The first El Clasico fixture of the season is upon us, and, for once, there’s no clear favourite to win.
Multiple points have already been dropped by both sides, and levels of performance have been well short of what’s expected.
After a stunning debut campaign, despite the Champions League debacle against Roma, Ernesto Valverde has struggled to galvanise his troops in 2018/19.
Mindful of the words of senior players regarding burn out, the coach has keenly rotated already in this campaign, but unfortunately, those changes haven’t worked for him by and large.
There’s also been a reticence to make certain substitutions, with Ousmane Dembele’s introduction against Valencia coming way too late on 83 minutes.
He came on much earlier against Sevilla after Lionel Messi’s injury, but the poor standard of his performance at least showed the paying public why the Frenchman has been consistently benched this season.
Both Real and Barca seem to be a victim of their own players’ success too, as the lethargy from another summer without rest, on this occasion because of the World Cup, is clear for all to see.
Messi was the glue that held this entire Blaugrana team together, but without him (after he was ruled out for three weeks with a fractured arm), Barcelona will struggle.
Against Sevilla, after he went off, Barça looked positively ordinary, and are certainly more pedestrian in their play. The ‘before and after’ Messi’s injury against the Andalusians was a perfect illustration of the two different sides of Barca’s coin.
The Argentinian has led by example in his debut season as first captain and brings a decisiveness and unpredictability to Barca’s attack that just isn’t there otherwise.
As with last season, Luis Suarez hasn’t really got going in goal scoring terms yet either. However, the work he’s getting through in each game still places him as one of the most important facets of this side.
By way of example, he didn’t find the net against Tottenham in the Champions League but was significantly involved in three of Barca’s four goals at Wembley.
His movement off of the ball, and appreciation of space and those around him is second to none, and the goals will start to flow again. Making a dent in the scoring charts is really the only thing that’s missing in his game at the moment.
Both Real and Barca seem to be a victim of their own players’ success too, as the lethargy from another summer without rest, on this occasion because of the World Cup, is clear for all to see.
Messi was the glue that held this entire Blaugrana team together, but without him (after he was ruled out for three weeks with a fractured arm), Barcelona will struggle.
Against Sevilla, after he went off, Barça looked positively ordinary, and are certainly more pedestrian in their play. The ‘before and after’ Messi’s injury against the Andalusians was a perfect illustration of the two different sides of Barca’s coin.
The Argentinian has led by example in his debut season as first captain and brings a decisiveness and unpredictability to Barca’s attack that just isn’t there otherwise.
As with last season, Luis Suarez hasn’t really got going in goal scoring terms yet either. However, the work he’s getting through in each game still places him as one of the most important facets of this side.
By way of example, he didn’t find the net against Tottenham in the Champions League but was significantly involved in three of Barca’s four goals at Wembley.
His movement off of the ball, and appreciation of space and those around him is second to none, and the goals will start to flow again. Making a dent in the scoring charts is really the only thing that’s missing in his game at the moment.