Barca seeks ‘Clasico’ victory as fitting tribute for Cruyff
Print Edition
MEMORIES and images of Johan Cruyff will provide an emotional backdrop to tomorrow’s Nou Camp ‘Clasico’ against Real Madrid when Barcelona pays tribute to the man who transformed the club from also-rans into one of the game’s superpowers.
In their first match since their much-loved former player and coach Cruyff died from cancer last week, fans will hold up a mosaic reading ‘Gracies Johan’ (thanks Johan, in Catalan) and the home side’s players will bear the same message on their shirts.
Midfielder Andres Iniesta believes a win over Real is the best way to pay tribute to the Dutchman who as a player helped end a 14-year title drought in 1974 and as a coach led the Catalans to a hat-trick of domestic championships and their first European Cup success in 1992 and put in place the template for much of their subsequent success.
“It would be very special to win the Clasico in tribute to Cruyff, although the best tribute is what he has given everyone, especially Barcelona fans, but the whole football world, too,” Iniesta told a news conference.
Barcelona sits nine points clear of nearest challenger Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga with eight matches left this season and 10 ahead of third-placed Real, giving it the biggest advantage over its rival before a ‘Clasico’ for 10 years.
However, Iniesta said the vast points gap between the two rivals does not affect how his side is viewing the game.
“We know that these types of games are unique and it doesn’t matter what form the other team is in. We’re preparing for a massive game against a very powerful team,” he said.
Real forward Gareth Bale, meanwhile, issued a rallying cry for his side ahead of the game, saying Real could end Barcelona’s 39-game unbeaten run with a first league win at the Nou Camp since 2012 and kick-start a late title charge.
“They are playing very well at the moment so we have to take the game to them, we have to attack them, we have to exploit their weaknesses,” said the Welshman. “We have a game plan and if we perform to our maximum I’m very confident we can get the win. I believe anything is possible in football, we knew we are 10 points behind but we will keep fighting until the league is impossible, but at the moment it’s very possible.”
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
