However, Pep Guardiola is now facing his sternest test since taking over the reins at Barcelona. It is still the same breathtaking style of Total Football but the invincibility is waning. Replicating last year’s success is already impossible as Barcelona were eliminated from the Copa del Rey by Sevilla. The chase for La Liga and Champions League titles is still on, if hanging by a thread.

In La Liga, Pep Guardiola failed to create an insurmountable lead like last season. The current one-point gap will motivate Real Madrid to push Barcelona right to the wire, as the La Liga is the former’s only chance for glory after spending a massive fortune assembling Galacticos during the summer.

Given the long standing rivalry between the two Spanish clubs, Barcelona cannot afford to take their foot off the pedal, if they want to create history. However, the Blaugranas are showing signs of strain from fighting for honors on multiple fronts.

On Saturday, Xerez, in 20th position with only six victories and 30 goals in 33 matches was pitted against Barcelona with no hopes of an upset. True to form, the Catalans dismissed their opponent in a 3-1 victory. Pep Guardiola is not in a celebratory mood though as Real Madrid squeezed past Zaragoza 2-1, courtesy of Raul and Kaka, to maintain the pressure.

But rather than worry about his rival, Pep Guardiola will do well to evaluate his team’s weakness. Barcelona were leading 2-0 but complacency set in. With nothing to lose, Xerez went all out and sneaked in a goal as well as causing panic in Barcelona’s backline, despite its limited firepower. Such defensive lapses will haunt Guardiola as the consequences are dire against tougher opponents.

Tensions in the domestic league aside, Barcelona’s European party is also in danger of being spoiled by a crafty Jose Mourinho. The Blaugranas did not impress in the group stages of the Champions League but they stamped their class after steamrolling Stuttgart and Arsenal 5-1 and 6-3 respectively.

The scoreline may gloss over the fact that Barcelona were lackluster in a 2-2 draw at Emirates Stadium and only prevailed at Nou Camp with a certain Lionel Messi in majestic form. Against Inter Milan, Pep Guardiola will need more Nou Camp magic as the odds are stacked higher after a 3-1 defeat at the San Siro in the Champions League semi final first leg.

Inter, seeking to relive the glory of being Europe’s champions since consecutive titles in 1964 and 1965, effectively clamped down on FIFA Player of the Year Lionel Messi and made the defending champions swallow their pride – it was the first time they conceded three goals this season.

Although Barcelona scored first from Pedro Rodriguez’s low shot in the 19th minute, they failed to capitalize on the advantage and overwhelming possession. As the game wore on, Barcelona appeared jaded, probably due to the 10 hour bus trip.

On the other hand, the goal spured Internazionale into combat mode where they launched swift counter attacks and tightened the backline. Inter Milan equalized through Wesley Sneijder in the 30th minute and collected a precious two goal lead through Maicon in the 48th minute and Diego Milito in the 61st minute.

Perhaps nobody does it better than Barcelona when it comes to exquisite passing but it cannot compensate for the loss of concentration and inability to track back quickly. That Inter Milan have a disciplined defense is no secret but the Catalans underestimated the lighting pace at which Jose Mourinho’s team launch their counter attacks.

A downcast Pep Guardiola was frank about his defence’s frailties, saying: “We could have been more concentrated. It can happen, especially when you are playing in the semi-final of the Champions League, especially versus Inter. They have very fast forwards.”

To be sure, Jose Mourinho has transformed Inter Milan from an underachiever to a club with character and self belief. Previous Inter sides lacked a killer instinct and would have resigned to fate after a dominant Barcelona went ahead.

However, Mourinho’s team fought back bravely to subdue the “best team in the world.” The new found resilience is also evident in a defense marshalled superbly by Lucio and skipper Javier Zanetti which neutralized Lionel Messi, Maxwell and Dani Alves.

As Inter failed to breach Barcelona’s defense in three previous encounters, this victory was all the more significant in dispelling old demons. It is also worth mentioning that Mourinho’s strategy proved to be superior and was executed to a tee on that night.

In the face of Barcelona’s fearsome attack, Jose Mourinho opted instead for an aggressive line-up by fielding three forwards (Samuel Eto’o, Diego Milito and Goran Pandev) plus playmaker Sneijder. The irrepressible Sneijder orchestrates attack while the tireless Milito’s pace and positioning ensures he is frequently in the thick of action.

It was a masterstroke which unsettled the defending champions. Incidentally, this was the same formation which dismantled the Stamford Bridge fortress last month.

In fairness, there were a few fouls on Barcelona which are borderline penalty cases – Esteban Cambiasso’s stab at Messi’s boot in the penalty box and a Wesley Sneijder challenge on Dani Alves. Barcelona were also a victim of an offside decision (or lack of) on Diego Milito’s goal.

However, blaming the referee, Olegário Benquerenca of Portugal, of  helping his compatriot, Jose Mourinho, is an unsportsmanlike behavior. After all, Ogegario once awarded three penalties against Mourinho’s Porto in a single league match.

Casting doubts on a referee’s professionalism just because you lose a match is uncalled for. Barcelona also have little moral grounds to complain since they were the beneficiary of a referee decision which helped to elminate Chelsea last season.

Is Pep Guardiola A Fluke?

Pep Guardiola has to pass the crucial tests against Real Madrid and Inter Milan for his managerial credentials to be taken seriously. With a quality team like Barcelona, football critics feel that Guardiola had his work cut out for him.

How hard is it to win titles when you have Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Henry, Alves, Ibrahimovic, and at one time, Eto’o, in your team? The situation is similar for Manuel Pellegrini who may yet steer Real Madrid to the La Liga title, but it is not enough to satisfy the fans with the amount of talents at his disposal.

As for Jose Mourinho, it is difficult to begrude him the label of Special One. He earned his spurs by winning the domestic league, Cup and Champions League for Porto with an impressive record. Next he arrived at Chelsea to clinch the Premier League after a 50 year absence for the Blues.

In the process, Alex Ferguson was toppled from his lofty perch as Mourinho set a new standard for the Premier League in terms of points won and goals conceded. Now at Inter, he won the Serie A in his first season and is looking to add the Champions League.

Jose Mourinho enjoyed success in 3 different leagues, compared to Pep Guardiola’s sextuple wonder in a single league. Last season Champions League debacle at Stamford Bridge was also a blot on Guardiola’s unprecedented success. Without the referee’s mistake, the outcome for a struggling Barcelona who almost lost the plot could be different.

Guardiola was also lucky that his squad wasn’t plagued with too many injuries in his first season. Staying in contention for the titles while key players are injured for prolonged periods is a necessary quality of a successful coach.

Questions about Guardiola’s abilities and sustainability of his success will continue until he laid them to rest on the pitch. Will Guardiola crack under the pressure and set off a domino effect of losses, which result in a barren spell? I hope not and it is too much to call him a fluke.

Pep Guardiola is an intelligent player/coach and a leader of men. More importantly, he is a true blue Barcelona fan. The Catalans’ repressed culture and heritage is in his blood and he defends it passionately. There is no doubt he wants his squad to be equally committed.

At the age of 13, Guardiola was inducted into the youth academy and promoted by Johan Cruyff after 6 years. Guardiola quickly assumed the role of midfield general in the senior team and in 12 seasons, he captured six La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys and one Champions League trophy.

The sterling achievements held him in good stead among Barcelona fans and players alike. Cesc Fabregas and Xavi had openly declared their desire to emulate Guardiola’s influence in midfield. However, reputation can only carry you so far if you can’t control the troops.

