Real Madrid 1 - 1 Barcelona: clasico stat review

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Barcelona players against Real Madrid players. By all accounts it sounded like Real Madrid were largely on the backfoot fighting to contain the irresistable Catalans. But in Fantasy Football terms, the Madristas were more successful. Overall, Mourinho's men scored 45 pts compared to Barca's 30. Both teams endured some heavy negatives with Raul "the liability" Albiol conceding a hefty -11.5 and the usually prolific Alves registering -7.5. Messi and Ronaldo were the inevitable goal scorers but both were largely supressed by the respective defences. Puyol, Pedro and Maxwell scored 0 for Barca, only Xavi Alonso got a 0 for Real. The average Barcelona player score was 1.07. For Real, it was 3.2.

Week 25 preview: The Outsiders

Barca youngsters Pinto (left) and Bojan (right) playing baseball

A look at some of the tempting fantasy football selections from La Liga this weekend in each position.

In Goal

The most tempting GKs have to be - in descending order::

1. Pinto, 9.66 - BARCA @ mallorca (playing in the place of injured Valdes)
2. Kameni, 10.46 - ESP v rso (get him while he's cheap!)
3. Catalyud, 10.11 - HER v get (Getafe v poor away from home)
4. Cuellar, 10.68 - SPORTING GIJON v zaragoza
5. Casillas 14.66 - RMAD @ dep. (Returning from suspension in what should be a routine week. A bit boring though)

Really, its hard to look beyond Pinto. Consider he is the cheapest keeper likely to start as well.

In Attack:

A lot depends on who you're holding on to, but for arguments sake, imagine you're starting from scratch this week:

Top outsider picks

1. S. Fernandez, 11.08, MALAGA v alm
Games involving Malaga tend to involve goals. Fernandez has 11 pts two weeks running from a range of areas (corners, shots, assists, yum)
2. David Barral, 6.59, GIJON v zaragoza
Why not reward this impish striker with a run out? Barral is Gijon's second highest scorer with 3 and 2nd highest SOTer with 11.  Zaragoza are rubbish too. If you're feeling really brave, why not Nacho Novo too. Valued 4.96!
3. Caicedo, 12, LEVANTE v Osasuna
Caicedo didn't get a sniff at the Bernabeau but the lanky Ecuadorian is solid at home. He has 9 goals in 17 overall. Osasuna are poor away.
4. Trezeguet, 14, HERCULES v getafe
The elegant frenchman has 8 in 14 this season. The scoring onus is on the striker with Nelson Valdes missing.

Midfield

1. Valdo and Juanlu for LEVANTE vs Osasuna.
Both at 8 and Levante's most effective attacking options from midfield.
2. Farinos, 7, HERCULE v getafe
A legend who is being legendary. 16 and 5 in his last two games makes this bargain player a massive temptation.
3. WHOEVER replaces Xavi for BARCA @ mallorca
Could be Affellay, but probably Keita. Both a bargain at 3.

Defence
1. Adriano, 7.33,  BARCA@ mallorca
Always does well when he replaces Alves.
2. Botia, 2.66, GIJON v Zgza
3. Ulfalesji, 7, AMAD v sev
4. Any Sporting Gijon or Levante guys.

My team?

GK. Pinto

D. Adriano - Barca
D. Del Horno - Levante
D. Jose Angel - Gijon

M Ozil (5.45) Impossible to drop at this value
M Di Maria (6.11) " " "
M Koke (4.69) a bargain, and a lot of fun
M Reyes (15) solid

(Despite his 400% return (4pts), Almeria's Mbami has to go I'm afraid)

F Adebayor can stay. (at 8.51) He shoots a lot even if he doesn't score. Just hoping Benzema's sudden determination to be good doesn't see the Man City loanee benched.
F Tamudo (11.5, now 15.) An outsider to score at Espanyol but doing a great job up front for RSO and deserves some faith. It will be all about the ex-ESP man.
F Trezeguet (14)

Week23: Gijon break Barca's record

Sporting Gijon 1-1 Barcelona
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Sporting Gijon 1 - 1 Barcelona

Last night, Gijon did the unthinkable and had the audacity to not lose to Barcelona. The game, which included two exquisite goals, ended Barca's 16 game winning streak. Forzafutbal have a great follow up piece telling us that we should not be all that surprised as Gijon have a wonderful ability to stick such spanners in the works. Of course, before their 3-0 defeat at Bilbao last week, they had previously thrashed Mallorca 4-0 in their own back yard and gave Atletico a surprise defeat courtesy of David Barral (see week 20). It was Barral again who gave Gijon the lead in this game, only for Villa to restore parity 10 minutes before time.

