MSN flatter to deceive
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Going into the game all the talk was about how Barcelona's attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar were in scintillating form and were going to tear apart the Real Madrid defence. Instead, not only were they outshone by Real Madrid’s trio of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo in an attacking sense, but they also showed more spirit and did their defensive duties and helped their side secure a shock win.
Neymar, for all his flicks and tricks, wasn't too much trouble for Dani Carvajal, Casemiro seemed to have Messi in his pocket and Suarez seemed more interested in going to ground than taking part in any meaningful attack.
On the other hand, not only did two of Real’s trio score but they also tracked. The sight of Ronaldo, tracking back and almost playing as a right back at one point isn’t one that is too common. It was not just him, but Bale and Benzema joined in as well as they managed to click offensively while at the same time perform their defensive responsibilities diligently, an uncommon occurence, especially at Real Madrid, where attackers seldom track back.
Although he wasn’t on the score sheet and the other two were, it was arguably Bale, who was Real Madrid’s standout performer after Casemiro. His pace was a constant thorn in the Barcelona defence and he gave Jordi Alba a torrid time.
This might be a rare off-day for MSN but it was one that BBC took advantage of, thanks to their grit and determination and not just their skills.
