Barcelona against Real Madrid

Real Madrid really need to score another goal. A draw is no good for them.

At the other end Beckham hits a ball in to the box and two white figures throw themselves to the ground hopefully. Pathetic.

Another corner from Barca is well defended once more by Real. Barca fans were screaming for a handball but it appeared to strike Gravesen's thigh.

Barca have failed to make their numerical advantage count in this half and have found Casillas in sparkling form.

A man is on the pitch. And he shouldn't be. he is now being led off by several angry looking security guards.

Puyol and Sergio Ramos clash heads. Ouch. Hopefully the flowing locks of both men will have cushioned the blow somewhat.

Yet another corner to Barcelona. Iniesta hits a swerving shot in but Raul Bravo clears with his head...for another corner.

From the corner Iniesta's shot flies well wide of the Real goal.

Ronaldinho fails to clear the wall and it's another corner for Barca. Ronaldinho's free kicks have been poor tonight. Corner to Barca.

Baptista again fouls Deco and Barca have yet another free kick in a dangerous area.

Ronaldinho hits a good corner in but Real clear it. The next ball in to the Real box is met with a bullet header from Larsson which goes straight at Casillas.

The free kick hits the wall but Ronaldinho blasts it straight back at Casillas who makes another great save. Julio Baptista then just reaches the ball before Larsson can bury it past the Real keeper. Corner to Barca.

The referee has booked Baptista for not retreating the requisite distance.

Another free kick in a dangerous position for Barca. Surely Ronaldinho has to connect with one of these?

Casillas makes another great save.....but it doesn't really count cos the ref had blown up. Barca should have been given an advantage because Deco was clearly fouled.

The referee just fell over. It was really, really funny.

Ronaldo is booked for throwing himself theatrically to the floor after performing a wonderful Cryuff turn on Oleguer (are Cryuff turns called something else down Real Madrid way?Answers on a postcard.) The two sides of the man shown there.

Barca are almost being too flippant with their finishing, a trait they displayed midweek against Benfica.

Larsson has a one on one with Casillas and tries to nutmeg him but fails to beat the Spanish goalkeeper. A great chance wasted by Larsson.

Beckham's ball from the right hand touchline goes straight to the keeper.

Barca have a lot of players forward but Eto'o cannot find any of them. Real now attack through Baptista.

Gravesen is preparing to come on.

Larsson does brilliantly well to turn two Real defenders before being crowded off the ball in the Real penalty area.

Giuly is barged off the ball and Barca have a free kick in a dangerous spot. Ronaldinho takes a quick one and evades the wall but does not hit the target.

Ronaldo shows great determination to get in to Barca's area but then gives up and tries to persuade the referee he has been fouled when he should have concentrated on the ball.

Fine wing play from Belletti but his cross is cleared well by the head of Sergio Ramos.

Larsson squares the ball to Ronaldinho on the eighteen yard line but the Brazilian's shot is way off the target.

Casillas has to come charging out to deal with a Barca ball which drifts over the heads of his defenders.

Ronaldinho skips past Guti and seems to be obstructed but the referee waves away their protests.

Giuly comes on for Van Bommel. Barcelona now have four strikers on the pitch.

Eto's shows nice skill through the middle but can't find a way past the Real scrum of players.

Giuly is stripped off and ready for action. So to speak.

Larsson chases a ball from Deco which he just can't reach. A few years agao maybe.

Mejia goes down like a sack of sssspuds when challenged by Ronaldinho and his duplicity is rewarded with a free kick

Baptista has a half chance after a long ball is hoisted into the Barca area. He leans back too far though and mishits the ball.

Ronaldo is off the pitch for treatment. Now he is back on.

Eto'o hits a shot which goes just wide of Casillas' right hand post.

Van Bronckhurst has the name 'Geo' emblazoned on the back of his shirt so if the Barca kitman can not be bothered to call him by his surname neither shall I for the duration of this match.