Pep Guardiola has an invaluable skill in rallying his charges, to convince them of his football philosophy and maintain the burning desire to pursue more trophies. So far, the players enjoy playing for him and prima donnas are kept in line.

Perhaps Guardiola’s coaching genius will be enhanced if he managed a less talented team but it is not easy to galvanise Barcelona. Just recall the destabilising effect of dissension in the dressing room, primarily from Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o, when Frank Rijkaard was the coach. In that disastrous season of 2007-2008, Barcelona finished third, 18 points behind Real Madrid and embarrassingly 10 points behind Villarreal.

When Pep Guardiola took over, he was quick in imposing his authority and eliminating players who were ill-disciplined and had grown too big for their boots. There is something to be said about the coach when he deals with virtually the same set of players but with vastly different results – six titles in one and a half years.

Guardiola’s ability to gel the players was honed during his time as skipper for Barcelona. He is a strong personality who articulates his opinion when the occasions call for it. Interaction and communication with players is a delicate skill and he mastered when to control and when to set the players free.

Imparted the art of Total Football by his mentor, Johan Cruyff, Guardiola’s football philosophy is simple - keep possession by moving the ball around and move as one in attack and defense. The strikers have to do their part in defense and vice versa. That requires a high fitness for every player.

Guardiola’s coaching is also famously meticulous with careful preparations, match analysis and a strict training regime. Under his guidance, Xavi and Iniesta forged the best midfield partnership, Messi became more versatile and lethal, and Pique a more stable but attack minded central defender. Toure, Busquets, Henry and Alves also increased their productivity in the past year.

So far, Guardiola has stayed true to his footballing philosophy and his players are always hungry for goals. By motivating his players and asking them to play the way football is supposed to be played, success has followed Guardiola and it is certainly not built on shaky foundations.

Next week, the clash of the titans will continue between the Catalan and the Portuguese which will fixate the entire football community. Pep Guardiola will do well to advice his players to refrain from diving. I believe Messi can deliver more damage dribbling the ball than diving blatantly or whining to the referee. Chelsea may have been the unfortunate victim of playacting last season but things do come full circle.

There is also an urgent need for Plan B when the direct route fails. Inter Milan effectively cut off Barcelona’s supplies by denying Xavi time and space on the ball. When Messi fails to dance through Inter’s defense, there is not much penetration from the Blaugranas. What is left from the formidable Barcelona are long aerial balls which were handily dealt with.

Shifting the emphasis along the flanks will have created more trouble for Inter Milan which also happens to yield Barcelona’s first goal. However, the left wing is a dilemna for Guardiola without the effeverscent Henry. He will have to select either Maxwell or Bojan but both lack the cutting edge or that moment of brilliance when the chips are down.

The substitutions are also crucial as Guardiola failed to lift the team or inject attacking impetus with his changes in the first leg. Above all, Pep Guardiola has to shore up his defense when faced with Inter Milan’s quadruple front line.

I believe Barcelona will score at home and they can seek solace that Inter Milan may have to make a similar long distance bus trip to Spain. However, Mourinho may yet have an ace up his sleeve. If there is anybody who can protect a two goal lead and spring a surprise at Nou Camp, it has to Jose Mourinho.

Given the depth of talent, contrast in styles, tactical nous of the managers, and the suffocating weight of expectations as history is in the making, I believe the second leg will show football fans around the world why Champions League is the most prestigious tournament.

Trumping Jose Mourinho in the semi final and another 90 minutes of thrilling action in the finals will see Barcelona create history by lifting consecutive Champions League titles. Such historic moments fuel the romanticism of the Champions League. I am inclined to believe Pep Guardiola will step up to the challenge and leapfrog Jose Mourinho as the most sought-after coach in Europe.

At the moment, Pep Guardiola’s contract with Barcelona expires at the end of the season and there are no confirmation of extension yet. He could be tempted to Manchester United but he will certainly prefer to extend his legacy at Barcelona. Even if he is to call it a day and stop coaching, his achievements will be etched in the Catalans’ memory as their amazing coach who did it all in one season.

Last week, Real Madrid shocked the football community with their audacious raids in the transfer market. The arrival of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, both winners of Ballon d’Or and FIFA Player of The Year, cost a cool £150 million.

Coupled with two other record fees , Luis Figo (a £37m purchase from Barcelona) and Zinedine Zidane (a £47m deal with Juventus), that is £220m on just four players. To put things in perspective, George Gillett and Tom Hicks paid just under that amount for Liverpool FC in a leveraged buyout.

Obscene money which distorts fair play, UEFA President Michel Platini says, but he ain’t see nothing yet. Rumors are rife that another six players (David Villa, David Silva, Xabi Alonso, Maicon, Franck Ribery, Raul Albiol) are on the way and the budget may balloon to more than £262m, easily eclipsing the lavish £217m spree by Roman Abramovich at Chelsea from 2003-2004.

If you developed queasy feelings of deja vu, it is understandable. After all, this is Florentino Perez’s second attempt at creating the Galacticos. Instead of recruiting world-class talents every summer during his first experiment, Perez has fast-tracked his burning ambition to see Madrid’s football recover “their place in the world.”

When Florentino Perez came into power at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2000, Real Madrid had just won the European Cup but not one to settle for mediocrity, he embarked on a breathtaking vision to assemble the best talents the world has ever seen.

This time round, Real Madrid finished nine points behind Barcelona and was eliminated from the Champions League at the first knockout stage for the fifth successive season. The abject failures stood in stark contrast to the fortunes of their arch rival.

Never before has a treble (La Liga, Champions league and Copa del Rey) been achieved in Spanish football, yet Barcelona scaled the pinnacle in Pep Guardiola’s debut managerial season – at Madrid’s expense too after a humiliating 6-2 derby defeat. Real Madrid had no reply to the attacking guile and midfield dominance of Barcelona. Each goal was a stab in the heart and rendered an impressive run of 17 victories in 18 games irrelevant.

What if Barcelona go on to achieve the unprecedented honor of retaining the Champions League title next season? Given the intense political, cultural and football rivalry between both clubs, the echelons of power in this fabled institution cannot stand aside and witness the ultimate glory of Barcelona.

Like any true-blue Real Madrid fan, Florentino Perez is anxious about the decline in the club’s prestige and desires the passion of being a Madridista to return. Soon after his re-election as President of Real Madrid, he set about the familiar task of breaking the bank and recruiting super players to level the playing field. His clarion call for Real Madrid to “do in one year what we would normally do in three,” signals his intention to deliver within a tight schedule.

Florentino Perez has a clear mandate to do the necessary and why not, after all, he is a proven success. You don’t buy a bankrupt construction company, and transform it into a multi-billion conglomerate, ACS, by ignoring project schedules and making empty promises.

Perez is particularly suited to the wheeling and dealing of business and football as he possesses acumen, charisma, political connections, enterprise, and persistence. Unfortunately, these qualities were found to be sorely lacking in his counterpart, Ramon Calderon.

There is little love lost for Ramon Calderon who had been accused of vote buying and skimming money from the vault when players were purchased. He was no slouch in spending money but his signings hardly qualify as the cream of the crop and no Spanish players were purchased.

Calderon’s saving grace was to claim some credit for the purchase of Cristiano Ronaldo. He hinted that the dirty work was done during his time: “Last season United decided not to do it because they thought it was too early and instead everyone agreed to do it this season. He [Ronaldo] wanted to come, he said that many times.”

