Real Madrid 2 Barcelona 6

Real Madrid's run of victories in the second half of the season was astonishing. I watched most of their games, and also saw them in the flesh when they visited La Roseleda. The run of victories was astonishing, but the football was far from impressive. Madrid sat back, waited and punished any slip by the opposition with the pace of Gonzalo Higuaín and Arjen "Man of Steel" Robben. Real Madrid and Barcelona are supposed to take the game to the opposition and entertain, not play on the counter like a small team: un equipo pequeño. Real Madrid is a small team.

Against Barcelona they needed to win, so the option of sitting back and looking for the counter wasn't on. Chelsea hardly left their half in Barcelona last Tuesday because they knew they would be destroyed if they did so. Chelsea couldn't beat Barcelona playing an expansive game, so they neutralised their attacking threat and looked for scraps on the break. Madrid had to play a higher defensive line which gave Barça the space to weave their magic. There could be only one outcome.