A STABLE SIDE playing with assurance and calm to lead rivals whose array of expensively assembled parts are failing to produce the expected return.
This is a familiar narrative for El Clasico in recent years but, as Barcelona prepare to host their sworn enemies at Camp Nou on Saturday, Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid have flipped the script.
During his swashbuckling playing days, Zidane was the most lavish recruit of Florentino Perez’s “Galacticos” period, with a transfer fee that stretched Madrid’s elastic balance sheets more than Luis Figo, Ronaldo or David Beckham.
Perez’s label for his flawed method of team building was “Zidanes y Pavones” – a pledge to blend his global stars with unheralded homegrown players such as centre-back Francisco Pavon, who handily provided youth and civic authenticity without putting too big a dent in a hefty wage bill.
An imbalanced squad and a rotating-door policy on coaches left Madrid without a single major honour between 2003 and 2007 but it seems some lessons were taken on board.
Working under Perez in the latter’s second presidential spell, head coach Zidane has regularly called upon his own band of “Pavones” to lead the capital club into El Clasico in fine shape.
With Gareth Bale out, he is likely to call upon the reliable, unflashy Lucas Vazquez to fill the void. Vazquez’s fellow Castilla graduates, Alvaro Morata and Marco Asensio, returned to Madrid during the close season following jaunts away at Juventus and Espanyol respectively.
These players are competing on an even-footing with the likes of Isco and James Rodriguez – high-profile signings of the recent past who Zidane has no qualms over benching. He hopes to welcome no-frills Brazilian holding player Casemiro back to his starting midfield against Barcelona.
Necessity is the mother of invention to some extent. Madrid have a two-window FIFA transfer ban starting in January, but Zidane has at least shown Perez he should not fear an enforced closure of his purse-strings.
Indeed, Barcelona might caution that the real challenge comes once the ban expires.
The defending LaLiga champions were hit with the same sanction by world football’s governing body in relation to breaking rules surrounding the registration of youth players in 2014. They won the title in each of the seasons touched by the ban.
Free to flex their muscle and bolster boss Luis Enrique’s hopes of three in a row, the results have been mixed at best so far.
Paco Alcacer’s role as the fourth member of a prolific trio has proved as successful as it sounds; Arda Turan has enjoyed a more productive second half to 2016, even if the same cannot be said of Aleix Vidal; Andre Gomes has been on the winning side in two of his four LaLiga starts.
For all the new faces in defence and midfield, a central feature of Barca’s season has been the fitness struggles of Gerard Pique and Andres Iniesta – posing tough questions for the present and a future when Barca’s greatest generation all finally leave the stage.
Failing to solve an approaching problem with money swilling in from Qatari sponsorship as tax fraud allegations continue to swirl around the acquisition of a star player do nothing to quell claims of an identity crisis at Barcelona. Mes que un club?
Shape-shifting has always been a part of football’s most famous rivalry, where symbolism and narrative can often blur reality. Barcelona are the club that develops elite youth talent to the envy of their rivals, but Madrid won the 1966 European Cup with a team of 11 Spaniards.
The side that bloomed so perfectly under Pep Guardiola in 2008-09 will be Barcelona’s most celebrated for years to come, although Madrid’s Quinta del Buitre – the homegrown core inspired by Emilio Butragueno’s dazzling attacking skills – played beautiful football and dominated Spain in the 1980s.
Then came Johan Cruyff’s “Dream Team”. Barca’s ultimate superstar player became the superstar coach, with the help of similarly expensive and magnificent imports such as Hristo Stoichkov and Romario.
Talent nurturers Barcelona have always spent big, while big spenders Real Madrid have always nurtured some of Spain’s finest. Stubborn battle lines add to El Clasico’s allure but these two foes have more in common than they might like to acknowledge.
Since Alfredo Di Stefano controversially ended up at Madrid ahead of Barca in 1953, the clubs have regularly contested transfer tugs of war with a golden rope. This will inevitably continue when the ban expires.
Forbes ranks them as the most valuable clubs in the world, with Madrid’s £2.52billion pipping Barca’s £2.46bn. They operate on a different level to anyone else and winning is non-negotiable.