Now, even if Perez took credit for Calderon’s work, there is no denying his ability to make things happen. His mantra being that money is no object and deficits don’t matter. Los Merengues can feel a twisted sense of pride and satisfaction to outbid Russian mogul Abramovich on all his targets, doing what Manchester City sheiks cannot by buying Kaka while they only have Gareth Barry to show for their ambitions next season, and finally Alex Ferguson, manager of one of the richest club (in terms of revenue), being forced to sell his prized asset.

To be sure, money is not the only consideration. Perez conceded that Real Madrid cannot match the financial prowess of Chelsea and Manchester City as they don’t have rich people to put money into the club. Footballers are attracted like moth to candlelight because of Madrid’s rich tradition of European and domestic triumphs as well as Perez’s personal charms.

You can see Perez’s brilliant mind at work with his creative financing and daring projections of future revenue streams for Real Madrid. Last time he wiped out Real Madrid’s debts in one fell stoke by selling off the club’s training ground for £298m to the city council. He has cash left over from clearing debts and use it to finance transfers.

This time, he managed to secure a credit line with Catalan bank, La Caixa. Against the backdrop of mounting bad loans for Spanish banks and limited access to credit for businesses, one has to marvel that Real Madrid has sponsors lining up to facilitate their transfer orgy.

The fact that Real Madrid is too big to fail certainly helps. The corridors of power in Spain will not risk the social and political fallout from pushing Real Madrid into bankruptcy, thus any banks holding the debts of Real Madrid are relatively safe.

Barcelona’s economic director, Xavier Sala-i-Martin, is baffled by the financial logic behind Perez’s grand Galaticos project. “I do not know where the 300m euros that Florentino Perez thinks he has for signings actually comes from. He says he will recoup it by selling replica shirts and so he will have to sell 30 million of them. That is impossible.”

But Perez saw no need to answer such trivial questions. His gamble on expanding revenue streams were successful in the past. According to the club, Madrid’s annual income had doubled in three years from 2000 to 2003. David Beckham’s four-year stay in Spain boosted sales of shirts and memorabilia by 137%.

More importantly, Real Madrid overtook Manchester United by £32.5m as the richest club in the world in terms of revenue in 2008. They are keen to improve on last year’s “meagre” £102m in commercial revenue and £16.8m for reaching the first knock-out stage of the 2007-08 Champions League. In fact, the arrivals of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo have already sent number crunchers into overdrive. A fresh report predicted an additional £107m a season to Madrid in revenue from the pair.

Real Madrid have also benefited from La Liga’s policy of allowing football clubs to negotiate individual contracts with broadcasters. Clearly, the incentive is for clubs to amass and leverage on world class talents to extract more TV revenue. The club also has the advantage of owning their own stadium and earned £80m in match day revenue in 2007-08.

It is futile to argue with Perez as statistics have bore out the fact that the Galacticos policy is indeed successful in generating commercial benefits and reviving the marketability of Real Madrid brand.

As Mark Twain once remarked that there are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics. So there were few critics when Perez defended the Galacticos policy as a model that feeds itself. He considered “Zidane was a cheap signing as his arrival allowed new commercial deals and new arrivals.”

Moreover, the fans have derived huge entertainment by seeing a dream team in action. Football can be intoxicating when it is played beautifully, with fluid passing, silky dribbles, cheeky back-heels, heart-stopping goalmouth actions and extraordinary goals.

There is little wrong in giving football fans what they desire, solid entertainment for 90 minutes and then leaving the stadium with a smile on their faces. The entertainment value is well worth the money. Ask Sepp Blatter.

However, it is debatable if the Galacticos policy is the right way to attain football supremacy. Or is it another “insane” attempt (where insanity is defined as repeating the same procedures and expecting different results)?

Notwithstanding Real Madrid’s irresistible appeal, I doubt if the influx of galacticos has imbued the team with an aura of invincibility and struck fear into their opponents. We all know how the first version of the Galacticos fared. Let’s do a quick review.

Real Madrid purchased four winners of the Ballon d’Or: Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and Michael Owen. However, the awards were not achieved in a Madrid shirt. The implication being that these prima donnas peaked before arriving at Santiago Bernabeu or the concept of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts did not materialize.

Initially, the policy did pay off as Real Madrid won two league titles and one Champions League title. Zidane who had already unleashed his talent as Juventus playmaker, gained a higher profile by orchestrating the Madrid midfield and scoring impossible goals. The Brazilian Ronaldo was a goal scoring machine, terrorizing defences and hitting the back of the net for fun, thanks to the effervescent Zidane.

Then there was Figo on the right flank, who could leave any defender stranded with his dribbling skills. Roberto Carlos was blazing up and down the left flank tirelessly and scoring 30 yard screamers regularly. Makelele, arguably the best defensive midfielder, also showcased his defensive ability and his short, simple passes to link up the potent strike force.

With Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane in Real Madrid’s pulsating midfield, it was easy to see why Real Madrid created chances effortlessly and scored so many goals. Unfortunately, good times don’t last and cracks started to appear.

When another superstar, David Beckham, arrived (he left Manchester United as Alex Ferguson doesn’t appreciate the media circus), jealousy and selfishness abound. The egos in the dressing room were slighted that this pin-up footballer is now the center of attraction. Yes, Beckham serves up accurate long range boomers and swerving free kicks, but he has little else to offer.

Vicente Del Bosque (coach of Real Madrid at that time) was losing control of the Galacticos of Real Madrid because he cannot satisfy everybody all the time. He has to rest certain players in order to refresh the squad or adjust his strategies as circumstances dictate, while an Englishman played more than he deserves due to TV revenue and sponsorships.

It was a tough act to follow and a recipe for disaster. Players like Zidane and Figo consider it an affront to sit on the bench and disliked being played out of position. But that is what the squad had to do to accommodate David Beckham. To fit in all the Galacticos, the versatile players usually bear the brunt of the changes.

Figo is a right winger while Zidane, playing in the middle, is the soul of the team. With Beckham alternatively given the center or right midfielder role, you can imagine the hostile feelings being bottled by the existing Galacticos when their favorite spots are up for grabs.

Perez was oblivious to the simmering discontent and continued to buy attacking, attractive players who had little defensive talents and that led to a porous backline for Real Madrid. The Galacticos policy saw its greatest irony in 2003 when Real Madrid plumped for David Beckham rather than Ronaldinho because the former is more appealing while the face of buck-toothed Ronaldinho was deemed as a laughing stock and may degrade Real Madrid’s brand.

Well, we all know what an attacking talent Ronaldinho was. He proved his mettle by leading the resurgence of Barcelona to two straight La Liga titles and a Champions League Title as well as humiliating England in the World Cup. David Beckham can sell shirts but an attacking talent he is not. Period.

Unfortunately, the joke on Florentino Perez doesn’t end with the Ronaldinho saga. Sameul Eto’o was a Real Madrid player, but Perez sold him to Mallorca, who then profited by selling Eto’o to Barcelona where he would go on and become the top striker in the world. Just imagine what will happen if Eto’o had joined Raul and Ronaldo in a triumvirate of strikers much like the current Barcelona front line.

The attacking talents which Perez let slip from under his nose because he yearns for established stars, was not the biggest failing of the Galacticos policy though. I will say Perez’s reluctance to pay world-class defensive players high salaries was the foremost reason which eventually lead to the destruction of the team.

When Claude Makelele demanded an improved contract after David Beckham came in and disrupted the wage structure, Perez showed him the door, together with Vicente Del Bosque. The arrival of Beckham and the departure of Makelele to Chelsea marked the downfall of the Galacticos.

