Barcelona
Josep Guardiola has turned Barcelona into the best football club in Spain for the past couple of seasons. Real Madrid was top of the pile but recent seasons haven't seen consistency at Madrid and Barcelona has triumphed. Barcelona are currently top of the Spanish La Liga by 5 points, ahead of Real Madrid. Barcelona earns many plaudits for the way the play the game, the �beautiful way'. With Xavi and Iniesta in the heart of the Barcelona midfield, they have two of the best passers of the game and they are the heart beat of the Barcelona side.
Xavi and Iniesta have been phenomenal this season, but as always, there is one man at Barcelona who always steals the show. Lionel Messi, 43 goals in 35 starts already this season is a phenomenal record. Lionel Messi is one of the best players in the world and possibly the best of this era. His ability to keep the ball away from defenders and to open up defences with his dribbling has the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout the game. Words can't describe how good Messi is and his sensational form this season has seen the success of Barcelona this season, domestically in the La Liga and in the Champions League. Not only has Lionel Messi been in formidable form, but the recent acquisition of David Villa this season who has 21 goals in 36 games himself has seen the attacking threat of Barcelona prove too much for any side this season.
Not only does it help having two strikers that can create a goal from nothing, but they have a midfield that works tirelessly when off the ball that makes it very easy for Barcelona to defend as shown in the recent 4-3 aggregate win over Arsenal in the Champions League. Again they are favourites to win the Champions League despite being knocked out last year to Inter Milan, Barcelona brushed aside Arsenal at the Nou Camp and look unbeatable at home in the competition.
Not to mention that Barcelona play Real Madrid in the Spanish Cup final in April that they happen to be favourites for that as well. Barcelona's attacking flair and ability to keep the ball in all circumstances under any amounts of pressure is the main attribute for their success. Puyol is the leader at the back for Barcelona and he's been missing for a couple of months through injury but they still look resolute and assured in defence, emphasising the side Guardiola has formed to be labelled one of the best teams in world football.
Barcelona possesses 7 regular Spanish internationals that have won the European Championships (2008) and World Cup (2010) in succession to dominate the national competitions. These 7 internationals consisting of: Puyol, Pique, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Pedro and David Villa, thrown in with Dani Alves, Lionel Messi, Eric Abidal and substitute Spanish keeper Victor Valdes, you're inevitably going to get a squad that's near enough perfection.
Real Madrid
Despite Barcelona's dominance, Real Madrid have ran Barcelona close and have a superior side of their own which consists of the worlds superstars which came at a hefty price. Cristiano Ronaldo was signed for 80 million pounds, Kaka was purchased for 50 million pounds and Benzema was 30 million pounds. Oh, and combined with the signings of Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, Angel Di Maria and Xabi Alonso. The forward seven of the team that has been glued together with Iker Casillas, Pepe, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos, it's obvious to say you're going to have a team with ability in abundance.
Despite the list of megastars Real Madrid have at their disposal, Real Madrid have yet to really explode this season but nevertheless, they still have got a good chance of winning the treble this season. That statement sums up Real Madrid this season, despite not playing at full potential consistently; they're still competing for 3 major trophies which is frightening for the clubs competing against them.
Jose Mourinho is in his first season at Real Madrid and his first in Spain. He has a big fixture coming up in the form of Lyon in the last 16 of the Champions League which astonishingly, they've been knocked out at this stage of the competition for the last 6 years running despite Real Madrid's force. Jose Mourinho's arrival in Real Madrid was very much with the Champions League in mind having won the competition with Inter Milan in the previous season.
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