Tuesday 6 December 2016 07:33, UK
Did Luis Enrique get his tactics wrong? Is luck going Real Madrid's way? Guillem Balague gives his Clasico verdict...
The Sky Sports Spanish football expert looks back on an absorbing encounter at the Nou Camp, as Sergio Ramos' late header salvaged a draw for the visitors.
Real Madrid remain six points clear of their rivals after 14 matches, having cleared a major hurdle in their bid to win the title for the first time since 2012...
Let's start at the end and work backwards. The goal scored in the last minute by Ramos doesn't fully represent the game because I felt from the moment Andres Iniesta came on, the dynamic had changed in favour of Barcelona.
Luis Suarez had just scored the first goal, Lionel Messi was getting on the ball and, even though up to that point it had been a very conservative Clasico, the big chances were falling to Neymar and Messi. Strangely, they were not effective enough at the right time.
It was interesting the Ramos goal came from a set-piece Real Madrid have practiced in training. It involved three players running to the near post, but also Lucas Vazquez blocking Gerard Pique, as he had done on a couple of occasions earlier in the game.
Three Barcelona players didn't move at all in the box too, which shows a surprising lack of intensity and a lot of desire on the part of Real Madrid, which is typical of them. They have won 11 points in the last 10 minutes of games this season, and won the European Super Cup against Sevilla with a late goal.
It looked like a team lacking that final gear of intensity against a side used to finding extra energy in the key part of the game.
Zinedine Zidane says their fine form is down to hard work, which is correct, but that extra gear is also down to keeping the second-string players engaged. It's been so important considering the injuries they have suffered, the most recent being Gareth Bale.
Real Madrid look physically strong and if they do drop their level, it tends to be at the beginning of matches. It didn't happen so much in the Clasico or against Atletico Madrid, but sometimes they lack pace in their passing early on. It's perhaps a mental issue over a physical one - some games they start a bit more relaxed.
But what a difference a year makes. It was 4-0 in November 2015 at the Bernabeu under Rafael Benitez, and now, under a new coach and with a team that seems much happier, they got a 1-1 draw.
Funnily enough, a lot of what Zidane is doing was first started by Benitez.
It's 33 games unbeaten for Real, and as is often the case in this situation, Zidane has been helped by luck. At the Clasico it was not just the late goal, but also the introduction of Casemiro for Isco after 66 minutes. Isco had caused plenty of problems for Sergio Busquets, but Casemiro turned out to be the one in exactly the right place to clear a goal-bound effort in the last seconds.
And with Sevilla losing to Granada and Atletico Madrid dropping points at home too, it seems fortune is working in Zidane's favour at the moment.
On the flip side, Zizou deserves real credit for another of his substitutions. It was a surprising one too as Mariano Diaz Mejia came on and the level of Real Madrid pressing in the forward area went two gears up.
He stole a couple of balls and it was contagious. Everyone put in extra effort and his arrival helped make that happen.
As for Barcelona, they are only six points away, but they feel the game was lost. The stats, in terms of points and goals conceded, have never been worse under Luis Enrique and as mentioned before, it's a team that depends on the front three.
Messi has not scored in six Clasicos, Neymar has scored 10 less goals than last season, and Suarez's return has dropped from a goal a game to one every three.
It is a Barcelona that bypasses the midfield, a midfield that lacks personality without Iniesta, and one that doesn't control games anymore. Under instruction from Luis Enrique, they try to get the ball to the front three as quickly as possible but that's not enough.
Luis Enrique's contract finishes at the end of the season and we will just have to wait and see what happens because as it stands Barca want to keep him, but perhaps the team needs a different direction.
Some would think it is absurd to say after eight titles out of ten, but Barcelona are in danger of losing a lot of what they have built over the years.
Where do Barca go from here? #AskGuillem (Angaddeep)
Barcelona need to improve in many areas. They only have Sergi Roberto at right-back, so they should be getting another in that position. But they also need to do better with what they already have.
Paco Alcacer has not scored yet, Arda Turan seems to have dropped out of the equation and Andre Gomes, whose power comes in his sprints over five metres, is now being asked to do a lot of passing. I feel he's not comfortable in that role.
Denis Suarez must be short on confidence because he is not playing regularly and Samuel Umtiti will soon become Pique's centre-back partner. Javier Mascherano's level has dropped this season.
Were you surprised by how Zidane set his team up? And did Luis Enrique get his tactics wrong? #AskGuillem (Harry)
It was compact and conservative from Real Madrid but it made sense to play that way. They could have pressed a little higher at certain points - that would have unsettled Barca because they struggle with their build-up at the moment.
As for the second part of the question, Barcelona failed to break down Real's defence before Luis Suarez's goal, but as far as bringing Iniesta on in the second half, that tactic worked. Chances were created, they had more possession and that was their opportunity to win the game but they weren't efficient enough.
I don't think Luis Enrique got his tactics wrong as such, I just feel generally he's simplifying the team and that hurts them in games like this one.
Do you think James Rodriquez will remain at Madrid next season? #AskGuillem (Aleckie Ronald)
Keep in mind Real Madrid's two transfer window ban. They are confident they will get that reduced to one, but even then it's a long time and I'm not sure getting rid of James would be a solution.
He's not adding anything, though, he doesn't like his situation and Zidane doesn't like him professionally. If an offer comes, I think he will go.
What's the latest on Martin Odegaard - does he have a chance in the first-team or will Real Madrid loan him out? #AskGuillem (Chris)
He is in France to watch Rennes. It looks like he will be going there because he doesn't have a place in the Real Madrid first-team. He hasn't made much of an impact in the B team.