Luis Enrique dare not lose on Saturday. Not because of how Zidane is subtly moulding Madrid but because, if Barcelona lose, they will be nine points behind with a title defence in tatters.
The victors and the vanquished. In this rich, complex, irresistible rivalry those statuses will always matter above anything else, regardless of the means by which they arrive.
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I think I speak for most of the country when I say ‘I hope Mayo to win’ . However I really cannot see it. Too many things need to go right for them and too many things needs to go wrong from Dublin
@@at: you probably do speak for most of the country and that’s the sort of chat we love. Makes it even sweeter.
Myself & most dubs I know however, are hoping for a good game from 2 very decent sides
Up the Dubs
@@at: well you don’t speak for me!!! COME ON THE DUBS!!!
@my name: what else are you to expect. In the very unlikely event that Mayo wins, it would be 2 fingers to the GAA. They have stacked the playing field so much in Dublin’s favour the last decade or so, it is laughable at this stage
@Devilsavocado: I would never speak for you, trust me. You have showed yourself on here lately to be immature with your childish insults and name calling. My 5 yr kids would be above you when it comes to speaking
@@at: you’re laughable at this stage, go to the game, have a pint or if you’re a home crack open a can and chill out.
Let it go buddy. You have a great day. Regardless of the rain or the result, I will
@@at: Come on the dubs
@@at: Blah Blah Blah…. ;)
@my name: replace the word ‘you’re’ with ‘GAA’ and your comment makes sense
@@at: no thanks, I’ll stick to what I said, thanks very much pal. Oh and UP THE DUBS
@my name: something seriously wrong with their whole set up if they don’t win at least 8 in a row. What a waste of millions otherwise
@@at: Yea because throwing money at something makes it successful, just look at every public service in this Country.. Are you telling me Kildare don’t have money sloshing around the County from Horse Racing that could be put to good use with the underage structures in the Country. Yes the money helps Dublin but Dublin are successful because of how well the County is run.. Kildare for example were flitting away money on a champagne manager instead of putting the money into the underage setup in the County
@@at: Dublin began receiving funding in 2005 at underage level, young kids, school children. Which in simple terms given the various ages of the Dublin panel, means that this funding has had no effect or benefit to 24 members of the panel that achieved a 4 in a row last September.
I’ll just leave that with you as there’s not great coverage on Hill 16.
Have you opened that can for yourself yet??
@my name: they received the funding when the likes of Brian Fenton, Ciaran Kilkenny, paul mannion etc etc, the backbone of their team, were in the under 10′s and under 12 grades. From that point forward these guys get paid professional coaches training them on a daily basis. No other county got without an asses roar of that level of support
The rain in the hill must be effecting your judgement or else you had too many before the game
@@at: I know lads from Galeay Roscomon and Kerry that would say the opposite.
@Dave Byrne: you can spell one out of the three counties you mentioned… wonderful! Maybe the GAA should have invested the €18 million in educating you illiterates!
@Walter Obrien: ah jaysus the spelling police are out
@David Garland: most county’s cannot afford to keep about 40 full time students who play for county team ! Most other county players have to work! What does DMM work at! Apart from been a full time student at 31
Do II smell sour grapes in this thread?
@Dave Byrne: that’s why they are losers
imagine a Mayo v Tyrone final, it would be like deciding which one of your nuts you would prefer a kick on
@murt de murty: No
@murt de murty: the middle one
@murt de murty: better for game tho
@murt de murty: they could play without a ball
Sorry they do
Dubs not capable of playing football against a good team. Pulling guys down left, right and centre and not scoring for nearly 23 minutes. Their classless fans booing free takers as usual. Come on Mayo, stuff them
@Declan Moran: stop talking drivel lad, the dubs have been playing and beating good teams for years now, and Mayo are doing their fare share of pushing and pulling as well…
@Declan Moran: Are you for real I’m on the Hill and all the Mayo supporters are booing&cheering when Dublin take a free.
Sure what about filling the Hill with Mayo fans what’s that about considering other counties do not.
Seriously didn’t know the Hill was for Dublin.. didnt see it on any website when I was booking tickets.
@Devilsavocado: any gouging by Dublin yet ??
@Dave Byrne: Nah you’re on The 42 lad!
