Contenders seek on-field supremacy

Real Madrid host Barcelona today with a chance to go six points clear.

PARIS: Five days after being named on Fifa’s final shortlist for this year’s Ballon d’Or, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo go head to head in the first Clasico of the Spanish league season.

The third man in the running to win that award, Xavi, will also be on the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu tonight, but for all his class, it is hard to envisage the midfielder finishing above the two men who are widely recognised as the best in the world.

More than just Messi and Ronaldo

The importance of this Clasico is huge – the winners of the season’s first showdown have gone on to win the title in each of the last seven campaigns – and it is far more than simply a showdown between Messi and Ronaldo.

Jose Mourinho’s side have won their last 15 games in all competitions, equalling a club record, and can go six points clear with a game in hand with a victory against the defending champions.

In addition, Barca’s away record makes it hard to envisage them winning in the capital – Pep Guardiola’s men have won just twice in six games on the road this season, both by a 1-0 margin.

And Messi, the winner of last year’s Ballon d’Or, is not the same player away from Camp Nou, having scored just one of his 17 goals in La Liga on the road. Ronaldo has just three goals in nine appearances against Barcelona and since the Copa del Rey disappointment, Messi has scored a wonder goal in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final between the teams, and also decided the domestic Super Cup in August with a last-gasp strike.

Madrid look dangerous: Xavi

Barca midfielder Xavi has tried to play down the importance of the game, however, by claiming that it will not be decisive in who wins the title.

“Madrid look the most dangerous than they have been over the last three or four years but nothing will be definite after the game,” said Xavi. “These matches are not directly related to the final positioning in the table but it would be an important step for us if we could beat them there.

“I would like it to be an open game, where you see the potential of the two sides, but this is not down to me.

The game will overshadow the other top-flight action this weekend, even though Valencia will only be a point behind Barcelona if they win their match at Real Betis. Below them, Sevilla can pinch fourth place if they beat a Levante side on a downward spiral of just one win in five games.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2011.