After the sacking of Del Bosque, the internal strife in Real Madrid worsen and they could barely function as a footballing unit. Although Real Madrid still had the best attacking players in the world, they lacked solid lacked defensive cover and even if David Beckham did not slag off his defensive duties, he has his limits.

The many frustrations eventually saw Luis Figo left the club to join Inter Milan after he was not given a two years contract by Real Madrid which he wanted. Michael Owen also left in the same season (2004-2005).

Things finally came to a boil and Perez realized that the Galacticos policy was not paying off. After his beloved club sank to an all time low in the 2005-2006 season, exiting in the UEFA Champions League to Arsenal F.C. in the round of 16 without scoring a goal in either leg, he stepped down as the President.

Lessons must surely have been learnt from the failure of the original Galacticos, even if Florentino Perez will only admit his mistake as having walked away from the mess. Does Perez now realize that it is more important to build a balanced team with attack and defense, and not just to sign players because they have mass appeal or that they had won football awards in the past? The best could be behind these players and that is why their former clubs release them.

To be sure, the city of Madrid loves both superstar signings Perez had made. Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo were the souls and inspiration of their former teams. The ‘golden boy’ of AC Milan was the perennial crowd favourite and it seemed that Milan is now on a slippery slope of decline with the sale of Kaka.

Cristiano Ronaldo was the ultimate entertainer at Manchester United and boy, did he play with panache and creativity. Like his predecessor, David Beckham, Ronaldo combined athletic prowess with a bad-boy appeal to create a unique brand in its own right.

In terms of sheer talent and technical ability, both are surely amongst the best players in the world who can change a game in one moment of brilliance. Being technically gifted players, they are expected to thrive in La Liga. Serie A is too stifling and Premier League clubs are often too physical and love their long balls.

However, Real Madrid had to contend with injuries to their prized assets. Two seasons ago, Ronaldo scored an exceptional 42 goals in all competitions – no mean feat for a winger. While nobody expected him to repeat the feat, he had a late surge in form in April and May to end his season on a high. Niggling injuries led to a slight dip in Ronaldo’s form and it is uncertain how the player will recover from his sports hernia.

As for Kaka, he suffered his own bout with injury and had struggled to find consistency on the pitch, although, just like Cristiano Ronaldo, he did finish the campaign strongly. With injuries in mind, Kaka’s age (27 years) does present an added concern, but even in his late twenties, the Brazilian is one of the most skillful players in the sport, especially when running with the ball at his feet.

Ronaldo is stronger and street-wise than Kaka after thriving in the Premier League. Depending upon how Real Madrid manager Manuel Paellegrini aligns them, they could play in very close proximity, with Ronaldo playing high up on the wings or functioning as a fox in the hole while Kaka plays as an attacking midfielder.

The Brazilian national side is not devoid of strikers but Kaka was often deployed behind Robinho, and it worked to superb effect. Real Madrid fans will salivate at how the the Brazilian will pair with Cristiano Ronaldo. But there is the pertinent question of whether Kaka and Ronaldo can work together seamlessly?

Already, Cristiano Ronaldo refuses to share the limelight with Kaka and wants a separate occasion to be unveiled as a Real Madrid player. He also demanded outrageously higher wages to distinguish himself from Kaka. Ronaldo will earn a flat wage of £6.8m a year plus substantial add-ons and image-rights payments.

Kaka’s agent (his father) cannot be described as subtle when it comes to asking for money, so you can expect the wage structure in Real Madrid to be tested like never before, especially when Kaka outperform Ronaldo in the first season.

If both superstars are more interested in pursuing individual glories rather than team success, Manuel Paellegrini will have a very short career as Real Madrid manager. I doubt he will be given a full season to prove himself, especially if Real Madrid are languishing in mid-table by December.

Pep Guardiola was so successful in his first season because he cleared off the deadwood and surrounded himself with players with the right attitude – those who are willing to fight for him and adhere to his work ethics and strategies. More importantly, the unwavering support of the Barcelona board who sides with the manager instead of the players.

Real Madrid have also not bolstered their defensive midfield spots and the lack of another quality goalkeeper to replace Iker Casillas should he get injured are potential trouble spots. Xabi Alonso would be a great addition – because he is disciplined and can run a game from deep. Playing him next to Lassana should be a natural choice for Pellegrini, provided Liverpool are willing to sell.

Right now, Real Madrid have an attacking midfield of Robben, Kaka, and Ronaldo but you will be hard pressed to see any of these players making a tackle.

While Real Madrid adopts a system of being the richest bidder who pluck the blossoming fruit off the mother tree, Barcelona is on a totally different plane as they painstakingly cultivate their own seedlings.

When it comes to building a team, I believe Barcelona win hands down. They won the treble, inspired by Guardiola’s philosophy of attacking possession football and with a largely homegrown squad in which 7 players of the starting 11 were products of their youth system (Victor Valdes, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergi Busquets, and Lionel Messi).

If I were to choose between building up players from youth teams or buying the end products, without a doubt, Barcelona’s system is the best and should be the model for all football clubs. I keep my fingers crossed on whether Real Madrid can spend its way to football supremacy.

Much has also been made on the tectonic shift in power to Spanish football. There is no doubt about Spain’s standing as as one of the finest team in international football. In the Champions League, Barcelona demolished former champion, Manchester United, in Rome, which was a further proof of the quality of Spanish football.

For the past few seasons, Premier League teams have proceeded beyond the quarter-finals and ensured a strong English presence in the semi-finals and finals. The Premier League also basked in the glory of being the most watched league among Asian TV viewers.

However, the transfer moves by Perez could severely disrupt the mass appeal of the Premier League. We will know the answer soon if the Champions League will feature another four Premier League clubs or the world’s attention will just revolve around Barcelona and Real Madrid.

In any case, next season will promise lots of fireworks. Stay tuned for more updates.

However, consistency has suffered from the demanding match fixtures. Barcelona stuttered in February and March when they drew with Real Betis and then lost to city rivals Espanyol and Atletico Madrid. More recently, a 2-2 draw to Valencia has whittled their once unassailable 12 point lead to a tentative 4-point gap over closest rival Real Madrid.

While Barcelona stumbled, Real Madrid came back from a goal down in a gritty 4-2 victory over third-placed Sevilla. It has bolstered their confidence and injected new life into the title race. Indeed, the Los Merengues today is a different side from the one which succumbed 2-0 at the Nou Camp in December. That was a deplorable league debut for Juande Ramos as Real Madrid’s manager but they have not looked back since with an awesome run of 17 wins and one draw in 18 La Liga matches.

Considering Chelsea’s neutralization of Barcelona’s threat in the Champions League semi-final, one cannot help but feel wistful that a year of commendable efforts from Pep Guardiola’s Dream Boys may end up in misery when it matters. Even today, the Catalans are struggling to explain their toothless display against Chelsea.

How could they fail to find the net? After all, the much vaunted strike force comprising Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry and Samuel Eto’o have scored more goals between them than the entire Chelsea side. At their current rate, Barca could rewrite the record of 107 league goals set by John Toshack’s Real Madrid in 1989-90.

The short and simple truth for Chelsea’s success in stopping the finest front line football has known (where so many others failed) is an ultra-defensive strategy. At times, Barcelona had to wade through three defensive shields in front of hero Petr Cech who showed no signs of vulnerability, like those embarrassing blunders he committed in the Premier League.

The midfield helped out by kicking and haranguing Xavi and Iniesta, barging Messi off the ball, and crowding him out. Cech was pleased with those in front of him and particularly grateful to the magnificent Jose Bosingwa who was playing in the left back position due to Ashley Cole’s absence. The Portuguese effectively shackled Lionel Messi which shows that right-footed players are the perfect foil in dealing with the tricky winger. Messi was also cut down to size by Phillip Lahm in Bayern Munich’s 1-1 draw with Barcelona.

