Barcelona Vs. Real Madrid: Blaugranes Win 3-1 On Aggregate, Progress To UEFA Champions League Final At Wembley Stadium

While it’s easy to see why he’d think the goal should have been given, it’s more difficult to reconcile his broader comments with the context of series of matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid over the past few weeks. In only one of those has Real Madrid really deserved anything from the match - the Copa del Rey final, which they duly won 1-0 - and even before the red cards in their league match and the first leg of the Champions League semifinal they were being outplayed by their rivals.

Should Madrid fans feel annoyed and hard done by in general? Probably, yes. The Pepe red card, in particular, was a major blow to their hopes of progressing to Wembley. But that doesn’t mean they deserved to go through. Barcelona were better across the pitch. At one level, Real Madrid were victims of gross injustice. But taking a step further back, the better team won. And it wasn’t close.

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Oh, and Madrid also tried to go on the attack once or twice, but mostly just wasted promising positions by crossing the ball straight to Victor Valdes. They won their first corner at the very end of the match, but it was an impossibly poor one, rather neatly encapsulating their attacking prowess.

Real’s need for a goal had led them to start the attack in promising form, but it also opened up space at the back. Eventually that was going to be exploited, and exploited it was. Even for Barcelona, it was a brilliant pass, with Andres Iniesta the architect. The midfielder, returning to the side following an injury, eviscerated the visitors’ defence with an absolutely beautiful through pass that Pedro took in his strike, finishing smoothly past a helpless Casillas.

This is the fourth of four matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. You can view our coverage of the April 16th, 20th and 27th matches here, here and here, with live coverage of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on May 3 in this story stream.

Madrid still need two goals in 25 minutes to get through, but that’s a lot better than three. Game on at the Camp Nou?

This is the fourth of four matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. You can view our coverage of the April 16th, 20th and 27th matches here, here and here, with live coverage of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on May 3 in this story stream.

This is the fourth of four matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. You can view our coverage of the April 16th, 20th and 27th matches here, here and here, with live coverage of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on May 3 in this story stream.

This is the fourth of four matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. You can view our coverage of the April 16th, 20th and 27th matches here, here and here, with live coverage of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on May 3 in this story stream.

This is the fourth of four matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. You can view our coverage of the April 16th, 20th and 27th matches here, here and here, with live coverage of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on May 3 in this story stream.

This is the fourth of four matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. You can view our coverage of the April 16th, 20th and 27th matches here, here and here, with live coverage of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on May 3 in this story stream.

This is the fourth of four matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. You can view our coverage of the April 16th, 20th and 27th matches here, here and here, with live coverage of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on May 3 in this story stream.

This is the fourth of four matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. You can view our coverage of the April 16th, 20th and 27th matches here, here and here, with live coverage of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on May 3 in this story stream.

This is the fourth of four matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. You can view our coverage of the April 16th, 20th and 27th matches here, here and here, with live coverage of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on May 3 in this story stream.

This is the fourth of four matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. You can view our coverage of the April 16th, 20th and 27th matches here, here and here, with live coverage of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on May 3 in this story stream.

This is the fourth of four matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. You can view our coverage of the April 16th, 20th and 27th matches here, here and here, with live coverage of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on May 3 in this story stream.

Madrid are much higher up the pitch than they were in the first leg - it’s necessary with them already in a 2-0 hole, but that bodes for a more interesting, open match, and is more than welcome. Barcelona seem a little bit shaken by being pressed so hard so early, and are giving their guests the ball with some uncharacteristically bad passing. Meanwhile, Ronaldo is looking well up for this one.

This is the fourth of four matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. You can view our coverage of the April 16th, 20th and 27th matches here, here and here, with live coverage of Real Madrid vs Barcelona on May 3 in this story stream.

Substitutes: Seydou Keita, Eric Abidal, Ibrahim Afellay, Jeffren Suarez, Olazabal, Thiago, Fontas.

I find myself drowning in a sea of negativity and ugliness that has all but overwhelmed any positives that have occurred on the field. Instead of talking about Madrid’s wonderful tactical display in the Copa Del Rey Final or Messi’s magical 40-yard goal dash last Wednesday, we’re stuck dealing with finger pointing, cheating and an accusation of racism. El Clasico has gone off the rails and become about anything but the soccer and honestly, it’s a little sad.

Even as a fan of Barcelona it was impossible not to be left with a bad taste in your mouth after last Wednesday Champions League semifinal first leg. Diving and cheating is a part of the game and short of a massive FIFA led initiative to change how soccer is played and officiated, that’s not going to change. There is a tremendously exploitable gap between what referees can see at full speed and what the camera shows us in slow motion, just watch the Dani Alves/Pepe incident.