Barca are on the offensive immediately and Ronaldinho sidesteps Ramos before shooting well wide.

Barca kick off. They will be looking to use their one man advantage in this half.

Real finally make it back out on to the turf for the second half after keeping Barca waiting. The manager obviously had words of wisdom to impart during the interval.

Up until Real equalised you could not see beyond the home team stretching their lead, but Ronaldo's goal has opened up the hitherto unlikely scenario of Real performing some sort of comeback. Much may depend on the galvanizing effects of their manager's half time team-talk.

HALF TIME

Van Bommel tries another long range effort which swerves wide of Casillas' post.

Two minutes of play to be added on.

Barca regain possession but Ronaldinho shows uncharacteristically poor touch to lose the ball for a throw in.

Beckham and Cicihno again link well and force Barca to concede a throw deep in their half.

Eto'o tries to second guess LArsson's intentions but it all goes horribly wrong. Unless you are Iker Casillas who gratefully cleans up their mess.

Ronaldinho hits a low hard cross in to the Real box but it is hastily cleared by Ramos.

Ronaldinho has another chance but blazes his shot high over the Real crossbar.

Ronaldinho takes the free kick but the rather expensive wall assembled in front of him blocks his effort.

Belletti is on for Motta.

Van Bommel and Eto'o do well down the left and Deco goes to ground a bit too easily to win Barca a free kick.

Motta has been stretchered off so it is momentarily ten a side.

Out of the blue, Real split the Barca defence and Ronaldo does brilliantly to speed past Motta and execute a wonderful chip over Valdes. To make things worse for Barca, Motta seems to have torn his hamstring trying to keep up with Ronaldo. Game on.

GOAL

A long range shot from Van Bommel skims Casillas crossbar.

Mejia is on for Real and Robinho is off.

Van Bommel has hurt Casillas in a one on one challenge and is booked for his trouble. Brave goalkeeping from Casillas.

Ronaldinho does a couple of stepovers and feeds Eto'o again who is challenged befopre he can hit a shot. Barcelona are all over Real now.

Deco shows fine skill in the Real penalty area and then lifts a ball in to Eto'o who doesn't connect with enough power to force Casillas in to a difficult save.

Ronaldinho tries to slide a ball through to Eto'o but Real deal with the pass well.

Barca are knocking the ball around with consumate ease. They almost seem to be trying to tire Real out already.

Ronaldo, looking game enough tonight, tries to weave his manly bulk through the Barca defence but is met with the imposing figure of Carlos Puyol who blocks his path.

After all that, Barca waste the free kick.

Oh dear oh dear Roberto Carlos you silly, over optimistic free kick taking man you. Not content with a booking and conceding the penalty to which his team now trail, the Brazilian 'defender' decides to question the referee's decision making and is promptly shown another yellow card. Real are down to ten men already.

Barca look very comfortable on the ball and are knocking the ball about with panache. Real eventually foul LArsson on the edge of the penalty area and BArca have a free kick.

Beckham tries to work the ball in to the danger zone but his cross is dealt with by Puyol.

That was Ronaldinho's twenty third goal of the season.

A wonderfully cool penalty from Ronaldinho who sends Casillas diving completely the wrong way. A perfect penalty.

GOAL

Carlos is now booked for time wasting.

Van Bommel is fouled needlessly by Roberto Carlos and the Dutchman makes the most of it. However, the decision stands.

PENALTY

Good play from Iniesta who links well with Van Bommel.

Ronaldinho in a great position in the Real penalty area but he selflessly plays a pass to Eto'o which falls just behind him. A good opportunity wasted.

Ronaldo is bodychecked by Motta and scythed to the floor. A yellow card should have been prodced there.

Sergio Ramos is pulled up for a foul from behind on Eto'o. Ramos showing his inexperience there.

Ronaldinho nutmegs Guti and hits a fierce shot which is well blocked by Raul Bravo.

