Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona: Tito eyes first title as Barça Manager

Barcelona (FCB).- Three months after winning the Copa del Rey against Athletic Club, Barça return to Madrid in search of another title. The 2012 Spanish Super Cup is up for grabs and Tito Vilanova’s men come into the match with a 3-2 advantage from last week’s away leg at the Camp Nou. Tonight’s Clásico against Real Madrid will take place at the Santiago Bernabéu, a stadium that’s been kind to the Catalans - in terms of results- over recent years, and Tito Vilanova could claim his first title as FC Barcelona’s Head Manager.

Recent history on Barça’s side

The Barça players know that winning the Spanish Super Cup will have little effect on the rest of the season, but the Azulgranas know that beating Real Madrid in the first official competition of the year would be an important morale booster. Over the past four years, FC Barcelona have secured fantastic results at the Santiago Bernabéu, starting with the 2 to 6 in the 2008/09 season and ending with last season’s 1 to 2 in the quarter-finals of the 2011/12 Copa del Rey. In total, FC Barcelona have won five games and drawn twice in their last seven visits to Real Madrid’s grounds. In fact, any of Barça’s last seven results at the Bernabéu would be enough to claim the FC Barcelona’s fourth consecutive Spanish Super Cup trophy.

It’s also worth noting that Barça have played the return leg of the Spanish Super Cup four times at the Bernabéu and were unsuccessful in their Spanish Super Cup bid every time (1988, 1990, 1993 and 1997).

The captain never fails

On Monday, Gerard Piqué said that “knowing ‘Puyi,’ he’ll be able to play on Wednesday without any problems. If he can play, he’ll be there.” Barça captain, Carles Puyol, despite his broken cheekbone, doesn’t want to miss the chance to lift the first title of the Vilanova era and he’s told his manager that he’s ready to play at the Bernabéu. Messi, who is on excellent goalscoring form, also doesn’t want to miss tonight’s match. The Argentine has score five goals in the first three official matches of the season (4 in La Liga and 1 in the Spanish Super Cup) and tonight he’ll face off against one of his favourite victims (he has 14 career goals against Real Madrid).

Five-point advantage in the Spanish League as a backdrop

While Barça have a 100% start in its first three official games of the season, Real Madrid come into the return leg of the Spanish Super Cup with two defeats (Getafe and Barça) and one draw (Valencia). The defeat to Getafe in the Spanish League this weekend, in addition to the draw with Valencia in the first match of the domestic competition, leave Jose Mourinho’s men five points behind Barça, who currently sit atop the standings. In any case, Tito Vilanova and his men don’t place too much importance on Real Madrid’s slow start.

Pepe, who missed the away game, is back in Mourinho’s team after he successfully recovered from a terrible collision with Iker Casillas in the first match of the season. Real Madrid could also field Luka Modric, who signed a five-year contract with the All-Whites on Monday.