On Wednesday evening, Real Madrid and Barcelona will lock horns for the fourth time this season and we are barely at the halfway stage. By next week's second-leg clash between the pair at Camp Nou in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, Spain's two behemoths would have faced off nine times in a space of nine months.
In the last 12 meetings between Madrid and Barca, Pep Guardiola's side have won eight times, with Los Blancos claiming a solitary victory. It's understandable then that Goal.com readers expect the Blaugrana to saunter away triumphant over two legs in this cup clash.
Indeed, close to 4500 (36.44 per cent) of the 12,300-plus votes believe that Barca will not only advance to the semi-finals, but will win both legs. Only 1674 (13.56%) of our readers feel Madrid will progress by winning both matches. However, a more optimistic 3217 (26.05%) votes championed Los Blancos to go through by winning Wednesday's home leg only. You can see the full breakdown of the results below.
Many of the readers also left their comments explaining their reasons for their votes, and here are the best of them.
Verdy boy from Tokyo paints a bleak outlook for Madridistas:
"Even though i'm Real fan I have to say Barca will go to the semis and the reason is simple. Real can't beat Barca over two legs. Mourinho can't play ultra defensive at home and if they play attacking Barca will score. And Barca definitely won't lose at home. 2-1 to Barca in first leg 3-0 to Barca in second leg. Messi probably will score a hattrick and Ronaldo will be the flop again."
While the focus will undoubtedly be on Leo and Cristiano, cruyffs love child from barca believes one other player could hold the key:"The problem is barca play pinto in the copa, nice guy and fairly able, but he´s not valdes. The differance between the two teams at the moment, is our players step up in the big games, and dont go missing, its not just ronaldo, ozil is guilty also, this leaves xabi just going long each time. But for us cesc, messi iniesta xavi puyol pique all step up a level, If we play valdes puyol and pique and sergio, real will lose."
Roughh from Namibia, Khp seems to have the formation and line-up all figured out:
"Madrid will win if they pick Ronaldo as a striker and Benzema or Kaka as a right wing. If Di Maria cannot play the 1st half then picking Marcelo or Coentrao as a left wing would be good..."
Flamingo, SG is convinced that Mourinho & Co. will set their sights on bigger fish to fry:
"I doubt Mourinho would want his team to win this trophy again. I think he's going for the La Liga title and Champion's League. So I say Barca's going to win both legs or draw at Santiago Bernabeu but win at Camp Nou."
Loko from Benoni RSA believes that Barcelona are just too good, even when they haven't been ... well ... good:
"Barca have not played well this season and they still managed to beat RM. RM look good this season they attack better as a result defense becomes vulnerable & they try not to be too physical against Barca. Therefore RM might win this game, but I dont see them beating Barca over two legs, RM must atleast score 3 goals to stand a chance in the 2nd leg," he declares.
Will Aly McCoist Sexy Scotsman be watching the game?:
"This clasico is boring. It will just be another Barca win. Wake me up when Madrid finally has a chance to beat them.."
Perhaps Zain from Brussels can convince the sexy Scotsman otherwise:"I think Real Madrid will go through this time, because this time the are hungry more then ever. Even though Barca will not make it easy for them. But I think the world is ready for a surprise!"
craig tt agrees with the general consesus that beating Barca over two legs is a near mission impossible:
"real are hard to beat...barca are even harder to beat over two legs...up barca!"
Moe I. from Melbourne, AUS doesn't quite seem to be in the Clasico mood, but he has advised the optimistic Madrid fans to just accept that Barca will be superior in head-to-head combat:
"tbh this tie just doesnt feel as close as the other matches. i really do feel like barcelona will at the worst draw away and win at home! but really they could even win both ties. i think RM must really accept the fact that head-to-head barca is a much better team. and thats why the only reason RM could win la liga is coz against the worser team they play better than barca do and dont drop points. but in cup tournaments like this and ucl RM cannot beat barca. its not a points system"
It's a sentiment echoed by sunday okorie from nigeria, who thinks the Men in White are trying to cover up something:
"Barcelona have the upper hand in the game although their recent form in the league hasn't been the best but when it comes to el classico the winning team is always barcelona and trust me don't listen to those madrid players when they say they are not under pressure they are always when they hear the name barcelona and when they are under pressure they are vulnerable, up barcelona"
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