FCBARCELONA.CAT

08.04.2010 10:34

Three wins in six years in the Bernabeu

Roger Bogunyà

The last six matches between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona in the Bernabeu have yielded three victories apiece.

Barca fans can look forward to the big match in the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday with a high degree of optimism. Over the past six seasons Barca have secured three victories there– the same as away to Sevilla (Sanchez Pizjuan), Valencia (Mestalla) or Bilbao (San Mames). Long gone are the times when Barca failed to pick up a single point in the Bernabeu during sixteen long years (1949/50 - 1964/65).

A single precedent

However, if we go back further in time then the Bernabeu has not provided many happy memories for Barca fans, with 50 defeats, 14 draws and 15 victories in a total of 79 matches. The early seventies proved quite favourable and is the only previous occasion when Barca have taken three victories over six years. Last season saw the team equal the efforts of their predecessors from the seventies following on from the wins in 2003/04 (1-2) and 2005/06 (0-3). This Saturday, the team faces two more challenges.

Two wins on the bounce

The first is to secure a second consecutive victory in the Bernabeu. Barca have never won two consecutive games there – the best run was, once again, in the early seventies when, over a five-year period, Barca took away three draws and two wins (1969/70 and 1973/74).

Four in a row

The second challenge is to defeat Real Madrid for the fourth match in a row, counting both home and away matches. Barca have won the last three meetings between the two sides: 2-0 and 2-6 last season and 1-0 in the Camp Nou earlier this season. A win for Barca on Saturday will make both challenges a reality.