Messi, Ronaldo go head-to-head in cup

MADRID - Agence France-Presse

Arguably the world’s two best players, Cristiano Ronaldo (L) and Lionel Messi add a different rivalry to the clashes between Real Madrid and Barcelona. AFP photo

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo come into tonight’s ‘El Clasico’ clash in Madrid in the Spanish Cup semifinal in fine form and full of goals. 

Messi has hit 16 and Ronaldo 12 in their last 10 games, and the four the Argentine got against Osasuna on Jan. 27 makes it 33 in the league while Ronaldo has 21 after his hat-trick against Getafe.
It will be the fourth time Real Madrid and Barcelona have met this season.

Madrid took the Spanish Super Cup on away goals over two legs and managed a 2-2 draw in Barcelona in the league, the only points Barça have dropped at home, so there is little to choose between the two up to now.

In the league Barça enjoys a 15-point advantage over its rivals but that will all be forgotten when Madrid seeks to avenge last season’s quarterfinal defeat in the same competition that Barca eventually won.

Messi’s goals at the weekend meant he became the first player in history to score in eleven consecutive La Liga matches and he can equal or break another record tonight. One goal would level Alfredo Di Stefano’s long-standing 18 goal tally in games between the two sides.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo will be walking a yellow card tightrope.

He has already picked up two in the Cup, another on Wednesday will mean he misses the second-leg scheduled to take place in Barcelona in almost a month’s time on the 27th of February.

“It’s an important but complicated game for us against one of the most difficult teams in the world, but it should be a big night. We’re at home and have a good chance but we’ll have to play well, we know Barça have a great team but I’m looking forward to it,” he said. 

Missing players 
Real Madrid goes into the game with important players missing. Most of all club captain Iker Casillas, who fractured a bone in his hand in the previous round against Valencia. The club reacted quickly to sign Diego Lopez from Sevilla as cover.

However, Antonio Adan kept a clean sheet at the weekend with Lopez sat on the bench, and he may continue to deputise.

Also out for Madrid are the suspended trio of Sergio Ramos, Angel Di Maria and Fabio Coentrao, plus the injured Pepe.

Barça midfielder Sergio Busquets sees the tie being tight despite Madrid missing players.

“It will be an even game, it doesn’t matter who is out for them, we must focus on our own game. The tie won’t be decided in the Bernabeu so a good result for us would be a win, not a draw” he said.