@Rory Murphy: Its for everyone but the Mayo supporters always have a thing about filling it,Were as the likes of Kerry and other teams dont bother.
Yes other team fans are on the Hill at every match but they dont go out of the way to organise it.
Not that it ever mattered as they got beat every time.
@Declan Moran: you must feel silly now…
@Dave Byrne: who said it belonged to Dublin ? But that’s what you like to think I guess
@Declan Moran: ha ha. Played off the park and still the dirtiest team. Embarrassing
@Declan Moran: please repeat
@Walter Obrien: no,, no,, none of that,, just a good arse kicking…. :)
@Declan Moran: Jesus that went well for you
@Declan Moran: love when keep displaying your stupidity
MDMcC has a weapon that he tries to do sly damage with. Watch his right elbow.
@Gerry Ryan deG: I was just thinking the same thing. And he is sly about how he uses it.
@Gerry Ryan deG: slyly dirty player
The true blue dubs are the best fans in the whole world.
@Anto Whelan: they’re Dubs fans,dont 4get with their Liverpool,Celtic and MU shirts not far from surface..NOT gaa fans..world of difference
@rufustfirefly: no soccer fans outside Dublin, really?
Well time to switch over to news, was good while it lasted
Are the real teams in yet
Gaelic football competitiveness fading in front of us. Not a good result for the game as it stands
@Derek Russell: So by your logic, because Dublin are really good at Football at the moment, the game is suffering? Because… Reasons? Cop on you whinger.
@Tony Mac: they’re at home every game,have massive funding,trained professionally,all reside close together which is a huge training advantage, have massive geographic advantage and have a huge following of “fans” (when theyre not watching Celtic,Liverpool,MU etc,that is)
They are Dubs fans as opposed to GAA fans,world of difference
Can’t wait to see Ewan McKenna’s tweets when Dublin steamroll them!
@Ciarán O’ Donoghue: check out his piece with Trevor Rowland today. He let’s himself down with his tweets but he is a fine journalist. Anyway up the Dubs!!!
we are witnessing the death of gaelic football
@Fear Uisce: yeah mayo lost again. Its armageddon lol
@Fear Uisce: kerry actually beat you by a similar score.
@John drennan: no they didnt
@Fear Uisce: what a muppet you are. The dubs have out played and out classed teams for 10 years, however you don’t hear the dubs cry about the state of hurling, it has always been a 4 horse race, we don’t cry about it.
If the country boys are not good enough how is that our fault… and all the uneducated fools out there commenting that the dubs are dirty.. get over it it’s GAA, not that pussy crap from over the water. This game is for real men.
@Fear Uisce: yes they did. Both teams won by 10 points against mayo. Kerry actually would’ve won by more but took their foot off the gas
@Fear Uisce: witnessing the best of the GAA now let’s see what the remaining 31 counties can do?
@John drennan: I’m not from mayo
@Thomas Rowe: now now Thomas no need to turn nasty. hurling is more than a four horse race and even if it was , that’s still three more than football. the dubs have been outclassing teams for longer than 10yrs, only for neath hitting ye for 5 goals in 2010 ye would be on around 15 leinsters in a row.
Where did I blame dublin for the state of football, I only said today marks the death of football. Its the GAA i hold responsible for the state of football.
and the dubs are dirty, but so are every other team. it’s the quality of referees and their assistants that are the problem. they just are not enforcing the rules of the game to prevent this gamesmanship
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it now you could not pick a team from the 31 counties that would beat Dublin
Dublin are a totally class act train hard , work hard and play hard They show respect for the game, the fans and the sport and to be honest they carry the GAA
I guarantee we will hear all the begrudgers talk about population and money now
If you want to complain name me any player or management person on the Dublin squad that your county could not use ?
Well done Dubs and I feel sorry for Mayo
@Anthony Doyle: train hard, play hard, work hard. Brilliant. So that’s the magic formula. Juiced up dubs.
Paul Mannion was some signing.
Hon de mayo ahhhhhb hahahahaaha
Aidan O Shea is a bang average footballer. He is headless. Same old story produces nothing against good footballers.
Professionals against amateurs.
