By Soccernet staff
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Leo Messi, Real Madrid vs
Barcelona, a titanic battle that has griped the imagination of an
entire country - a derby that will all but decide this season's
title race.
The most expensive team ever assembled, Madrid, take on
a side that for many could be considered as the
BEST in history.
Reigning Spanish, European and World Champions
Barca visit an Estadio Bernabeu that will be rocking and according
to Real could have sold out 10 times over.
From Madrid's taxi drivers to newspaper vendors and
hotel receptionists, this game is the talk of the town. In the
black market in the streets surrounding the Bernabeu, upper tier
tickets are going for around £1,200 a pair .
Millions of TV viewers around the globe will join the
lucky 85,000 sell-out crowd inside Real's mythical stadium to watch
this most illustrious encounter.
Their eyes will be on two men. One is £80million
Ronaldo, the world record signing from Manchester United desperate
to salvage a season that could end up in a £232m flop.
The other, Messi, fresh from his
FOUR-some display against Arsenal last Tuesday.
The Argentina man admitted it will be impossible to repeat the feat
in Madrid.
He said: "It's almost impossible to do this again in
this game. But anyway 1-0 will do all that matters is
winning."
Then again nobody expected Barca to run out 2-6 winners
last season so it would take a foolish man to rule out Messi
running riot again.
Ronaldo is sure to be annoyed at the plaudits lavished
on his awesome rival Messi, and is even more desperate to lead Real
to silverware.
Real president Florentino Perez spent more than £230m
last summer to also bring Kaka - out injured - Xabi Alonso, Karim
Benzema and Raul Albiol to the Spanish capital.
So far they have flopped in Europe crashing out against
Lyon last month while in the Spanish Cup they were humiliated by
Fourth Division minnows Alcorcon..
La Liga is Ronaldo's only chance to avoid a washout in
a season that promised so much but has so far delivered
little.
The Portuguese winker tried to joke when asked who's
better himself or Messi.
He said: "I'm bigger, at least in terms of height, and
I'm certainly wider. Everyone talks about me and Messi but it's not
just about two individuals, it's about two teams. I believe we are
the favourites for the game."
Savvy Barca boss Pep Guardiola tried to heap pressure
on Madrid last night claiming the stonking £230m they splashed on
signings last summer made them favourites.
He said: "Madrid is a great team full of
internationals. I think they consider themselves favourites. They
have 15 wins out of 15 at the Bernabeu and an average of more than
three goals per game. This team was done to win the Champions
League but they can no longer do that and in the League they face
us now."
By contrast under-fire Real boss Manuel Pellegrini
who's odds on to get the boot even if he wins the title insisted
he's not afraid of Real Madrid.
Level on points at the top with Real having a better
goal difference but Barca having beaten them at the Camp Nou, this
has all the makings of a classic.
Even in a draw there's sure to be a winner - the
Catalans.
They beat their bitter rivals at the Nou Camp and they
would go top on the head-to-head results.
So will Barcelona leave Madrid in a Messi? Or will
Ronaldo give the Cris of life to Madrid's campaign to send Pep
& Co packing?