Free kick to Real which Guti takes. Roberto Carlos beats Larsson but he then looks for a free kick which is not forhtcoming.

Deco is warned after a late challenge on Baptista.

Eto'o scurries past two defenders challenges before hitting a shot from the edge of the area which Casillas does very well to get down and save.

Ronaldinho stands over the ball. The Brazilian sizes up the five man wall....before hitting it right at them.

Barca spreading it nicely around the(immaculate) Nou Camp pitch. Van Bommel is finaly nudged in the back by Baptista and he concedes a free kick.

Larsson slips the ball to Deco on the edge of the Real area and his shot fails to trouble Casillas sufficiently.

Now Barca have a free kick at the other end. Ronaldinho fires in a shot cum cross but either his teammates don't read his genius idea correctly or he messes it up. Take your pick.

Van Bommel concedes a free kick about fifty yards from goal and Beckham sends a great ball in. Unfortunately for Real some naughty so and so is pushing in the crowd of players and they are penalised.

Iniesta is fouled by Zidane in the middle of the park and Barca work the ball upfield. Real win it back and harass Puyol in to conceding a throw in.

Beckham links well again with Cicinho but he overhits his pass and it drifts harmlessly out.

Barca build patiently from the back before Ronaldihno shows delighful feet and opens up the Real defence with a great pass over the top. Van Bommel tries to lob the goalkeeper but sends his effort wide when he should have scored.

Barca attack through van Bommel and Casillas scampers across to save his long range shot.

Real forage up the park and Beckham links with Cicihno to win a throw in. Valdes claims the ball fromthe resulting cross.

Real kick off in their familiar all white strip, Barca in their red and blue.

The Nou Camp is awash with colour tonight as the teams prepare to kick off at the frankly ludicrous local time of ten o clock. Would this kick off time ever be deemed a good idea by police in the UK? Plans to play the Liverpool Manchester United derby at midnight are actually being considered for season 2008 to mark Liverpool's year as City of Culture.

Real Madrid will be hoping to exact some revenge for the painful three nil defeat they endured at the hands of their oldest rivals earlier in season. Brazilian duo Ronaldo and Robihno lead the attack for Real whilst Gravesen misses out.

Barca captain Puyol returns to their defence and the home team will be hoping their strikers will be able to find the net in front of a passionate Nou Camp after failing to score in their past two games.

A game where anything can, and probably will, happen. The severeed heads of swine will swoop through the air, protestors will charge pitchwards before manacling themselves to the goalposts and, most bizarrely of all, opposition fans will rise to their feet to applaud the genius of their nemesis. You can take your Celtic Rangers mate. This is the big one.

El Clasico(in English: The Classic.) Not, as Senor Beckham first thought, a particularly flavorsome Spanish choc ice but actually THE GREATEST CLUB GAME IN THE WORLD!EVER!!!

The referee just fell over. It was really, really funny.

Ronaldo is booked for throwing himself theatrically to the floor after performing a wonderful Cryuff turn on Oleguer (are Cryuff turns called something else down Real Madrid way?Answers on a postcard.) The two sides of the man shown there.

Barca are almost being too flippant with their finishing, a trait they displayed midweek against Benfica.

Larsson has a one on one with Casillas and tries to nutmeg him but fails to beat the Spanish goalkeeper. A great chance wasted by Larsson.

Beckham's ball from the right hand touchline goes straight to the keeper.

Barca have a lot of players forward but Eto'o cannot find any of them. Real now attack through Baptista.

Gravesen is preparing to come on.

Larsson does brilliantly well to turn two Real defenders before being crowded off the ball in the Real penalty area.

Giuly is barged off the ball and Barca have a free kick in a dangerous spot. Ronaldinho takes a quick one and evades the wall but does not hit the target.

Ronaldo shows great determination to get in to Barca's area but then gives up and tries to persuade the referee he has been fouled when he should have concentrated on the ball.

Fine wing play from Belletti but his cross is cleared well by the head of Sergio Ramos.