It is within Barcelona’s right to decry Chelsea’s negative tactics or a biased referee but the obsession is unhealthy. For all their talents, they should rise above all these whinging and analyze how to overcome this hurdle. The referee may have allowed Chelsea to break up play with aggressive tackles, fouls and time wasting.

To be frank, I prefer scintillating football any day over this kind of ruthlessly effective but boring style. However, let’s not forget that Guus Hiddink’s tactics are legitimate. There is nothing in the books which suggest that Chelsea have to join Barcelona in being the poster boys of football to achieve their objectives.

Barcelona were unable to dictate the pace but a successful team must learn to adapt to different circumstances. When fluidity and artistry are curtailed because your opponent fought for all the balls and left little space and supply for Lionel Messi and his teammates, Pep Guardiola must have alternative tactics ready to deal with such obdurate defenses.

Sometimes, instead of applying suffocating pressure, letting go of possession and luring Chelsea to counter-attack may be a better approach as it allows Barcelona to exploit gaps at the back. Barcelona should also not dwell too much on a possible penalty which the referee denied Thierry Henry. The Blaugrana had sufficient chances to win the game, only if they had been more accurate with their shots.

Though Chelsea prefer an inelegant destroyer role, it will be a folly for Pep Guardiola to assume Chelsea only know how to defend and will be a sitting duck at Stamford Bridge. While Guardiola refused to veer from his principle of “attack being the best form of defense,” the 62 year old Hiddink has seen enough in his lifetime to be flexible in his strategies as circumstances dictate.

The implication being that the Blues could very well take the game to Barcelona by attacking in waves since the odds are now in their favor. Let’s not forget that Guus Hiddink was schooled in the art of Total Football and is no stranger to a stylish, open, attacking play.

He led Holland into the semi finals of the 1998 World Cup and they were one of the most exciting teams on display. South Korea in the 2002 World Cup took the football community by storm with its cohesiveness, slick passing, and work ethics where the players maintain a high tempo of tireless running while their opponents slagged off in the final moments. The mastermind who lifted the Koreans to unimaginable heights of a World Cup: Guus Hiddink.

The Dutch maestro then took his magic to Australia and Russia and improved both teams substantially in fitness, discipline, confidence and purpose. Hiddink knows how to extract the best from limited and ordinary resources and getting them to function as a team.

Though Hiddink can count his blessings that Michael Essien returned from long-term injury to add muscle and technical ability to Chelsea’s midfield, it is the way he motivated underachiever Didier Drogba and polished a condemned player Florent Malouda into competence that made a huge difference.

Guus Hiddink will also revel in the knowledge that Guardiola has to replace two central defensive stalwarts, Rafael Marquez and Carles Puyol, for the second leg due to injury and suspension respectively. Keeping things tight will be especially challenging if Chelsea decide to stamp their aerial superiority by pumping balls towards the marauding Didier Drogba.

I believe Pep Guardiola has a bright future ahead of him but it will be a tall order for him to outwit Guus Hiddink’s experience and tactical shrewdness. In fairness, Pep has already exceeded expectations in his debut managerial season. He won respect from friends and foes alike for his brand of attacking, possession and high-paced football that bordered on the obsessive.

To be sure, Pep Guardiola has his work cut out for him with a squad featuring Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o, Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and Alves. Henry is Arsenal’s leading scorer, Eto’o Spain’s top scorer over the past five years, and Messi contributed consistently his fair share of assists and goals by tormenting defenses. You can’t go wrong with these lads, right?

Well, not too long ago, all three were in the team that finished 18 points behind Real Madrid last season. Eto’o was in the headlines for public spats with Ronaldinho while Henry lamented his role as a left wing water carrier. Nevertheless, the dark clouds dissipated and all three have outdone themselves under the guidance of Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola has molded and motivated the massive egos into the second version of Cryuff’s Dream Team, with better organization, passing, control, team spirit and a hunger for goals. He is an intelligent and perceptive person and being a former player at the highest level, he knows how and what the prima-donnas think.

Despite all the accolades, Guardiola has kept his feet firmly on the ground by constantly reminding supporters that his team has not won anything. He is right to temper unrealistic expectations and prepare for the worst in case everything unravels after a taxing encounter with Real Madrid in one of football’s most anticipated match known as El Clasico, followed by a do-or-die mission to Stamford Bridge to progress into Champions League finals.

Pep Guardialo is currently facing two camps of thought and I doubt he relishes this fine balancing act. Is El Clasico more important than the Champions League? His best players in the front line and midfield are at his disposal but there is a need to rest, refresh and rotate the squad. Lack of clinical strikes, dimming creativity as well as tiredness are starting to creep in; however, the first XI could be weakened considerably by any tinkering.

Losing the El Clasico is unimaginable to the true blue Catalans, of which Guardiola is a staunch member, having featured prominently in Cruyff’s Dream Team during his prime and is well-loved by Barcelona fans. He understands the mystique behind El Clasico first hand. To the die-hards, El Clasico is more than just the normal club rivalries, it is a derby scarred by decades of politics, hatred, oppression and cultural clashes.

Juande Ramos will have an easier decision to make. In fact, El Clasico could not have come at a better time for Real Madrid. Real’s elimination from the Champions League and the King’s Cup has allowed them to concentrate fully on the Primera Liga. Juande Ramos has done credibly in keeping pace with the league leader and to breathe down their neck relentlessly.

Real Madrid are in the driver’s seat in terms of momentum and they have a home ground advantage at the imposing Santiago Bernabeu – the bitter battlefield when Barcelona suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat last year and had to applaud Real on to the pitch in the traditional tribute to the newly-crowned league champions.

In terms of injuries and suspensions, neither team has clear advantages. Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez is out with a troubling knee injury and the loss of his expertise in building up attacks from the back will be felt keenly. Real defender Pepe has been banned for 10 matches following his sending off against Getafe. Real will also be without midfielder Guti (ankle injury), and it is unclear whether winger Arjen Robben and midfielder Wesley Sneijder will recover from muscle strains in time to feature.

This title race could go right to the wire if Real Madrid emerge with a victory. With four matches left and the title race separated by a wafer thin one point gap, Barcelona may crack under the intense pressure and bid farewell to their first league title in three years.

Conversely, if Barcelona eliminate the Men In White, the La Liga title is virtually theirs for the taking. With three home games coming up and no team has stopped Barcelona from scoring at Camp Nou this season (except for Chelsea), the points are more or less secure. They will also be able to face Chelsea in a more relaxed manner and progress to the Champions League Finals.

After the El Clasico, Barcelona have four days to recuperate and dismantle the Chelsea defense and then face Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final. In view of the hectic schedule, there is a high chance that Pep Guardiola’s debut managerial season may up in tears.

True champions emerge from trying circumstances so if Guardiola succeeds in negotiating all the hurdles, this baptism of fire will only strengthen his resolve and add to his experience. We could very well be witnessing a new era of dominance by the Blaugrana.

Even if Guardiola fails to deliver, he can give himself a pat on the back as the ground is sweet for a second assault on the Treble next season, provided the same team and management are kept intact.

The title is almost out of reach for Barcelona now but the careless manner in which points were dropped is disgraceful. The Catalans have won only once in its past seven league matches and time is running out with six games left. Heads will roll at the end of the season since Rijkaard has no excuses given the amount of talents at his disposal.

