Giants in decline seek Clasico boost
MADRID: La Liga’s most important Clasico for years might also be the most mediocre on Sunday as Barcelona and Real Madrid each fight to lift the gloom by deepening the other’s sense of crisis.
Two points separate the league’s leading pair, making this weekend’s meeting at the Santiago Bernabeu a potentially significant checkpoint in a back-andforth title race, particularly if Barcelona win and extend their advantage to five.
It will be more significant than last season, when Barca kicked off the calendar’s second Clasico nine points clear of Madrid, or the season before, when they were already 15 in front.
But while a tussle at the top of the table is welcome in terms of intrigue, there is an unmistakable sense of decline hanging over what has become the world’s most famous club fixture.
“It’s a race of two lame ducks, both of them are bad right now, that’s the reality,” former Real Madrid forward Jorge Valdano told Onda Cero on Wednesday.
“Barca’s recovery is more down to Real Madrid than Barca themselves.”
For both teams, the build-up has been bumpy, with Madrid particularly wounded after a 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester City which has left them on the brink of exiting the Champions League in the last 16 for a second year in a row. It might have been less concerning had it not come on the back of one win in four and had City not appeared so superior. “Things really do look bleak,” wrote Marca on Thursday. “The only takeaway can be that this Madrid side simply aren’t up to it.”
They might be about to feel the kind of frustration that has haunted Barcelona during a run of four consecutive years without making it past the semis. Barca’s own problems recently have largely been to do with their president and board, but the emergency signing of striker Martin Braithwaite from Leganes exposed muddled thinking that has affected the squad too. Barcelona and Real Madrid’s combined 108 points taken at this stage is their second lowest since 2007, beaten only by last year’s even lower total of 105.
Barca have been more reliant than ever on Lionel Messi to paper over the cracks in their defence while Madrid’s defence has covered their lack of firepower up front, where they remain without an elite scorer, despite the impressive early-season form of Karim Benzema.
END OF GOLDEN AGE?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadow still lingers, in part because Messi’s brilliance deserves a rival, in the league, but particularly the Clasico, where Ronaldo’s presence is undeniably missed. He is not the only one. Neymar was sold while Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta retired. Gareth Bale’s star has dimmed so much that his place in Zinedine Zidane’s squad is no longer secure, let alone his starting line-up.
DUBAI: Novak Djokovic saved three match points before defeating Gael Monfils 2-6, 7-6(8), 6-1 to reach the Dubai Championships final on Friday. It was the 17th win of the season for the world number one and a 17th career win over Frenchman Monfils without a loss. Djokovic will play on Saturday for a fifth Dubai trophy against Stefanos Tsitsipas after the second seed and 2019 finalist beat Dan Evans 6-2, 6-3.
NADAL BREEZES INTO SEMIS AT ACAPULCO
LOS ANGELES: World No 2 Rafael Nadal remained on course for his third ATP Mexico Open title by breezing past South Korea’s Kwon Soon-woo 6-2, 6-1 in their quarter-final clash on Thursday. Top seed Nadal eased into the semi-finals with his best performance of the week as he continues to jackhammer his way through the men’s singles draw at the hardcourt event in Acapulco, Mexico. Next up for Nadal is Grigor Dimitrov, who ousted third seed Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-4 earlier in the day.
ASIAN WRESTLING QUALIFIERS POSTPONED
NEW DELHI: The Asian Olympic wrestling qualifiers, scheduled to be held next month in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, have been postponed indefinitely due to concerns over the novel coronavirus. The event was deferred after the Kyrgyzstan government came out with a directive to postpone all sporting events in the country till further notice in the wake of the epidemic. The Spaniard finished the night with 25 winners to 11 unforced errors, and saved all eight break points he faced. There is no update on the rescheduled time and venue for the event which was slated from March 27 to 29.
TASNIM, TREESA IN THIRD ROUND
HAARLEM,NETHERLANDS: India No 1 Tasnim Mir and rising star Treesa Jolly notched up convincing victories to enter women singles third round at the Dutch Junior International badminton tournament here on Friday. Tasnim beat Lui Lok Lok of Hong Kong 21-14, 21-17 while Treesa thrashed home girl Fenna Laros 21-12, 21-13 .