Larsson squares the ball to Ronaldinho on the eighteen yard line but the Brazilian's shot is way off the target.

Casillas has to come charging out to deal with a Barca ball which drifts over the heads of his defenders.

Ronaldinho skips past Guti and seems to be obstructed but the referee waves away their protests.

Giuly comes on for Van Bommel. Barcelona now have four strikers on the pitch.

Eto's shows nice skill through the middle but can't find a way past the Real scrum of players.

Giuly is stripped off and ready for action. So to speak.

Larsson chases a ball from Deco which he just can't reach. A few years agao maybe.

Mejia goes down like a sack of sssspuds when challenged by Ronaldinho and his duplicity is rewarded with a free kick

Baptista has a half chance after a long ball is hoisted into the Barca area. He leans back too far though and mishits the ball.

Ronaldo is off the pitch for treatment. Now he is back on.

Eto'o hits a shot which goes just wide of Casillas' right hand post.

Van Bronckhurst has the name 'Geo' emblazoned on the back of his shirt so if the Barca kitman can not be bothered to call him by his surname neither shall I for the duration of this match.

Barca are on the offensive immediately and Ronaldinho sidesteps Ramos before shooting well wide.

Barca kick off. They will be looking to use their one man advantage in this half.

Real finally make it back out on to the turf for the second half after keeping Barca waiting. The manager obviously had words of wisdom to impart during the interval.

Up until Real equalised you could not see beyond the home team stretching their lead, but Ronaldo's goal has opened up the hitherto unlikely scenario of Real performing some sort of comeback. Much may depend on the galvanizing effects of their manager's half time team-talk.

HALF TIME

Van Bommel tries another long range effort which swerves wide of Casillas' post.

Two minutes of play to be added on.

Barca regain possession but Ronaldinho shows uncharacteristically poor touch to lose the ball for a throw in.

Beckham and Cicihno again link well and force Barca to concede a throw deep in their half.

Eto'o tries to second guess LArsson's intentions but it all goes horribly wrong. Unless you are Iker Casillas who gratefully cleans up their mess.

Ronaldinho hits a low hard cross in to the Real box but it is hastily cleared by Ramos.

Ronaldinho has another chance but blazes his shot high over the Real crossbar.

Ronaldinho takes the free kick but the rather expensive wall assembled in front of him blocks his effort.

Belletti is on for Motta.

Van Bommel and Eto'o do well down the left and Deco goes to ground a bit too easily to win Barca a free kick.

Motta has been stretchered off so it is momentarily ten a side.

Out of the blue, Real split the Barca defence and Ronaldo does brilliantly to speed past Motta and execute a wonderful chip over Valdes. To make things worse for Barca, Motta seems to have torn his hamstring trying to keep up with Ronaldo. Game on.

GOAL

A long range shot from Van Bommel skims Casillas crossbar.

Mejia is on for Real and Robinho is off.

Van Bommel has hurt Casillas in a one on one challenge and is booked for his trouble. Brave goalkeeping from Casillas.

Ronaldinho does a couple of stepovers and feeds Eto'o again who is challenged befopre he can hit a shot. Barcelona are all over Real now.

Deco shows fine skill in the Real penalty area and then lifts a ball in to Eto'o who doesn't connect with enough power to force Casillas in to a difficult save.

Ronaldinho tries to slide a ball through to Eto'o but Real deal with the pass well.

Barca are knocking the ball around with consumate ease. They almost seem to be trying to tire Real out already.

Ronaldo, looking game enough tonight, tries to weave his manly bulk through the Barca defence but is met with the imposing figure of Carlos Puyol who blocks his path.

After all that, Barca waste the free kick.

Oh dear oh dear Roberto Carlos you silly, over optimistic free kick taking man you. Not content with a booking and conceding the penalty to which his team now trail, the Brazilian 'defender' decides to question the referee's decision making and is promptly shown another yellow card. Real are down to ten men already.