In this 2-2 draw against Recreativo Huelva, Barcelona rested Bojan Krkic, Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta due to injuries while Ronaldinho was absent amid reports that he will be playing for AC Milan next season. However, Barcelona welcomed the return of Lionel Messi and their class showed in the way they pressed forward aggressively right from the start.

Barcelona established one-goal cushion on two occasions, thanks to Samuel Eto’o and created enough chances to win the game comfortably. But a shaky defense proved to be their undoing. Similar to last month encounter against Real Betis, where a 2-1 second-half lead reversed into a 3-2 defeat, Barcelona’s defensive lapses proved costly again.

I was impressed with Recreativo Huelva’s fighting spirit and work-rate. They were not cowed by Barcelona’s reputation and every ball was chased down. In the end, their efforts in besieging the Catalans were rewarded as Marco Ruben took advantage of a defensive mess to equalize with a 71st-minute header. Ruben had made it 1-1 in the 41st minute with another header. It was controversial as replays showed the ball had not crossed the line.

Mathematically, Barcelona are not out of contention for the La Liga yet. They have to clear Espanyol, Valencia, Mallorca, Deportivo, Murcia and, most importantly, Real Madrid. It is a tricky path to maneuver and more points may be dropped against Valencia and Deportivo. And not to forget, the small matter of Barcelona not tasting victory against Madrid since November 2005, a run of four matches.

Even if Barcelona win the remaining matches, Real Madrid still retain control over its own destiny and a calamity of three losses is needed for Barcelona to revive their hopes. In Europe, the situation for the 2006 Champions League winner is getting tedious. Though undefeated, they will face off with Manchester United (also unbeaten) in the semi-finals. The Red Devils are in sterling form currently and they will demolish Barcelona’s porous defense.

Meanwhile, the ball is in Real Madrid’s court. Though their 1-0 victory over Real Murcia wasn’t a high-quality display, it was enough for them to surge nine points clear of Barcelona and ten of Villarreal. Madrid exhibited their championship qualities by grinding out a win despite playing with ten men for nearly 70 minutes.

Murcia started with a 4-5-1 formation to stifle the midfield and Schuster responded with Robinho and Arjen Robben on the flanks to supply lone striker Raul. But Schuster’s strategy was ruined in the 19th minute when Miguel Torres was given a red card for stepping on the heel of a Murcia player.

Murcia, second from bottom in the table, made their numerical superiority count at times but their lack of finesse in front of goal, reflected in their deplorable statistic of less than a goal per game, saved Madrid.

At the end of the first half, Real Madrid were jeered by their demanding home fans as they had expected their team to dispatch such a lowly opponent by now. Fortunately, in the 59th minute, Sneijder scored with his only shot, making it his eighth goal in league play.

A throw-in from the right saw Murcia missing two chances to clear the ball before Sneijder latched on in the penalty area. He did not waste time in firing the ball into the upper right corner. Madrid grew more confident and they continued their plunder for a second goal, their pressure yielded about three times as many shots as Murcia when the final whistle blew.

This victory certainly ease Real Madrid’s route to their second consecutive La Liga title. Schuster was impressed with the way his players coped with Torres’ early dismissal. He has been criticized this season for Madrid’s boring style of play – speculation persists about his long-term future at the club – and he admitted Sunday’s win was another case of substance over style.

He said: “It was harder to find spaces in which to attack. I think there is a lot of merit in this victory, but I would have liked the game to be different. The only important thing is to take each game at a time and to try to win every single one. That’s what we are working on.”

I believe Real Madrid will clinch the title but I am not confident that Schuster will remain as manager for another term. Real Madrid have a penchant for sacking successful managers. Fabio Capello, much criticized during his second spell at Real Madrid for neglecting David Beckham and Ronaldo, secured the domestic title on the last day by pipping Barcelona.

The euphoria of filling the trophy cabinet, after several years of under-achievement, was unfortunately, short-lived. Real Madrid’s president, Ramon Calderon showed Capello the door soon after.

Another successful Real Madrid manager in recent history, Vincente del Bosque, also suffered the same fate just a day after he won the club its 29th League title. In both cases, the managers have illustrious records – Capello winning titles at every club he managed and del Bosque, over four seasons in charge, steered the club to two Champions League titles, two La Liga titles, a Spanish Supercup, a European Supercup and the Intercontinental Cup.

Apparently, winning titles do not ensure survivability of managers at Real Madrid. And when we consider that Schuster barely fulfilled the promise of replacing Fabio Capello with more entertainment, his position at the club is shaky.

Schuster did not transform Real Madrid’s playing style substantially; shades of Capello can still be seen in the team as they preferred to win in a tight and efficient manner rather than a swashbuckling approach. Failing to progress in the Champions League also put Schuster in a precarious position.

It is not unusual to yearn for changes when we are at the pinnacle. After discarding the galacticos approach and seeing positive results, the board is itching to return to their old ways. Real Madrid could not hide their adulation for Cristiano Ronaldo and they are preparing to break the bank to lure him over.

However, money is only part of the equation. Under Schuster, Real Madrid are not playing the kind of attractive football which will allow Ronaldo to showcase his full array of skills. A coach with stronger attacking credentials may be a different story though and Ronaldo may then be tempted to contemplate a lucrative transfer.

For the time being, I am not sure who will replace Schuster or if he will be replaced at all, but in Real Madrid, sentimentality counts for little. The last day of the season is always a dreadful moment for managers, successful or not.

For Barcelona, there may be less cheer and they are certainly not in the right frame of mind to face a rampaging United. Not that the Red Devils are infallible, as Middlesbrough had brought them to their knees, but I am not convinced that this Barcelona team can grind out results when the going gets tough.

Due to the dismal manner of the 1-0 win (2-0 aggregate) over Schalke 04, Barcelona fans were, understandably, livid. The brickbats were, however, directed towards Thierry Henry, instead of the entire squad. Certainly, Henry cannot shirk his responsibility in this match after an insipid display and wastefulness in front of goal but the fact is, even if Henry is benched from now till the end of the season, there is no guarantee Barcelona can live up to their promises.

Becoming the fall guy for Barcelona’s nondescript season is no fun and in view of the hostile environment, it is not surprising that questions are raised about the striker’s future at the club. Rumors are already swirling in the vine that Barcelona are prepared to off-load him at a discount. With Lionel Messi recovering from his injury and Giovanni Dos Santos waiting in the wings, Henry’s presence on the bench may even be a waste of space.

The Spanish media were keen to expedite the transfer as they did not reserve any kind words for Henry. La Vanguardia, a mainstream newspaper, gave its withering assessment of the former Arsenal striker’s contribution to Barcelona’s victory: “Until the 49th minute, if someone had said he was actually in London, you would have believed them. Then he had a clear chance but sent it over. After that there were complaints, protests but little more.”

Who will have thought such a comment will be made of Henry when he first joined Barcelona? The original idea calls for the creation of the “Fantastic Four” alongside Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto’o and to bring back the glory days of the club. Instead, what is left of the hubris today are the jeering whenever Henry took to the pitch.

Putting ourselves in Henry’s shoes, it is not difficult to imagine that his morale must be in the doldrums right now. The entire Barcelona adventure has become a nightmare and he must have wished his Arsenal stint was not ended so hastily.

Over there, he has nothing left to prove, having already established himself as the lynchpin and their always dependable trump card when the chips are down. His younger colleagues hold his class and technical abilities in awe but alas, he desired a Champions League medal. And I don’t fault him for jumping ship because Arsenal have shown they cannot win anything in Europe. This season was no different.

