Real Madrid dominate in the thrilling first leg of the Spanish Supercopa but their best still doesn’t get the better of Barcelona. Real Madrid and Barcelona shared four goals in an exciting 2-2 draw.

The ever controversial Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid showed their inclination to attack as they took the game to their Clasico rivals of Barcelona, but couldn’t defeat the reigning champions despite an impressive display of passing and motivation.

Having occupied the headlines for numerous bad-tempered clashes last season, Real Madrid and Barcelona played out a 90 minutes of refreshingly void of late challenges and mass-brawls. Another surprise saw Real Madrid adopt the role of the cultivated passing side out of a Real Madrid vs Barcelona match, opening the scoring through Mesut Ozil and then levelling through Xabi Alonso.

Real Madrid vs Barcelona : A thrilling Supercopa 2011 match

The five El Clasicos that took place at the culmination of the 2010-11 campaign were games like, where a pair of poker players are reluctant to reveal their tells. Cagey self-preservation prevailed over expressionism, and given the multitude of talent on show, the concept may have seemed obtuse to the neutral, expecting to be swept off their feet by La Liga’s finest.

Between times Barcelona utilised the smash-and-grab style often used by Real Madrid last season, with David Villa and Lionel Messi scoring.

Real Madrid vs Barcelona : Notes from the supercopa game

Real Madrid’s shift in style could well be traced back to last season when, after they were crushed in the league and the Champions League by Barcelona, they were accused of being unable to live with their Catalan rivals.

That was not the case here. Karim Benzema, Real Madrid’s most impressive performer in pre-season, had an effort deflected wide off Eric Abidal and the same player was denied again when Victor Valdes clawed his header, which flew up off the turf, away to safety.

Sergio Ramos then saw a drive hit Javier Mascherano and the pressure was so intense it was only a matter of time before Real Madrid scored.

That time was the 12th minute. Karim Benzema was again involved, bustling his way through before laying on a ball which Mesut Ozil hit across Victor Valdes and into the bottom right-hand corner.

Not to be left out, Cristiano Ronaldo had a strike smothered by Victor Valdes, but that effort signalled the end of Real Madrid’s wave of attacks as Barcelona stepped up.

They did not create any chances of note and, when David Villa left Real goalie Iker Casillas grasping at the air with a 35th-minute rocket, coming totally out of the blue.

Real Madrid were wondering what they had done wrong but, rather than ponder themselves, Barcelona scored again just before the break, with Lionel Messi slotting home after Sami Khedira inadvertently bundled the ball into his path, creating a havoc in Real Madrid’s defence and seeing Messi on one on one with Iker Casillas.

Barcelona’s not very much deserved lead lasted only until the 53rd minute of the game, though, with Xabi Alonso afforded the time and space to roll the ball into the corner from the edge of the box. Equalizer for 2-2.

Cristano Ronaldo then forced Victor Valdes to punch away his shot and Lionel Messi whipped a free-kick over the bar.

The spirit of the Real Madrid vs Barcelona Supercopa game was sorely tested when both Cristiano Ronaldo and Pedro appealed for penalties but tempers cooled enough for the match to end level heading into Wednesday’s second leg.

Real Madrid vs Barcelona : The post game analysis

Real Madrid and Barcelona were then, and still are now, arguably, the two best football club sides in the world by a considerable distance, and the superlative nature of the players on show – coupled with the familiarity that exacerbated the contempt between the two – led to games that were underwhelming as a spectacle in the game’s purest form. At Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday night, however, the shackles were off, and the viewer was treated to a scintillating airing of attacking football.

Most criticised for their mentality in the now-infamous quartet of matches were Real Madrid; at certain moments they appeared to operate without a recognised striker, to the chagrin of most, including their own talisman Cristiano Ronaldo. There are those who felt that with an injection of ambition to test what was a patchwork Barcelona back-four, the end of last season may have reached a distinctly different outcome.

So to see Mourinho’s men crash through their self-created image and come hurtling toward Barca with wave after wave of offensive momentum was as refreshing as it was, to a certain extent, irrelevant. This was the Spain Supercopa so no more than a curtain raiser in the minds of all football fans, and although the forefront rivals of Spanish football doing battle can never be regarded as insignificant, tactics in a tie such as this can’t be used as an indication of future intent.

And yet, it was how the neutral – and presumably a number of Madridistas – would have wanted their club to tackle the immovable force from Catalunya. Taking the game very much into the territory of their opponents, Barcelona were unnerved, uncomposed, and even fortunate not to be beaten.

The fixture may have finished 2-2, giving Pep Guardiola’s side the edge heading into the return match at Camp Nou on Wednesday, but Real Madrid didn’t do a whole lot wrong; after controlling possession and taking the lead through Mesut Ozil, they were the only side who appeared capable of threatening the scoreboard for the opening 30 minutes.

That was until David Villa fashioned a chink of light on the corner of the area and executed a perfect shot that traversed around the body of Sergio Ramos and nestled in Iker Casillas’ net. It was a goal that must simply be applauded rather than be subject to analysis as to how it could have been stopped. Then, on the stroke of half-time, a lucky break and a Pepe slip allowed the previously anonymous Lionel Messi to put Barca ahead.

Jose Mourinho must have been baffled. But his team responded in kind, courtesy of a controlled Xabi Alonso side-foot that found the corner, and had Karim Benzema’s finishing been sharper, Cristiano Ronaldo’s fizzing free-kick been a foot further to the left, or Valdes punished for his cheeky trip on the Portuguese, then victory could have been theirs.

It was at times breathless, and more free-flowing and lacking in positional discipline than we have become accustomed to seeing from Mourinho in recent years. And whether or not we can extract any information as to how the class of 2011-12 will tackle Barca, for sheer spectacle it vanquished all of the tetchy encounters from last season, but retained an aggressive, competitive element.

“Whether or not we can extract any information as to how Madrid will tackle Barca, for sheer spectacle it vanquished all of the tetchy encounters from last season.”

Barcelona vs Real Madrid : Second Leg of Spain Supercopa on Wednesday

And, after all that, Barcelona could not be overcome. Despite the spine of their team, namely, Xavi, Sergio Busquets, and Gerard Pique all warming the bench from the start, Madrid didn’t have the ruthlessness to take advantage of their superiority, and Barcelona should be complimented for their role in the contest just as vociferously as Madrid.

For the manner in which they escaped the arena without defeat, despite showcasing little of the style and finesse that have granted them worldwide acclaim, represents the mark of champions. Cliched it may be, but a weaker side from both a mental and a physical sense would have crumbed at the sheer ferocity of Madrid’s collar-clutching, high-octane outlook.

As it was, we were able to enjoy two sides free from the burden of the significance of the occasion, and in turn they gave us a mouth-watering prologue to the new season, offering as many questions as answers as to who will reign in Spain.

Real Madrid vs Baecelona Supercopa 1st leg Video

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