Diego Forlan writes a weekly column for The National, appearing each Friday. The former Manchester United, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid striker has been the top scorer in Europe twice and won the Golden Boot at the 2010 World Cup. Forlan’s column is written with the assistance of European football correspondent Andy Mitten.
Watch those Barcelona players as they take to the pitch at the Bernabeu in el clasico on Saturday. It is such a great feeling walking out in that stadium knowing that 80,000 fans are against you.
Along with Old Trafford, I think the Bernabeu is my favourite, with the steep stands going up and up. I played and scored there; it is a beautiful feeling to hear that silence when you score against Real Madrid.
Players love playing there and some of the greatest in the world will be there tomorrow. There is more pressure on Madrid: they lost the last clasico, their last league game and are three points behind first-place Barcelona in La Liga. They need to win and they may need to alter their game plan if things are not going as they hope.
Though we are only a quarter of the way through the season, falling six points behind their rivals would be a big problem for Madrid. The doubts surrounding their manager Rafa Benitez, which are unfair, would also increase.
Poll: What will be the result of El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona?
El clasico is the biggest derby in the world and a huge event in South America. Barca and Madrid have been really tight defensively this season, yet el clasico is a game where there are always goals, where two of the world’s best teams struggle to play their normal games. Barca usually struggle to dominate possession because Madrid have got good ball winners. Both teams have to be more cautious for fear of being caught out, but because Real Madrid’s approach is already more cautious they will have to change less.
Even without the injured Lionel Messi, Barca have impressed over the past two months. They had one or two games where they struggled without him, but then they found their rhythm and best form of the season. Luis Suarez and Neymar are on form, showing that they can win even when the world’s best player is injured. Barca have not yet faced the top teams, but it is good for Barca, and for Suarez and Neymar, that they are not seen to rely on one man.
Those two cannot change games as readily as Messi, but they are both incredible players who complement each other and can produce magic of their own. The way they combined in their last game, against my former club Villarreal, was special. You can see they are getting better together.
If Barca can beat Madrid without Messi, who started training again after his injury, and may play tomorrow, then Barca will seem more ominous to their opponents.
Of course, everyone wants to see Messi, but it is just as intriguing to watch Barca without him. Can they carry on as they have been doing? Will they change their style and tactics?
The focus of attention is naturally on Barca’s attack, which penetrates defences than any other team in the world. The three of them – Messi, Suarez and Neymar – can play wide, deep or high up. They are almost impossible to defend against because they can switch positions in an instant and they all have the individual skills to beat opponents, to score and to assist. They are all different, yet they combine and fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw.
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One reason the front three are so good is because they have confidence that the men behind them will create chances. That comes from playing the same style season after season, one which the different coaches respect. Barca’s brilliance runs throughout their team, from Dani Alves to Andres Iniesta to Sergio Busquets, the holding midfielder is probably the best in his position in the world, so consistent year after year.
Not every team creates chances; Barcelona create lots. It is a wonderful feeling, especially as a striker, when you play in a side full of confidence, when you know that chances will come your way.
Yet Barca will not be favourites in Madrid. Benitez receives criticism for being defensive, but I do not think they are. Madrid are excellent. They have scored more goals than any other team in Spain, and Benitez is doing a very good job.
I do not like how the term “being defensive” implies that a side must play deep and close to their own goal. You can defend from attack, which is what Madrid do. They are organised and they have great players. People now praise Barcelona more because they won the treble last season, but it is less than a year ago that Madrid were winning every week, top of the league and crowned world champions. The mood changes with a single result, none more so than in el clasico.
Uruguay look good in 2018 World Cup qualifier
It was great to see Uruguay beat the South American champions Chile this week in a 2018 World Cup qualifier
Uruguay are second in the standings behind Ecuador, who have won every game. Uruguay won in Bolivia for the first time, which is very hard at altitude; they have beaten Colombia and now Chile. Chile beat Uruguay in the Copa America; the players were keen for revenge. It was a very heated match.
Uruguay defended well, the goalkeeper Fernando Muslera is in the form of his life; they are strong on set pieces and a noisy full house at the Centenario helped. It is an incredibly tough group, as Argentina will tell anyone.
The next game is in Brazil in March, which will be tougher because Diego Godin is suspended. Despite being a defender, he has scored in three of the last four qualifiers. So he will be watching, like me, but as I’ve found since I retired from international football Uruguay are a team well worth watching.
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