Barca look very comfortable on the ball and are knocking the ball about with panache. Real eventually foul LArsson on the edge of the penalty area and BArca have a free kick.

Beckham tries to work the ball in to the danger zone but his cross is dealt with by Puyol.

That was Ronaldinho's twenty third goal of the season.

A wonderfully cool penalty from Ronaldinho who sends Casillas diving completely the wrong way. A perfect penalty.

GOAL

Carlos is now booked for time wasting.

Van Bommel is fouled needlessly by Roberto Carlos and the Dutchman makes the most of it. However, the decision stands.

PENALTY

Good play from Iniesta who links well with Van Bommel.

Ronaldinho in a great position in the Real penalty area but he selflessly plays a pass to Eto'o which falls just behind him. A good opportunity wasted.

Ronaldo is bodychecked by Motta and scythed to the floor. A yellow card should have been prodced there.

Sergio Ramos is pulled up for a foul from behind on Eto'o. Ramos showing his inexperience there.

Ronaldinho nutmegs Guti and hits a fierce shot which is well blocked by Raul Bravo.

Free kick to Real which Guti takes. Roberto Carlos beats Larsson but he then looks for a free kick which is not forhtcoming.

Deco is warned after a late challenge on Baptista.

Eto'o scurries past two defenders challenges before hitting a shot from the edge of the area which Casillas does very well to get down and save.

Ronaldinho stands over the ball. The Brazilian sizes up the five man wall....before hitting it right at them.

Barca spreading it nicely around the(immaculate) Nou Camp pitch. Van Bommel is finaly nudged in the back by Baptista and he concedes a free kick.

Larsson slips the ball to Deco on the edge of the Real area and his shot fails to trouble Casillas sufficiently.

Now Barca have a free kick at the other end. Ronaldinho fires in a shot cum cross but either his teammates don't read his genius idea correctly or he messes it up. Take your pick.

Van Bommel concedes a free kick about fifty yards from goal and Beckham sends a great ball in. Unfortunately for Real some naughty so and so is pushing in the crowd of players and they are penalised.

Iniesta is fouled by Zidane in the middle of the park and Barca work the ball upfield. Real win it back and harass Puyol in to conceding a throw in.

Beckham links well again with Cicinho but he overhits his pass and it drifts harmlessly out.

Barca build patiently from the back before Ronaldihno shows delighful feet and opens up the Real defence with a great pass over the top. Van Bommel tries to lob the goalkeeper but sends his effort wide when he should have scored.

Barca attack through van Bommel and Casillas scampers across to save his long range shot.

Real forage up the park and Beckham links with Cicihno to win a throw in. Valdes claims the ball fromthe resulting cross.

Real kick off in their familiar all white strip, Barca in their red and blue.

The Nou Camp is awash with colour tonight as the teams prepare to kick off at the frankly ludicrous local time of ten o clock. Would this kick off time ever be deemed a good idea by police in the UK? Plans to play the Liverpool Manchester United derby at midnight are actually being considered for season 2008 to mark Liverpool's year as City of Culture.

Real Madrid will be hoping to exact some revenge for the painful three nil defeat they endured at the hands of their oldest rivals earlier in season. Brazilian duo Ronaldo and Robihno lead the attack for Real whilst Gravesen misses out.

Barca captain Puyol returns to their defence and the home team will be hoping their strikers will be able to find the net in front of a passionate Nou Camp after failing to score in their past two games.

A game where anything can, and probably will, happen. The severeed heads of swine will swoop through the air, protestors will charge pitchwards before manacling themselves to the goalposts and, most bizarrely of all, opposition fans will rise to their feet to applaud the genius of their nemesis. You can take your Celtic Rangers mate. This is the big one.

El Clasico(in English: The Classic.) Not, as Senor Beckham first thought, a particularly flavorsome Spanish choc ice but actually THE GREATEST CLUB GAME IN THE WORLD!EVER!!!