For those of us lucky enough to be in front of a TV set on Sunday night in anticipation of one of the most pivotal El Clasico’s in years, we were rewarded with one of the most pulsating episodes in the long lasting rivalry between the Madrid and Catalan giants.
Coming just days after Barcelona’s third quarter final exit in four seasons, this was a statement derby like few others. A Barcelona win and the title race is back on. A Madrid win would surely end all hopes of Luis Enrique’s attempt to achieve a La Liga three peat in his final season as manager of the Blaugrana. Despite back to back titles in his first two seasons as Head Coach, such is the expectation of Los Cules and their demand for perpetual greatness and trophies, anything less than winning is seen as a failure; and to concede the title to their arch rivals is deemed the biggest disgrace.
Enter Lionel Messi.
Heavily criticised after his profligacy against Juventus, just a day after Cristiano Ronaldo dropped a hattrick on Bayern Munich — albeit in contentious fashion — and missing his South American compadres Neymar to suspension and dare I say Suarez ( who has in recent weeks become the Karim Benzema of the big three ) to form, the Argentinian considered by many to be the greatest of all time, gave us a performance worthy of the title.
I personally have been torn over this claim for several years with my refutal of the claim stemming from my bias towards Zinadine Zidane, but more relevantly to Messi’s multiple failings at international level Three final defeats on the world stage and not a single win for the ‘greatest of all time’ doesn’t quite correlate.
That notwithstanding, the little Argentine’s performance on Sunday night was for all intents and purposes the polar opposite of his size and physique. I’m not one to laud Messi, but in this match, in no uncertain terms, he was unplayable. Picking the ball up from a deeper role, he drove at the heart of a nervous Madrid rear-guard, who had no response but to bring him down in panic and frustration time and time again, drawing foul after foul from Casemiro in particular (who was for the second time in a week lucky to remain on the pitch). Such was his influence and control over the game that it led to the customary and brainless El Clasico lunge by Sergio Ramos midway through the second half resulting in the 22nd red of the Madrid captain’s career.
Messi’s touch, change of direction and decision making were exemplary as usual and can seldom be questioned. It’s his blasé like attitude off the ball at times however, that is criticized occasionally. Though not as nonchalant as perhaps Dimitar Berbatov or Mesut Ozil , he is often seen wandering aimlessly (deceptively I must stress) into open space and only seems to come alive with the ball. Learned lovers of the game appreciate this ‘hunter watching his prey’ art, but if you’re not running at 100mph for the best part of the 90 minutes a la Alexis Sanchez the perception is you’re doing it wrong. On Sunday night however, he dispelled such claims and appeared to channel an inner beast we are less accustomed to seeing.
Perhaps sparked by the inadvertent elbow he took to the face leaving him bloodied; to quote commentator Ray Hudson’s orgasmic reaction to his sublime winner, he played like a player “born in a crossfire hurricane” (There is a greatness to this brilliant quote I can’t quite articulate); there was a type of aggression to his game we are rarely privy too. After his superbly taken equaliser and although whistled and bayed endlessly by the Los Merengues faithful, Messi smelt blood and ran riot.
Cue the 92nd minute.
A draw would have arguably been a fair result, whilst Keylor Navas was easily the busier keeper, Ronaldo failed to hit the target and Madrid’s final ball was often uncharacteristically poor. Sergi Roberto’s roller coaster season after being forced from his natural position of advanced playmaker into make shift right back has certainly been interesting – he’s scored dramatic winners and has been run ragged by world class wingers. And although all plaudits will go to Messi, he deserves huge credit for his role in the winning goal.
With virtually seconds to go and Madrid having just spurned another half chance to score the winner with 10 men, Sergio Roberto surged from right back into centre midfield to start the final attack while bypassing 3 men in the process. As the box filled with desperate defenders in white and onrushing Barcelona attackers, a cut back and a screen set by Suarez (Dennis Rodman would be proud) opened up space for Messi who appeared like a Phoenix in flames to lash home a dramatic winner with the last kick of the game.
Unbelievable scenes. The performance was incredible. The goal was exceptional. And that celebration? Perfect.
Whilst he did not get the standing ovation Ronaldinho received during his finest hour at the Bernabeu, he deserved one. In years to come we will still marvel at this performance and put it up in the rafters with the best.
Few superlatives do this performance justice but look up clutch in the dictionary and pencilled alongside Robert Horry, Ray Allen, Didier Drogba and Ole Gunnar Solskjær to name a few, will be Lionel Messi — 2017.
Whilst I will continue to dispute the Greatest of all Time tag (until he wins his World Cup), there is no arguing that Lionel Messi is the greatest player I have ever seen. Without a doubt.
The title race is well and truly back on.