Compared to his biggest rival in Spain, Real Madrid's own 'special one' Jose Mourinho, Mister Guardiola has had a relatively quiet time in the press so far this season. Since the Copa Del Rey 'el clasico' series which Barcelona won, the pressure all seemed to be on Mourinho. There were tales of training ground bust ups including arguments with two of Spain's 2010 World Cup winning hero's and Madradista's Sergio Ramos and club and national captain Ilker Casillas. There were rumours that Mourinho wanted out of Real and was looking for a return to England where the press and public took to him like one of their own, so much so he's been linked with the vacant England managers position. During this pressurised time Mourinho has showed why he is so special, Real have been winning, and winning a lot, and winning more than their bitter rivals. These recent events in La Liga now see Guardiola facing some difficult and previously unasked questions.
Are Real Madrid now the best team in Spain?
The league title looks to be going back to the Capital after the three years it's spent in Catalonia. Real Madrid have amassed a 10 point league over Barca. This means that even if Barcelona win all their remaining games (something that looks highly unlikely on current form) Real can afford to lose 3 games and still finish as Champions come May (providing they win the other games - which is much more likely). So, why have Barca gone off the boil domestically? Head-to-head in the various clasico's they seem to be far more accomplished a side, but during the season they have struggled to turn possession and fluidity into points. Real on the other hand, outclassed in recent clasico meetings, have powered through teams with dynamic efficiency and bags of goals. Barca won the battles, but Real are winning the war.
The total football inspired by Johan Cruyff, nurtured in La Masia and polished and perfected by Pep Guardiola wins plaudits the world over. Mourinho's huge squad stacked with talent doesn't win the same respect, but certainly churns out some staggering results and scorelines. Cristiano Ronaldo's sixth hat-trick of the season in this past weekend's 4-2 win over Levante has certainly helped in the 'goals for' department, but Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema have smashed their fair share in too. Real are exciting, powerful and dangerously fast on the break and domestically this means they exploit teams in seconds. Barcelona pass you to death, Real break you to death.
The return of the Champions League means that Guardiola and the Catalan press (who have already conceded the league to Real) can try to deflect attention from home issues and allow themselves the opportunity to show that they are still the best team on the biggest stage. La Liga is a two horse race every season, but recently Barcelona have dominated Europe with three Champions League titles in the past six years and Real not even qualifying for the knock out stages in some of these. If Real can force themselves into the reckoning come the 19th of May in the Fußball Arena in Munich, then they will have well and truly knocked Barca and Guardiola off their dominant perch.
Either way, 'the special one' has done a job on Barcelona many didn't think he could, and domestically at least, his team is the most clinical and efficient. The interest now lies with how both teams perform in Europe in the next few months, something Barcelona (and their press) will be keen to make their own to restore some of their 'untouchable' gloss.
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