The historic rivalry between the top two teams in Spanish sports continues on Thursday in Madrid with a different feel
El Clásico like never before
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The 38th Clásico in the history of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague will be unlike any of those before. When Real Madrid and archrival FC Barcelona meet, the sporting world takes notice. It is always a game of immense prestige. And often – as has been the case five times at the Final Four and twice more in the playoffs – the opponent is standing in the way of achieving glory.
This time, neither team can yet think of glory. Both have their minds set on survival.
Never before have these teams met this late in the season under the modern format, with neither in the top eight in the standings. Real is 11th with a 13-13 record. We can split hairs and point out that Barcelona, which is ninth with a 14-12 record – the same as eighth-placed Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade – could theoretically be eighth since it won its only game against coach Zeljko Obradovic's men this season and apply that as a tiebreaker, but c'mon. Is that really the point?
No. The point is that for teams usually mapping out their road to home-court advantage in the playoffs, both Real and Barca are now worried about making sure they at least reach the Play-In Showdown. And the type of animalistic attitude needed to survive in the middle of the pack is much different than the regal perspective of a team seeking its place at the peak.
There is more troubling news for both teams on the eve of this Clásico. Barcelona is dealing with injuries. Leading scorer Kevin Punter will miss the game due to a shoulder injury, Juan Nunez is out with a knee injury and Dario Brizuela, one of the team’s shining lights over the past month-plus, is questionable with an Achilles tendon problem. Meanwhile, the guard Real added mid-season to bolster the backcourt, Dennis Smith, has left the team.
That sets the stage for El Clásico like never before.
So what can we expect to see? First of all, a hard-fought game where character matters more than ever before. Sure, both teams have talented stars who have fought through adversity to get where they are. But with the pressure heightened like we can expect at Movistar Arena this week, mental and physical toughness take on a new meaning.
For the visitors, figuring out who will step into Punter's shoes is critical. Will Jabari Parker enshrine himself in the history books with a majestic Clásico? Is Alex Abrines lying in wait for a big game? Can Tomas Satoransky carry the extra load with his backcourt mates down?
Real Madrid has lost its last three games in the EuroLeague and faltered in the Spanish Cup final. The issue there is not talent; Real is one of only two teams this season to have not lost a game by more than 15 points (the other is top-ranked Olympiacos Piraeus). That is just one of many underlying stats showing how good the team is.
So what is the problem? Is it a lack of focus? Just bad luck? And will the last week and a half – in which Dzanan Musa, Mario Hezonja, Hugo Gonzalez and Andres Feliz were among those who played well for their national teams – be enough to get Los Blancos on track to win this game and make a climb in the standings?
Who knows? What I can tell you is that because of – and despite – these teams' records and spots in the standings, this El Clásico will be like never before. And for true fans of the game, that makes it must-see basketball.