What could go wrong
@John Macken: don’t forget to include paid professionals no DUBLIN PLAYER IS LEFT SHORT IN THE POCKET- all under cover payments
@Martin Brennan: all have nice cushy jobs. None of these lads are getting up at 6 in the morning to get to a building site and not home till 7 that night
@John Macken: Ah give over you clown
@John Macken: trainee doctor, famously a cushy job.
Any chance you can mute the boo boys.. Christ.
Posted this on HoganStand after the Donegal match, fairly accurate i think:p :
“Dublin should win this fairly comfortably in the end.
Mayo were quite impressive against an underperforming Donegal team with a few players still affected by their previous knocks and in front of their home fans. But they let Donegal back into it and only win in the end because their kicking accuracy was slightly less poor than Donegal and it was still like 30%.
A full strength Dublin team in Croke Park wont be so complacent. I predict Dublin winning by 8 plus points.
Ronan1989 (Donegal) – Posts: 17 – 05/08/2019 03:12:40 “
@Rónán Strain: do you do lotto numbers, the winning numbers will come from 1-42!!! Nothing new in your thinking there pal, only Mayo people were deluded enough to think it would be different result!
@Rónán Strain: WOW! That’s amazing
Dubs very sketchy first half, Mayo playing well…
@Devilsavocado: stop that. It’s our cup
@my name: it is,, but it’s polite to let others dream for 35 mins at least ;)
@Devilsavocado: keeps them happy
As much I’d sacrifice every getting the jump again to watch the Dubs lose, you have to admire that team. They just seem to be able get a goal whenever they want. Fantastic team.
None of his colleagues to sympathetic to O’Connor as he came off,saw more affection shown to lads coming in late for mass….maybe thats whats wrong.
@Gerry Campbell: That’s because he’s an absolute weasel
@DavidGoldsFarther: Oh god he’s a dose.
Mayo have kicked 3 points from 45 yrds against the wind, Dubs trying to walk it in.
Hennellys kick outs are melogan,just melogan,hope it dosent cost them..
Piss poor referee again
@Martin McKenna: Absolute nonsense. He’s been pretty fair.
@Martin McKenna: he’s had a good game
@Martin McKenna: couldn’t agree more, Rock stealing 5-10 yards with every free
Please don’t put up the teams until u are sure they are the teams taking the field
@Tony Mcgrath: zzzzzzzz
@my name: wake up 4 changes
They are the most ridiculously talented outfit I’ve seen in either football or hurling. Unbelievable team, you’d be a fair man to bet against 6,7 or even 8 on a row at this stage, the pick of the country wouldnt beat em.
Juiced up dubs, money, population, home games etc. They should be winning 20 in a row and probably will. Not an achievement, simply the fruits of financially backed professionalism. Anyone who thinks otherwise is deluded
@Rusty Nuts: I never saw money leave lee keegan for dead and make him look like an absolute fool, but king Con did. Twice. Now stop your whining and appreciate greatness
@Rusty Nuts: Not that you have shown your true colors please explain Kilkenny’s success in hurling ?
@DavidGoldsFarther: did you see the picture going around of con last year and con this year earlier today? It’s frightening the difference in his body shape, professional outfit, the gap is getting wider, and it’s getting boring to watch, from a natural
How was that goal not a free out? And how did Dublin get the free out in the lead up?
@Thomas O’ Donnell: oh look its the refs fault again…
@John drennan: I didn’t say it was his fault, but he is poor. Dublin getting away with a lot of fouls.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: you’re a loser BIG LOSER
@Anthony Doyle: What did I lose? By the way, I take it back. The goal was fine. I still think Dubs got away with a lot of fouls.
A game of two halves
@Anthony Doyle: fairplay Anthony great insight there they should get you on sky sports. You clown
@DavidGoldsFarther: you’re the fuZking clown
Looking forward to the comments on play acting and defensive football :-)
Yet another home win for Dublin.Championship draw seems to work out well for them!
@rufustfirefly: works for Kilkenny also but you keep that quiet
Just shut up and admire talent
Serious question. Does Ciaran Kilkenny ever actually kick the ball ?
@@at: Doesn’t matter professionalism is fully part of Dublin GAA
@@at: does it matter???? Ha ha ha ha :)
@@at: do you ever ask a question that isn’t stupid?
Next on Mayo’s Agenda a heave ho against their management