Market Value Exceeds 1.3 Billion, The Most Expensive El Clásico in History Begins!

Appropriate pressure could spur people to improve, but excessive pressure could also crush them.

When the outside world placed all its hopes of stopping Real Madrid on Barcelona, Barcelona's own players were the ones who could no longer hold up.

In the eleventh round of the league, while Real Madrid comfortably beat Racing Santander 2–0 at home, Barcelona stumbled away from home and were held to a 1–1 draw by Athletic Bilbao.

Before El Clásico began, the gap between the two sides had widened further to six points.

Even if Barcelona defeated Real Madrid in the first El Clásico, they would still be unable to put the two teams back on the same starting line.

What was more, given Barcelona's current form, there really were not many people who fancied them to beat Real Madrid at home.

"Barcelona have suffered one misfortune after another recently. First Messi was injured, then Captain Puyol and midfield lynchpin Xavi were injured as well. The demands of competing on multiple fronts and the immense pressure of their league results are dragging this team into the mire!"

A famous Spanish football journalist made the above analysis in his column.

Although Guardiola, like Mourinho, had also been rotating his squad, the results of those rotations did not seem particularly ideal. Combined with new signing Ibrahimović's prolonged inability to perfectly integrate into the team's tactical system, Barcelona's results this season had not improved; instead, they had declined.

As they watched Real Madrid gradually pull away in the league standings while they themselves were powerless to catch up, Barcelona's chances of retaining the La Liga title this year were becoming increasingly difficult.

"The season has only just begun. I won't so easily pronounce a death sentence on my own team this early."

When facing reporters, Guardiola still stuck