Can Barca’s Joao Felix halt his losing run vs. Real Madrid?

One of the hallmarks of Xavi’s teaching period at Barcelona is that he is constantly managed to parlay preseason Clasico victories within the USA into subsequently defeating Real Madrid when it actually counts. Meanwhile, one of many key blemishes on João Félix’s profession is that his depressing file in opposition to Los Blancos is exactly the other.

The crown prince of Portuguese soccer, this week being touted in the course of the countdown to the Clasico as some form of cut-price Blaugrana messiah — three targets and 4 assists in 9 matches since becoming a member of Barcelona on mortgage have sparked such disproportionate pleasure — has confronted Madrid eight instances competitively, greater than every other opponents. And he is by no means tasted victory.

Initially, he should have thought Real Madrid have been soft-touches and that his future, having arrived in LaLiga in summer season 2019, was to lord it over his new membership’s rivals.

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When Atletico Madrid’s record-breaking monetary folly introduced Félix from Benfica for a monstrous €128m, his introduction to the rivalry with Madrid got here throughout a summer season “friendly” on the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. In lower than a minute, he set Diego Costa as much as rating earlier than including a peach of a purpose seven minutes later. Atleti, very a lot dancing to a Portuguese beat, have been 5-0 up by half-time! It completed 7-3 to Los Colchoneros, Félix bagged two assists together with his purpose, and even when one staff performed flat-out and the opposite have been simply flat, Los Blancos have been humiliated.

Spain’s dominant soccer paper, Marca, reported that “A genius was born in New Jersey. Joao Félix has almost too much football in his boots: this kid’s touched by genius!” So a lot for that.

From referee Ted Unkel’s ultimate whistle that day till kick off on Saturday (Stream LIVE: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, 10 a.m. ET, ESPN+ (U.S.)) in Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium excessive on Montjuic Hill, the place Barca are taking part in in the course of the Spotify Camp Nou rebuild, it has been nothing however outright humiliation in opposition to Madrid for this proficient and fascinating, although incomplete, playmaker. Although he is been impactful — even diligent — since Xavi discovered a spot for him within the beginning XI of the reigning Spanish champions, the sight of Vinícius Júnior, Toni Kroos, Fede Valverde and Co. pulling up ought to ship shivers of fearful anticipation down Félix’s backbone.

Since giving them a soccer lesson in East Rutherford simply over 4 years in the past, every part’s gone south.

Félix has performed Real Madrid eight instances in complete for each Atletico and Chelsea. His file: zero wins, two attracts and 6 defeats, with not one purpose or help. Almost as distressing for the 23-year-old is that not as soon as has he performed your entire match in opposition to Real Madrid, as an alternative ranging from the bench thrice and being withdrawn within the different encounters.

The most pungent of Félix’s experiences in opposition to Madrid, whether or not coached by Carlo Ancelotti or Zinedine Zidane, have been when he misplaced his first ultimate as a Rojiblanco — the 2020 Spanish Supercup, defeated 4-1 on penalties — after which when Madrid routed Frank Lampard’s Chelsea 4-0 on combination within the Champions League quarterfinal, whereas Félix was there on a half-season mortgage.

In brief, Félix has gone from trying like he was taking sweet from a child throughout that first exhibition sport within the U.S. to being handled like a brat thereafter. Perhaps Xavi & Co. must be in search of one other form of “saviour” on this first Clasico of the season? Madrid maintain a slender one-point lead over the defending LaLiga champions as they put together to tussle in a stadium the place Barca have recognized nothing however wins since transferring there in August.

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This Saturday’s Clasico is not a derby within the strictest sense of the phrase, but it surely boasts all of the everlasting parts of 1. For instance, it consists of the concept that no matter’s gone earlier than counts for nothing within the maelstrom and insanity as soon as these two gigantic — and gigantically proud — golf equipment lock antlers and rut as if there is no tomorrow. Perhaps this reality must be a optimistic for Félix, as his priors in opposition to Madrid would possibly properly turn out to be irrelevant.

