30.11.2009 12:01
Barça’s hat trick of wins
Jordi Clos
Barça have won their last three league matches against Real Madrid for the first time since the 1997-98 season. Pep Guardiola featured on both occasions as player or manager.
The 1-0 win over Real Madrid means that Barça have won their last three league meetings. Last
season Barça won 2-0 in the Camp Nou with goals from Eto’o and Messi and then 2-6 in the
Bernabeu. And this Sunday they made it three out of three for the first time in years.
The precedent
The last time Barça won three “clasicos” in a row was in the 1996-7 and 1997-98
seasons under managers Sir Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal. Robson’s team beat Real Madrid
1-0 (Ronaldo) in matchday 37 and then in the following season, under Van Gaal, 2-3 in the Bernabeu
and 3-0 in the Camp Nou.
Featuring Guardiola
The two records are separated by eleven years but have someone in
common: Pep Guardiola. He was team captain at the end of the 90’s and has been team manager
since 2008. He looks to have the measure of the eternal rival with three wins in three matches.
Thirty years and waiting
In contrast, Real Madrid have not won three leagues matches in a row against Barça since the
1977-78 and 1978-79 seasons.