On fire at the Classic

No public at the Camp Nou, no open controversy between the two coaches but still, each house has its own particular fire. The Classic involves the collision of two ocean liners that do not exactly cross calm waters. The Whites, after two defeats difficult to assume, are experiencing a difficult sporting moment with the shadow of doubt looming over Zinedine Zidane, which still has that benefit more than earned. In Barcelona, ​​the institutional crisis continues in the middle of the sporting transition where the results are better than the sensations and the coach has open cases in the squad with several of the heavyweights. The vote of no confidence just around the corner and with a team that seems to have lost its solidity, the victory would fall like the water bombs that fall from the seaplane but, only one can win. The tie will not fan but neither will it calm the storm.

Alert at the Bernabéu

The first half in Valdebebas against Shakhtar set off alarms. The Ukrainian team, with multiple casualties due to the coronavirus, went to halftime up 0-3. Zinedine Zidane opted for unit B and nothing worked. If the defensive solidity had been the hallmark of the white team to win LaLiga 19/20 in the last section, it was conspicuous by its absence. The examination, which was not of substance, brought out the shame of the white team. Zidane, who took all the criticism at the end of the match, agitated with the changes but did not give him to reach a tie (2-3). A distribution of points that perhaps would not have assured him enough after the Ukrainian beating.

Before that, there was the visit of Cádiz, which also got three points from Valdebebas and already showed a listless white team against a team excellently worked by Álvaro Cervera, but far from being able to match Real Madrid in budget, squad or objectives. A rival, a priori, inferior to the pitch put things in their place. The result was even benevolent with the whites.

“I am responsible and I have to look for solutions because that cannot happen. And that's what I'm going to try to do. They are in the field and need solutions, “said Zidane after the European debacle. The rotation has not worked for him, as the two defeats show, and he will look for new alternatives. The benefit of the doubt is more than won, but the French will the shadow of this begins to lurk.

The Classic is not a final exam to use for Zidane or for his players, but it is a test of high importance. To show and prove that the previous two meetings have been serious accidents but not a 'state of health'. The atmosphere, due to the lack of public, will not be hostile. The pressure already comes from home although the whites have shown to handle themselves well behind closed doors.

The best news is the return of Sergio Ramos to the team. Zidane is expected to take him out as a starter to cover the deficiencies shown in the Champions League. Courtois is another of the proper names that appears strongly as the main one to opt for victory and also Vinicius, intoned for the goal at this start and who already scored Barcelona in the previous Classic. In the scorer section, the spotlights point to Karim Benzema. Against the Catalans he has scored several goals in his career and, after a less successful start in front of the door than in previous seasons (he only scored against Levante), a goal against Barcelona would help the Frenchman who already hurt a lot between the lines in the last meeting between the two as Sarabia correctly analyzed.

Although the situation is complicated, it is not new. On similar dates last year, Real Madrid lost to PSG and to Mallorca, also recently promoted as Cádiz, away from home. Later, the draw against Bruges at the Bernabéu even complicated the European classification. The victory against Galatasaray served as a balm and, although in Europe the whites did not beat City, they did manage to close LaLiga successfully months later. Zidane knows the path. It touches to return to cross it. Success or not depends on him and his pupils.

Institutional fire in Barcelona

On 2-8 the powder keg lit the fuse and the Can Barça powder keg exploded. The fire, although attenuated, still has its foci. At the institutional level, Barça is still immersed in a thousand problems that face the squad against a board of directors that, in turn, is more concerned about another front: the motion of censure.

From the club it is expected that the Vote of Censorship will be held on November 15 and 16 for logistical reasons that are discussed with the Generalitat in light of the difficulties presented by the pandemic. With a margin of less than a month before the end of the story, the club has an open confrontation with the squad over a 30% pay cut and the ways in which it has been applied. The coffers of the Blaugrana club are going through a really delicate moment because of the pandemic and how this has changed the football business and is trying to settle accounts.

The problem? The ways. As reported by Cadena SER, Barcelona set a deadline to accept the reduction that, if not accepted, could be imposed unilaterally. Piqué, from the Vanguard, publicly expressed the discomfort of the staff. “The forms of the club have been very bad, we are in total disagreement,” he said.

In the background, only more problems appear such as Barçagate, the open case in which the club allegedly hired different companies to attack players and opponents of Bartomeu on social networks, or the future of Messi. Saved the first matchball in the form of burofax, the next one is coming to the end of the next season. That, it seems, will be up to others to manage.

Sportingly, the arrival of Ronald Koeman opened a transition more sour than sweet. The departure of Luis Suárez was not liked by the forms and the Dutchman was complicated to convince Messi, of whom he assured in the previous press conference against Ferencvaros that “he is happy” but also that his performance “can be better”. Two goals and three assists fill the box of 10 that has been spurred by Koeman before El Clásico, his favorite territory.

The main open case is that of Griezmann. The Frenchman did not fit in with Valverde, nor with Setién and has not started well with Koeman. The Frenchman has 264 minutes with Barcelona so far this season and has not seen the door. If so with France and he took the opportunity to send a message to the coach giving him to understand that Deschamps took better care of him and that he was out of position in Barcelona. Koeman explained it to him privately (he acknowledged that they spoke) and also, in public. “Everyone has the right to say things. (…) I told him that I seek the best for the team and I do think that his position is on the right with freedom, because he does not play on the wing, he plays more inside, and 10 and 9, and in the end I decide what is best for the team, and then each player has to make the most of it. There were four or five offensive plays that he had to get more out of, but there is much more to be discussed about his position. When I was coach, in the Netherlands-France, he played on the right. (…) The coach is in charge and the player has to get the most out of it, “he explained before facing Getafe. In the Champions League he did not play for a minute and in El Clásico he aims for the bench. In clear weight loss at the start of the season, Ansu Fati and newcomer Pedri seem like a little step ahead.

Three victories (Villarreal, Celta and Ferencvaros), a draw against Sevilla and a defeat against Getafe in a Barça for which Koeman “has criticism” but does not “disappoint” him. The performance, understanding the context of transition and adaptation to a new system (4-2-3-1) and without too many reinforcements (Depay stayed on the wing), is not negligible. A victory in The Classic could be the perfect glue that just won over the wardrobe. The box will not be resolved in the green.