The fantasy stats from the game suggest Gijon truly snuffed out the Barca threat with the champions barely mustering a shot on target. It is a rare occasion where no Barcelona player scores more than 15 pts and a  few negative Fantasy Points records were broken for Barca:

Dropping Pedro a big mistake

• Victor Valdes (-5.5) and Pedro (eulogised by Sid Lowe this weekend) (-1.5) scored negative points for the first time of the season. 

It was the first time since week 15 that Pedro didn't manage a shot on target. Pedro started the game on the bench in the place of new signing Ibrahim Affellay. The dutch winger posted a negative return of -3. Pedro replaced Affellay at half time, but didn't manage any better. Dani Alves also scored a dismal 2.5, his worst score of the season.

All in all, the stats suggest Gijon did something tactically excellent in nullifying Barca's wing attack: something Arsenal will need to look at if they have any hope of overcoming Barca in their upcoming Champions League meetings.

• Messi scored 13 points. His lowest total in a game he's started since week 13.

• Also, despite scoring a goal, David Villa only got 10.5 points, on a return for a player worth 25. He's only scored more than 15 pts once since week 16.

Week 21 preview: Barca's achilles heal - Hercules

Hercules (12th) v Barca (1st) - sat

Xinhuanet reminds us this week that "FC Barcelona travels to Alicante to face the only side to defeat them this season in Spain' s matchday 21 on Saturday."

Dani Alves has been training and could be back so Adriano may disappear back to the underworld before he is called upon again. Pedro should continue for me in attack. It doesn't seem necessary or tempting to splash out on expensive wonders such as Villa or Messi. Hercules main worry is Royston Drenthe. The dutch flanker has been in great form but since the recent pay dispute he and and his side seem to be in freefall.

Tempting players: only Pedro, maybe.

Osasuna (17th) v Real Madrid (2nd) - sun

Ade checks in

Real's new signing Emmanual Adebayor may be a boon for Jose Mourinho but the arrival of the Togolese striker only adds more uncertainty to the Real Madrid forward line for fantasy pickers. He's rumoured to be a certain starter but will Benzema be ditched after his match winning performance last week? Much aspersions have been cast about the French no.9 Benzema, who, it turns out, isn't a no.9 at all.

Tempting players: after recent disappointments, none feel safe.

Mallorca (9th) v Sporting Gijon (15th) - sat

Pierre Webo

This fixture would seem to offer the most juicy returns with Mallorca surely set to get back to winning ways against the league minnows. Forwards Tereja, Nsue, Perreira and Webo (all valued around the 10 mark) all started at the Bernabeau and any of these will surely be a profitable selection.

I'm tempted by Webo, if only because he's their top scorer and I haven't given him a run out before. It seems prudent to give him a run out at the expense of Benzema. I've also drafted in Nunes in defence after his glowing recommendation by Goal.com.

Tempting players: anyone who's fit at Mallorca, especially defensive line (GK Aouate) and forwards.

A.Madrid (7th) v A.Bilbao (6th) - sun

The clash of the Atleticos is one of the ties of the round. Madrid are stumbling along but could welcome back Reyes and Aguero. Bilbao however are flying and should be well in the mood to score an upset.

Tempting players: A.Madrid bargain defenders A.Lopez (2.46) and Perea (2.62).

Espanyol (5th) v Villarreal (3rd) - sun

Another exciting and hard to predict tie. It seems worth hanging on to baby Ruben up front for Villarreal, especially as Espanyol have just sold one of their best defenders. It would be nice to draft in a couple of Espanyol forward players such as Sergio Garcia or Callejon, but Villarreal's defenders and keeper will have to go.

Tempting players: Espanyol forwards, Garcia (a bargain at 11), Callejon (18) and Luis Garcia (16)

Tamudo

Real Sociedad (11th) v Almeria (18th) - sat

Could be an apt time to draft in superstar Xavi Prieto from the Sociedad midfield. The young buck has dropped in value to 12.76 and is surely likely to do the business for a Sociedad side who seem to be finding some form.

Also, veteran striker Tamudo comes in up front in the place of injured Javier Llorente and represents a tempting replacement for Villarreal's Ruben at 6.64.


Other games to consider:

Sat, Jan 29 Malaga v Zaragoza: a first win for newly moneyed Malaga against struggling Z?
Sat, Jan 29 Deportivo v Seville: a turgid but likely win for Seville.
Sat, Jan 29 Levante v Getafe: A good opportunity for Getafe to get their season back on track
Mon, Jan 31 Racing Santander v Valencia: Surely a win for Los Chos.