CLASICO FEVER HEATING UP IN KL
Selangor’s Buff and Spanish ambassador preview Real MadridBarcelona showdown
FROM Madrid to Kuala Lumpur, the excitement is building up. EL Clásico, one of the world’s most anticipated football matches, is just three days away. It’s always a real classic when Real Madrid meet Barcelona in La Liga. And sparks are already flying in the run-up to this Saturday’s showdown between Los Blancos and Lionel Messi’s Blaugrana at the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium.
Caught up in the intense rivalry between the two Spanish giants is Selangor’s Swiss player Oliver Buff.
“I can’t speak much about how long the history of El Clásico dates back to, but it has always been a very important match, a special one,” said Buff, who played two seasons in Spain for Real Zaragoza.
“The best players in the world are on the pitch when you talk about Real Madrid versus Barcelona.
“I think the Clásico is much bigger than the rivalry (Liverpool vs Manchester United) in the English Premier League.”
Yesterday, Buff and the Spanish ambassador to Malaysia, Jośe Miguel Corvinos Lafuente, were the special guests for the La Liga event at Marta’s Kitchen, a Spanish restaurant in Desa Sri Hartamas.
On what made El Clásico so special, Buff, who scored Selangor’s only goal in the 2-1 defeat to Kedah on Tuesday, said: “It’s the people. When I was playing in Spain, I saw how the people hyped up the match long before it was even played.”
In their last encounter on Oct 24 last year, Madrid beat Barcelona 3-1 at Camp Nou, with goals from Frederick Valverde, Sergio Ramos and Lula Madrid.
Barcelona are currently second in the league on 65 points, two points above Real, who are third. Atletico Madrid top La Liga on 66 points after 29 matches.