For anyone who doesn't think that the rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid is fiercer than the enmity shared between the Yankees and Red Sox please note that New York agreed to wear throwback uniforms for the first time in franchise history to help Boston fete Fenway Park on Friday. According to The Associated Press, the Yankees had never deigned to participate in the throwback trend.
Would Madrid ever go against a tradition for Barcelona?
Unlike the centennial bash at Fenway Park, there will be no pomp at the Nou Camp on Saturday. But there will be loads of circumstance. Both Spanish teams are walking a tightrope, trying to keep domestic and European goals balanced as they progress down the line.
Shockingly, both Spanish titans enter the second legs of their respective Champions League semifinals with ground to make up. The threat (although hardly the likelihood, given the scoring prowess of each club) of being dumped from the competition before the Final only heightens the importance of capturing La Liga.
Not long ago, Madrid's lead appeared impregnable but Barcelona has surged forward, picking up nearly every point dropped by Los Merengues down the stretch of the campaign. At kick off, these longstanding rivals are separated by just four points. If Madrid can manage a win then they'll likely go on to win the domestic title. But if Barcelona can do what it has done so often under Pep Guardiola -- beat Madrid -- then a mere point will remain between these teams as they thunder through the last few fixtures on the schedule.
In case, this wasn't enough drama, there is also the scoring race being contested by Messi and Ronaldo. Both have already scored 41 goals during the season, already surpassing the single-season mark that Ronaldo established last year. So, yeah, there's even more on the line.
Will either of these icons strike the decisive blow?
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