The National Derby—the century-old clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona—had always been Spain's most captivating heavyweight showdown. It had produced countless heroes and woven one legendary tale after another.
Playing two matches in four days—one a La Liga decider and the other a Copa del Rey final—with both matches affecting the destination of two trophies was unprecedented in the history of Spanish football. Naturally, it had attracted the attention of fans across the country and around the world.
Barcelona godfather Cruyff refuted the talk of aesthetic fatigue surrounding El Clásico in his column. He believed this was happening because both teams had continued to perform at an outstanding level.
"Entering the crucial final stage of the season, both teams have a chance to compete for the titles in every competition. This proves they are the strongest teams around—not just in the Copa del Rey and La Liga, but in the Champions League as well."
As for the result, everyone believed it was impossible to predict. Most Spanish media outlets felt that although Barcelona had come on fiercely and held a five-point lead in La Liga, it was almost impossible for them to beat Real Madrid in both matches. The reverse was equally true.
The general view was that Real Madrid would likely go all out for the Copa del Rey final while trying to maintain as much pressure as possible on Barcelona in the league. The reason was simple: even if they won the league clash, they would still trail Barcelona by two points, and whether they could win the title would depend on Barcelona's results. But if they fought their way through the Copa del Rey final, they would have a trophy.
It was like a game of strategy, and going all out for the Copa del Rey was