Barcelona are, of course, a safer bet for the Champions League crown but Henry failed to acknowledge the risks in joining a team chock full of talents. Chances are, if he even made it into the first XI, he will be played out of position and thus reducing his effectiveness, instead of him displacing established strikers like Eto’o.

Henry did himself no favors too when he took a long time to to acclimatise. When the team is ravaged by injuries and the African Nations Cup, he has the opportunity to show his true worth but his injuries took their toil and he passed up on the chance to impress the fans with a series of forgettable performances.

Henry admitted that his form has been poor and his scoring instincts dulled by playing on the left wing instead of centre forward at Barcelona. He said: “Honestly, it can be a problem. When France played in Spain in February, I was lost up front, I didn’t know where to run. My reflexes in front of goal are not what they used to be.”

I don’t think his slump in form will affect his position as Domenech’s first choice for the Euro 2008 finals, given that he is France’s all-time top scorer with 44 goals in 98 internationals. That could change though, during the competition if he is upstaged by Benzema or a resurgent Anelka.

I am actually amazed that Barcelona bought Henry over to play him out of position. Back when he was at Juventus, it was already proven that Henry is uncomfortable as as a left winger and his potential to cause damage is severely restricted. Arsene Wenger’s keen eyes spotted a distressed talent and he snapped him up for a few cents on the dollar. Then, Wenger made a bold switch by deploying him as a center-forward, and the story, as we all know, is the birth of a goal machine.

Barca’s tactic of short passing and tendency to use the left-wing as a fetch and carry role has tired him out. He disliked the idea of “running 60 metres from goal” and he has “never run so much in my whole career.” I really can’t blame him if he has not much firepower left when presented with chances after all the physical exertions.

Besides on-pitch problems, Henry also claims of unhappiness in his personal life. He has not seen his daughter Tea since his divorce from English model Claire Merry in September 2007. The high-profile divorce coincided with his move to Barcelona.

From a financial perspective, if the Barcelona board are impatient and refuse to let Henry’s contract run out till 2011, there are of course some benefits to be reaped. Barcelona paid 23.5 million euros to Arsenal last summer but given Henry’s wobbly form, the board will be hard pressed to find suitors offering the same amount of money. A cut-price deal will allow them to recoup their losses.

If Barcelona wait longer, and Henry is already 30 years old, there may be little left. More importantly, they save on the operating expenses as Henry’s salary is astronomical. Earlier this week, France Football assessed that Henry was the fifth biggest earning player in world football with a current income of 16.8 million euros, approximately half of which would come from his Barca salary.

The next question then for Henry is where to go if Barcelona are no longer interested in his service. Last month, he ruled out a return to England, but I believe his heart is still there. If he goes back to France, perennial champions Lyon is most likely to sign him but his current salary will test their resolve.

Italy may be a viable destination but Henry wasn’t particularly successful there so I will take Henry’s words of not returning with a pinch of salt, after all, he pledged his long-term allegiance to Arsenal in the summer of 2006, but still he departed.

Of those who have made their overtures, Chelsea believe that they are the forerunners for Henry’s signature. They have the advantage of a strong financial backing in Roman Abramovich and the club is London based. Henry could be swayed by the desire to see his daughter and that alone is a key push factor.

Add to that, their ability to qualify for Champions League consistently is still intact. But player politics in Chelsea is the decisive factor. If you are sitting on the wrong side of the fence, prepare for a harsh time out in the wilderness. And the manager, Avram Grant, is not a tactical genius nor a motivator.

Grant may be a lucky man and can ensure Chelsea win the majority of games but he is not able to control the dressing room strife. Henry is likely to take on a second-stringer role – the fate of Shevchenko and Ballack in not securing a first team spot should be a clear reminder. And considering Drogba’s desire to be main and only striker, that leaves Henry fighting for a supporting cast with Anelka.

The other club to have voiced their interest is Newcastle. Kevin Keegan was asked on a radio show this week who he would most like to sign this summer and he said without a hint of laughter: “I’d fetch Thierry Henry back to England. I know who I want. Mr Ashley said he wanted to win something in three-and-a-half years. When we sit down in the next few weeks, we’ll see how desperate he is to win.”

For the price of £16m, Keegan believes he can get Newcastle chairman Chris Mort and owner Mike Ashley to table an offer. This seems to be a better choice as Henry is suffering from a loss in confidence. When a striker does not believe in his own abilities, it is the worst thing that can happen; just ask Michael Owen, nothing goes right for him previously.

Keeping faith in a player is important and when his momentum returns, there is no stopping him again. A super-motivator like Kevin Keegan can do wonders to Henry’s confidence but Keegan has a lack of tactical nous and pays too little attention to defense to wrest the Premier League title, not to mention the Champions League which is the ultimate aim for Henry.

I believe the best choice for Henry, if he is keen to return to England, is to join Liverpool who have made the Champions League their own competition. But the Reds have remained passive on this issue. Whether they want Henry in their ranks is doubtful. But I will not discount such a possibility, Henry is still in frequent contact with Steven Gerrard over the phone, so keep your fingers crossed.

Real are 4 points ahead of Barcelona and they will sign off the year as champions, regardless of this result. Both teams are in a rich vein of form – Real having won 4 of their last 5 La Liga matches while Barca have a perfect home record this season.

Scratching the wound of their rival, Real Madrid snubbed their fallen star with a disparaging remark. Sporting director Pedrag Mijatovic said he would not consider Ronaldinho even if he had the chance to sign him.

Barcelona was equally sarcastic in their response. Frank Rijkaard replied that he would not sign Raul even if he was offered on a platter. The two “rejects” happen to be among the most illustrious players ever to grace La Liga but remember, anything goes in this no-holds barred match.

To understand why El Clasico gets Spain all tingling with excitement, despite both clubs separated by nearly 700 km, a quick historical lesson is in order. Barcelona represents Catalonia, a northeast region of Spain, which strives for a distinct identity and greater autonomy. The locals never consider themselves Spanish even till today.

The centuries of rivalry between Catalonia and Castilla (home of Real Madrid) came to a head during the rule of Francisco Franco, lasting from the Spanish civil war in 1936 till his death almost 40 years later. The Franco dictatorship suppressed the Catalan culture ruthlessly and it was only at the Nou Camp that locals can express their identity freely with displays of Catalan flags and roaring Catalan cheers.

Real Madrid, on the other hand, symbolizes the state repressive regime under Franco. In the eyes of the Catalans, it is a Good vs Evil battle and they take immense pleasure in a win against Real Madrid – to compensate for their political and social loss. After Franco’s death, the rivalry is stoked by television coverage and four national sports dailies.

The fans were reminded of the club’s slogan, “More than a club,” this week when club president Joan Laporta agreed to dedicate part of ticket sales from this match to the Federacio Llull, a cultural organization which encourages the spread of the Catalan language since 1990.

Laporta said: “It is our responsibility to support such activities. We do it for our sense of national dignity … for our culture, because the Catalan language is a sign of identity for Barca.”

A sports club supporting language study – this is an issue best left to politicians while we focus on the soccer aspect. Who will be the victor from this encounter? Tough call.

Barcelona employ a quick passing game when moving forward but their weakness lies in a napping defense which Real will certainly exploit. They had conceded early goals previously and staying focused for the entire 90 minutes is essential. But at home, it is still an impregnable fortress for Barcelona.

Real Madrid will be kept on their toes as the most dangerous Barcelona player is back. He is none other than Samuel Eto’o, La Liga’s most clinical finisher. The 3 times African Player of the Year scored 24 goals in his first La Liga season and 26 goals the next season.

