Today we celebrate 10 years to one of the biggest wins in the club’s history, the 2-6 win at the Bernabeu. 10 years ago, in the season 2008/9, the Pep team was born. However, by the start of May 2009, Barca had a tough fight for the title, with Bernd Schuster’s Real Madrid. It was a title decider, and it was an away match in Bernabeu. Everything looked tough for the team that fought in the 3 competitions, and wanted their first treble.
No one knew what will happen in this match, because Madrid were the champions, and had the home advantage. However, Pep’s Barca looked like a special team, did tremendous work and had amazing results. Therefore, the match and the final result caught everybody by surprise.
I remember seeing the match in our local Barca fan-club, In a dark pub with great beer. In the entrance to the place, there was a shirt of Raul on the floor. The idea was that everyone would have to step on the shirt in order to get in. Therefore, by the end of the match the white shirt became a black shirt. Although it was just a shirt, it pretty much symbolizes the way the fans of Madrid felt that day. However, as a Barca fan it was surely one of the best nights of my life.
First half – just as excpected
The match started with a ‘bang’ – with Gonzalo Higuain scoring the first goal for Madrid after 13 minutes. With Barca at the first spot, it was the last chance to get closer to the title, and they started aiming for the win. However. it took Barca 3 minutes to get the equalizer. Henry gave the ball to Xavi, who chipped the ball over Sergio Ramos. The ball came back to ‘Titi’, and the French legend scored the goal.
One minute later, Henry got past Cannavaro at the left wing, and the Italian CB had to foul him. Xavi took the freekick, and there was Puyol, scoring the goal with the header. 19 minutes in the match, and Barca now leads. After scoring the goal, Puyol kissed his Captain armband, giving us an iconic picture to remember.
After Barca’s second goal, both teams had some clear chances to score more goals. Therefore’ it was clear that there would be more goals to come. It took 15 minutes, but then there were Xavi and Messi. Xavi took took the ball from Madrid’s defence, and found Messi free and happy against Casillas. The Argentinean didn’t hesitate, and scored Barca’s third goal.
Second half: Conceding but then finishing it
The second half started with a massive blast of Madrid, that tried to return to the game. And surely enough, after 10 minutes in the second half, Madrid had a freekick from their right wing. Robben took the ball, and Sergio Ramos headed the ball inside the net. Therefore, Madrid felt like they are now back in the game, with the score at 2-3.
However, this time it took only two minutes for Xavi to find Henry, and ‘Titi’ scored his second goal. Now the score showed 2-4, and the contest was as good as over. However, in order to make it a statement of a win, Barca had to keep on pushing for more goals.
In the 75th minute, Xavi gave his fifth(!) assist in the match, and Messi scored the goal. It’s now 2-5, and the ‘Pep team’ legend was born. 7 minutes later, a young CB who just established his place in the team scored the sixth goal. His name is pique, and it was the first of many ‘like a striker’ goals for our defender. Pique ran to the crowd, holding the Barca shirt in a way similar to Luis Enrique’s way 12 years before.
So many great pictures are from this match, and so many great memories. However, for me this match has the impact of being the first big win over Madrid in the last decade. Back then, as a Barca fan for 13 years already, the 2-6 win over Madrid symbolizes the beginning of a proud era that we are living today. Therefore, for me this win is bigger than the 5-0 win in the Camp Nou, or the 5-1 win in ‘el clasico’ this year. But, even if you’d think differently, we are so lucky to have the privilege to choose between one big win or another.
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