Skip to content

El Clasico: Roberto Martinez, Phil Neville and Guillem Balague's verdict

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Guillem Balague felt it was a cautious affair between Barcelona and Real Madrid, making it difficult for Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo to have an influence

Roberto Martinez, Phil Neville and Guillem Balague give their verdicts as Barcelona and Real Madrid cancelled each other out in El Clasico.

A late Sergio Ramos header stole a point in Saturday's match at the Nou Camp as Los Blancos drew 1-1 with Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

Martinez, Neville and Balague watched the game from the studio and were asked for their analysis on the game.... 

Roberto Martinez 

We saw two teams with two very different roles. Real Madrid did really well with what they wanted to do for 90 minutes. They came well organised - similar to the game they had at the Calderon (Madrid derby) - and tried to hit the team on the counter.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Highlights of Barcelona v Real Madrid in La Liga

We saw a Barcelona that in the first half, they weren't creative enough or brave enough to dislodge that defensive system but in the second half, we saw a better tempo, a better intensity and the arrival of Andres Iniesta and I felt in that period, Barcelona did enough with scoring the first goal and then having two or three changes to win the game but Real Madrid deserved it just for their mentality. They looked like an incredibly confident side and that's how good the work of Zinedine Zidane has been.

Luis Suarez
Image: Luis Suarez opens the scoring for Barca

Phil Neville

I thought Real Madrid were fantastic in the game. They are six points clear at the top, they played with great spirit and organisation. The tactics in the first half, especially from Zidane, blocked up all the holes. Barcelona played very slow football and didn't really cause any problems and it wasn't until Iniesta came on that they created more chances and started to play with a bit more speed and in the end, a draw was probably a fair result.

Real Madrid's defender Sergio Ramos celebrates after scoring the equalizer during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid CF at the C
Image: Real Madrid's defender Sergio Ramos celebrates after scoring the equaliser

Guillem Balague 

You saw it in the first half especially before the game opened up a bit, you saw Karim Benzema and Isco - who is supposed to play in behind the striker - playing 20 metres from the box, defending. Cristiano Ronaldo as well was tracking back. There were no spaces at all in the first half which was part of the cautiousness of the game but also the things that Zinedine Zidane asked them to do.

Also See:

They are responding to everything he is doing, every decision that he is making, not just in terms of work rate but the substitutions as well are working for Zidane.

Around Sky