It was billed as the first half of the encounter of the season. The two titans of football going head to head in one of the most watched derbies in football. Naturally, you would expect a close match against two teams who have had the pull to get all the best players in the game.
I don't think Barcelona got the memo, because they played Real Madrid off the pitch in what was the most one-sided Clasico (or Lubricado) that I have ever seen. Barcelona were that good and Real Madrid were that bad.
Many people have tried to pick holes in Barcelona, arguing that they aren't as invincible as they are made out to be. They talk of the loss of Xavi and an ageing Iniesta, as well as a defense with Pique and Mascherano not being among defenders that will go down in memory. But for all these critiques, Barcelona still get that booty and put on a commanding performance to make the doubters, like myself, look like fools.
The focus has always been on the three-headed South American dragon that is a super weapon that no team has any answer to. But the player that stood out and was the orchestrator of Real Madrid's destruction was the incredible Iniesta, who showed the guile, technique and supreme footballing ability that made him the jewel during the Barcelona and Spanish dominance of 2008 - 2012.
His superb pass to Neymar for the second goal is something only very players can see and even execute, and he is in that small club. That finish from Neymar's pass was reminiscent of the goal that sent them into the final of Champions League, knocking Chelsea out. It was no surprise that he was the best players on the pitch and reminded everyone that once he retires, we really need to put him in that team of the greatest midfielders of his generation.But this was a great team performance. It wasn't just three or four players running the show, this was a warning that Barcelona have put out that they are still the team to beat, no matter what Bayern may think It was not only the embarassing scoreline, but just how dominant they were for the entire match. There was never a period with which Real Madrid had the upper hand in a match that took place in their house. Barcelona were always in control and called all the shots. They played at their tempo and found it as easy as pecan pie, picking the passes they wanted and cutting open Madrid on numerous occasions. It could have been a lot more than it was.
*Use Your Twitter/Facebook to login and leave your thoughts in the Disqus comments section below.*
HH