Barcelona are noticeably weakened forward of the sport. Even if two or three of their much-missed stars on the harm checklist (Robert Lewandowski, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri) make it again to swell the ranks on Montjuic mountain, they’d nonetheless be considerably in need of match-practice. Nevertheless, Xavi’s time in cost, which is simply in need of two calendar years, has been marked by teaching a squad that can combat, scrap, argue, cling on after which win in circumstances the place, in recent times, earlier Barca groups would have misplaced as an alternative.

Around him, for the primary time since 2019, Félix has teammates who’re genuinely accustomed to beating Madrid and whose current win file — however absolutely the smashing they took when Madrid final visited Barcelona, losing 4-0 at Camp Nou final April within the Copa del Rey — is definitely top-class. By which I imply to recommend that whereas it is daft to be build up an inconsistent, considerably self-focused playmaker into the man who’s both “rescuing” Barcelona’s season or will single-handedly flip this Clasico in favour of the Blaugrana, he is however an fascinating a part of a unit that may be aggressive and might win — a unit that might assist free him from his pathetic file in opposition to males in white shirts.

I’ll say one other factor in Félix’s favour simply in case you suppose I’m being snippy about him. That outstanding summer season pleasant within the Jets/Giants’ stadium shouldn’t be Joao’s solely jolly time in opposition to Madrid. In reality, when he was the star of Benfica’s youth staff, The Eagles drew Guti’s Madrid within the UEFA Youth League, a match designed to be the junior model of the Champions League. It ended with a complete Benfica win for a aspect additionally starring Manchester City’s towering centre-half, Rúben Dias — Félix scored twice, together with a cheeky back-heeled purpose 4 minutes after kick off.

On the losing aspect in Nyon, Switzerland in that junior semifinal again in 2017 was a red-cheeked, laborious working Uruguayan by the identify of Fede Valverde. The identical Valverde who’s gone on to play vital roles within the eight instances, on a senior aggressive degree, the place Félix has didn’t put a dent in, by no means thoughts defeat, Real Madrid since.

Valverde, who’s so adored by Madridistas and is so important for his immense capability to match countless working with boundless creativeness, creativity and fierce long-distance taking pictures, possesses a notable Clasico file.

Just like Félix has confronted Madrid greater than every other membership opponent, the 25-year-old from Montevideo — nicknamed “Little Hawk” — has gone toe-to-toe with Barcelona in 15 Clasicos, successful seven, drawing one, losing seven and tucking the ball previous Marc-André ter Stegen or Neto thrice. (In reality, Madrid win every time he scores in opposition to Barca.)

The significance right here — over and above Valverde typifying the form of mentality, grit, will-to-win and stamina Félix might want to approximate this weekend and in coming seasons if he is to match the Uruguayan’s achievements — is that Félix tends to play off Barcelona’s left wing and Valverde, as a rule, performs down Madrid’s proper. There has been a profitable Uruguayan “seek-and-destroy” mission in lots of current Clasicos, with Ronald Araújo usually managing to frustrate Vinicius sufficiently for Barcelona to edge these unpredictable, explosive and entertaining contests.

Will Xavi deploy that tactic this weekend and transfer Araujo to right-back, on condition that João Cancelo has been performing with honours in that place? Possibly not, which leaves the best way clear for Carlo Ancelotti to repeat the concept, deploying Valverde and his “you’ll never beat me” mentality to not solely shut down the step by step blossoming abilities Félix is displaying, however then pose the query to Barcelona’s No.14: “Can you keep up with me? Can you stop me causing mayhem around Barcelona’s penalty area?”

If you have been Madrid’s wily Italian supervisor, is not that exactly the tactic you’d use to try to be certain that Félix continues to have worry and loathing for Los Blancos after Saturday?