The Barcelona v Real Madrid thread

[Rich]

Although you do have to wonder if Messi could do the business on a Wednesday night at Stoke.

[Lecter]

Messi edges it in terms of pure goalscoring ability. Plus he doesn't seem to be afflicted by the histrionics that besotted Diego.

I'd put Pele ahead of both of them

However I'd love to see defenders trying to stop any of the greats from the 60's, 70's & 80's

Pele, Cruyff, Eusebio, Revelino, Zico, Best, Van Basten, Maradona etc would literally rape defences

Thats not to denigrate Messi who imo will definitely join that pantheon when he hangs up his boots

Hes defintely the best player of the current generation by a country mile

[Daniel 7]

Messi is the best since Maradona, I can't put him there with El Diego yet because he single handedly won the World Cup in 86 by playing in a different reality to other players. It was like he was Neo in the Matrix back then.

Messi's the next best and no mistake. He might even end up better.

[Shaggy]

Very valid point actually, i wonder will he ever leave Barca? Actually sun,gorgeous city,winning everything.... nah

You cannot be serious?

[Buzzo]

He basically just did.

True... Jose Mourinho the Spanish Tony Pullis.

[Daniel 7]

Afellay - proper example of buying the player that fits the role and the ethos of the team. He came in and did Pedro's job almost as well.

[Rudo]

Letter bombs and a rendition of The Billy Boys?

[Reece]

Text from a manc fan mate:

"Mourinho is a legend. Can't wait to see him at Old Trafford".

[Daniel 7]

That Messi goal was like Maradona's v Belgium in 86 unless my memory is a bit mashed.

[Buzzo]

I'd put Pele ahead of both of them

However I'd love to see defenders trying to stop any of the greats from the 60's, 70's & 80's

Pele, Cruyff, Eusebio, Revelino, Zico, Best, Van Basten, Maradona etc would literally rape defences

Thats not to denigrate Messi who imo will definitely join that pantheon when he hangs up his boots

Hes defintely the best player of the current generation by a country mile

Some of the treatment Pele and Maradona received would lead to season long bans in today's football.

( @ Literally rape defences...!)

[danperkins]

I think some Barca players, Busquets and Pedro to name two, are as bad as any Madrid players in terms of diving, playacting, etc, but the fact of the matter is that Mourinho imbues his team with this cynical mentality and doesn't even bother to play football with the most expensive side ever assembled at home against their main rivals in a Champions League semi-final is the real issue.

The stats speak for themselves, three times as many passes as Madrid, 2 goals, and over 70% possession away from home - there's only one team that plays football here and that's more important than whether a couple of their players dive or not

I'm not disagreeing with the dull tactics, but Barca are the best team in the world and if you come out and play them, you get torn apart, Mourinho learned that in the 5-0 drubbing, then the next 2 games vs Barca he resorted to nullifying them and playing on the counter, and to be fair it worked.

Barca weren't exactly doing much when Real had 11 men, IMO the sending off was very harsh and playing against that side in Barca a man down with the way they play..... your kinda of screwed. And Barca opened them up and expolited the space left.

Certain managers base their tactics of the opposition, i don't see anything wrong with it. Madrid have been blitzing teams this season and it's only against Barca where he has resorted to this type of tactic. They ****ed now anyways.

P.S. I hate Real Madrid but i recognise Mourinho as an incredible manager, which is totally is.

[Rudo]

Although you do have to wonder if Messi could do the business on a Wednesday night at Stoke.

You left out the word, 'winters'

[danperkins]

You cannot be serious?

I was joking, he'd have his legs broken after about 5 mins

[Daniel 7]

Some of the treatment Pele and Maradona received would lead to season long bans in today's football.

( @ Literally rape defences...!)

Ooof yeah. Did you ever see the tackle that ****ed Maradona's ankle when he was playing for Barca? the Butcher would have been out for 6 months for that tackle nowadays.

[danperkins]

I'd put Pele ahead of both of them

However I'd love to see defenders trying to stop any of the greats from the 60's, 70's & 80's

Pele, Cruyff, Eusebio, Revelino, Zico, Best, Van Basten, Maradona etc would literally rape defences

Thats not to denigrate Messi who imo will definitely join that pantheon when he hangs up his boots

Hes defintely the best player of the current generation by a country mile