebowski diet, and shambling onto the touchline in a dressing gown and with a walking stick, if he thought it would unsettle Barcelona, so there's no way he'll go quietly from Madrid now that he appears to hold them with around the same affection as he does Barca.
That he will be going is surely not in doubt. He has few friends in Madrid these days and in a sense this game is Barcelona + Real Madrid versus Jose Mourinho. I know who my money's on. It would not be at all surprising if Jose pulled off a glorious triumph in absurdity; if, come May, he was cavorting round Wembley having beaten Barcelona in the European Cup final, his final game as Real Madrid manager, with Sergio Ramos on one arm and Iker Casillas on the other, both having whipped off their Madrid tops to reveal 'I BELONG TO JOSE' T-shirts.
In a sense Mourinho can't lose, which is a perfect position for a serial winner to be in. If he beats Barcelona here and/or wins the European Cup, Jose has done it again and you better bow down, ingrates. If Madrid are defenestrated 5-0 by Barcelona and win the square root of bugger all, well, ha ha Madrid! Ha ha! This is what you get when you mess with Jose, Madrid. NMFP, Madrid.
Jose's out of Madrid in the summer, and at the moment he looks like a man who could barely care less. It's been a majestic, almost nihilistic performance from Jose these last couple of months; goodness knows how good it will get as the season reaches the business end.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jan/30/real-madrid-barcelona-el-clasico-live
