Real Madrid's solution to the Barcelona connundrum: Let them have the ball as long as it's not in a particularly dangerous area. We've seen that plan from Jose Mourinho before, of course, most notably when his Inter Milan side defeated Pep Guardiola's team at the same stage last year. That said, it's pretty dangerous to let Barcelona just do whatever they want until they get into the final third, and Xavi has given them a reminder of that, hammering a shot that Iker Casillas did well to save after a loose pass from Lassana Diarra in the Real Madrid half gifted the visitors possession.
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, 2011 UEFA Champions League Semifinal: Iker Casillas Saves From Xavi In First Real Chance Of Match
That's the first real save a goalkeeper's had to make so far in this match (I'm not counting Victor Valdes' stop against Cristiano Ronaldo because it would have simply bounced off him had to remained stationary), and Casillas did well to stop it, although he couldn't control the rebound. Fortunately for the hosts, it fell to the head of centre back Sergio Ramos, who nodded back to his goalkeeper to end the threat.
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