He missed one-third of last season with a knee injury but still registered 11 goals in 19 league appearances. This season, Eto’o continues to spend time in the treatment room but he looked sharp with two masterful goals against a clueless Valencia last week.

Eto’o chief strengths lie in his creativity and cunning runs from deep positions instead of lurking in the penalty box. That makes him extremely difficult to mark and once he is within the striking zone, the goalkeeper is helpless.

Barcelona’s attacking flair is turning into goals with Eto’o as the focal point. The lad loves playing against Real Madrid and if they do not neutralise him, half the battle is lost. Fabio Canavarro will have his hands full organizing the defense.

Thierry Henry is also expected to join the team after a long layoff from a lower back injury. The former Gunner has scored five goals in the Spanish league and two in the Champions League this season. If he hit his optimum capability and link up with Eto’o, Barcelona will be unstoppable. Unfortunately, without match fitness, he is likely to be benched as Rijkaard opts for Eto’o and Giovanni dos Santos in a 2-man front line.

Real Madrid can be grateful that Lionel Messi is out after tearing his left thigh muscle last weekend. The memory of Messi’s hat-trick, including a stoppage time equalizer last season to save Barcelona from an embarrassing 3-0 defeat must still be fresh in their minds. In star-studded Barca, Ronaldinho and Deco are able backups and can cause major problems if left unchecked.

Ruud van Nistelrooy will be the main threat when Real launch the counter-attacks. Sergio Ramos is also dangerous with his overlapping runs. Robinho, his wife newly pregnant, is full of trickery and can draw lots of fouls from Barcelona with his dribbling and ball holding ability.

As for Raul, he is no longer terrorizing defenders as in his prime days but he remains a man for the big occasions and will be keen to show Rijkaard that he is far from being a spent force.

I don’t think the tension between both teams will be as high as in the past. Certainly, we won’t see the bathing of a pig head which greets Luis Figo. Real Madrid coach Schuster will see to that. He is a player highly regarded in both Real and Barcelona, having won La Liga and Spanish Cup winners’ medals at both clubs.

Schuster will receive a warm reception when he steps out of the tunnel on Sunday but after he ends Barcelona’s perfect home record, there is no telling if there will be any goodwill left.

The paper pointed out that Roman Abramovich is “convinced that the signing of Ronaldinho would be magnificent from all points of view” and has made it a top priority for the next season. Peter Kenyon has already held discussions with Barcelona officials on the sidelines of the G14 meetings.

The paper further confirmed: “The decision has already been taken.” The bid will include Michael Ballack, who was a firm target of Barcelona while he was at Bayern Munich.

This season, Ronaldinho has been lambasted in in the Spanish press for dismal performances and unprofessional behavior off the pitch. But Barcelona is sticking with him, at least officially. Just last month, Barcelona vice-president Ferran Soriano insisted that Ronaldinho, who has also been linked to AC Milan, was not for sale.

There are obstacles to the Brazilian’s arrival at Chelsea, not least the price tag of £85 million as a buy-out clause in his five-year contract. Nevertheless, Abramovich is confident of luring him over since Frank Rijkaard is struggling with the assimilation of Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi into his line-up.

Another attraction is the arrival of Juliano Belletti from Barcelona. Together with Alex, Belletti offers a strong Brazilian presence at Stamford Bridge.

Currently struggling with a makeshift defense, Chelsea are not looking to strengthen the squad with a fullback, but rather an attacking midfielder. Last month, they forgo the chance to bring Daniel Alves from Sevilla because they were unwilling to match the £24m asking price. That may haunt them in the title race, considering the first team defense is almost wiped out and the reserves are barely coping.

Avram Grant wants to focus on entertainment and there is a yawning shortage of exciting players in Chelsea, so Ronaldinho seem the most natural of choices. But a word of advice, the Real Madrid’s style of pursuing Galacticos is a double-edged sword.

Let’s recall the days of Florentino Perez, former Real Madrid’s president. It is ironical that just within a week of Real Madrid getting the tag of the “world’s richest football club,” he resigned (or was forced to). His vision of catapulting Madrid onto the world map has achieved spectacular commercial success, but the trophy cabinet is empty.

They had not won any major titles in 2004 and 2005 and in 2006, a series of embarrassing losses and trailing behind arch-rival Barcelona by ten points, it is apparent Perez’s days are numbered.

In his interview, he candidly revealed that the Galacticos he signed were not performing and were ‘confused.’ They were more often interested in their self-interest than fighting for the team. Perez further compared his ‘Galacticos’ to spoil children and blamed himself as the parent who indulged them. The inability to foster team spirit was his greatest failing.

Coming back to Chelsea, the purchase of Ballack and Shevchenko qualify as Galacticos but their impact on the team was minimal, and I meant it as an understatement. Chelsea has the money, that is for sure.

In the list of the richest players and club owners of the Premiership, published by English magazine FourFourTwo, Roman Abramovich’s personal fortune was estimated at a whooping £10.8b. Joe Lewis, owner of Tottenham, came in at a distant second with only £2.8b.

Even then, Chelsea has to consider if the purchase of a declining asset at this point of time will work in their interest, they have after all spent a fortune on two flops, there is little guarantee that Ronaldinho will set the Premier League alight if he cannot do it in La Liga.

Abramovich and Kenyon had emphasized during Jose Mourinho’s era the need for Chelsea to conduct their business in a commercially sustainable manner. Yet, by spending £85m on a single player, it represents a baffling reversal and is a slap in the face of the Special One.

If Ronaldinho fails, I am sure Mourinho will take pleasure in the demise and among the first to rub it in the face of his former boss.

But things change. Since last season, or should I say, after the World Cup, this gifted player has not been the same. At this most prestigious competition, he did NOTHING to suggest he is the most skilled player in the world.

His creativity and close control of the ball was non-existent; too easily dispossessed whenever he moved forward, the strikers were starved of vital ammunition to cause any serious damage. At least, Kaka performed credibly.

Nevertheless, it was expected that he can shake off the insipid form on his return to his favorite club. Alas, the troubles were just beginning. On his return, he was accused of being overweight and unfit, but he still managed to show flashes of brilliance. This season, he has totally lost it. He is no longer interested in the game.

Now, it is unwise for a club to discard a great player who has lost his form, especially one who has contributed so much to the team. It could be just a temporary blip in a glittering career.

It is a different case though when the player turns troublemaker and creates tension in the dressing room. Take a leaf from Manchester United. Alex Ferguson sent Roy Keane (his midfield general) on his way when he started shooting from his mouth and pinpointing his team-mates for the failure of the team.

It was well reported last season the public feuds Ronaldinho has with his fellow striker Samuel Eto’o and manager Frank Rijkaard. This season, Henry, who is a close friend of Eto’o joined the club and Ronaldinho may feel even more threatened that his superstar status in the team is eroded.

Internally, Lionel Messi has upstaged the Brazilian as the king of Nou Camp, while the emergence of two relative unknowns, Giovani dos Santos and Bojan Krkic, both on scintillating form, means there is an abundance of talents in the team.

The rumors that Barcelona is prepared to sell may have some truth. They could have lost patience with Ronaldinho and the transfer may even take place in the winter transfer window.

Judging by the chorus of boos and whistles at Ronaldinho’s latest performance, the fans will not take this transfer too hard. The lack of trophies last season was disappointing but a significant number of Barcelona fans no longer believe Ronaldinho is the man to lead their charge for silverware.

Selling to either Milan or Chelsea at this point of time represents good business value. The good news is both teams are unlikely to threaten Barcelona even with the addition of this expired diva.