It has not taken long for Spain’s big two to be given the opportunity to strike the first psychological blow in the title race as they square off in the first-leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Thursday at the Nou Camp, kick off at 9pm.
This is not as common a fixture as one might think given the two clubs’ dominance of the Spanish league, with the Copa del Rey perhaps not treated with as much respect as the FA Cup for example.
However, these two giants did clash in the Super Cup last season after Jose Mourinho won his first piece of silverware for Real via the Cup route, with Barcelona coming out on top.
The Blaugrana secured a 2-2 draw at the Bernabeu in the first-leg before edging the return encounter 3-2 to land the spoils – although it was not a portent of things to come.
The two arch rivals clashed six times in total last season and although Barcelona only lost one of those matches, it was the crucial league fixture late in the season that effectively ended their hopes of usurping Real at the top.
Pep Guardiola’s men had earlier got the better of Los Merengues 3-1 at the Bernabeu in La Liga and progressed in the Copa del Rey on the back of a 2-1 away win (4-3 on aggregate) but it is the league success that may have given Real the confidence that they can more than compete with the previously perceived ‘best team in football’.
With home advantage, Barcelona have been installed as 5/6 favourites in the match betting following a successful start under Tito Vilanova – a 5-1 home win over Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Real Madrid made a less than convincing beginning to the new campaign as they were held 1-1 at the Bernabeu to last season’s ‘best of the rest’ Valencia, and they are available at 3/1 to get their first win on Thursday, with 11/4 on offer for the draw.
Lionel Messi continued from where he left off last season, bagging a brace at the weekend, and it is no surprise to see him installed as the 5/2 favourite to be the first/last goalscorer on Thursday, 4/7 Anytime.
The price on a home win may well tempt some given Barca’s record at the Nou Camp – it was their road form that let them down in La Liga last season – but the same could be said on Real’s odds of 3/1.
They were not at their best at the weekend but there is no doubt that Mourinho will have his troops ready and motivated for tomorrow’s clash and they rarely put in two disappointing performances on the bounce.
More can certainly be expected of Cristiano Ronaldo, who is priced at 4/1 to open the scoring and 11/10 anytime, with Sunday scorer Gonzalo Higuain next best at 7/1 and 15/8 respectively.
Mourinho’s men have a pretty good record at the Nou Camp of late with a win, two draws and one defeat from their last four visits so it could well pay to oppose the home side.
Regardless of the victor, there has been a strong trend of goals between the two, which is unsurprisingly reflected in the betting – Over 2.5 Goals at 8/13, Under 2.5 Goals at 6/5, while 4 or more goals is on offer at 7/4.
It is of course a two-legged affair so there may not be that sort of desperation from the side that is behind but at odds of 50/1 a 2-2 draw, which occurred twice last season, could reward those searching for the big prices.
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