Real Madrid legends laid down a sizeable marker on the eve of the Dubai Indoor Football Championship as they beat arch-rivals Barcelona in an exhibition El Clasico.
Barca arrived at the Dubai World Trade Centre’s Sheikh Rashid Hall as defending champions but with a side depleted by withdrawals. Former Nou Camp favourites Miguel Angel Nadal, Patrick Kluivert, Michael Reiziger and Gaizka Mendieta had all been forced to pull out on the eve of the tournament and Madrid took full advantage.
Goals from Ruben de la Red and Jose Enrique Velasco put Los Blancos two goals up inside the opening four minutes. In a goal-laden first five minutes, Santi Ezquerro – a member of the Barca squad when they lifted the Champions League in 2006 – pulled one back for the Catalan masters, but Madrid remained in front at half-time.
Juan Rodriguez went close on a couple of occasions for Barca as the second-half got under way, hitting the bar with one stinging effort, but when the fourth goal arrived it went to Madrid.
With 10 minutes left, former Spain under-21 international Ivan Perez Munoz made sure of the win with a clinical finish. With a number of Madrid – as well as Barca – fans in attendance there was more than one cry for a fourth Real goal, but in the end three were enough.
And Fernando Sanz was more than happy to register a win over the club’s most hated rival, even if it was only in a friendly game.
“The sensation is good because yesterday we travelled; but the sensation is very, very good. The feel as well. And the start was perfect,” the defender, who now works in Dubai as a La Liga representative, said.
On Los Blancos chances in the tournament proper, he added: “I think Real Madrid is always favourites like Barcelona, but I do not know the level of the other teams.”
Earlier, the UAE Stars acquitted themselves remarkably well, securing a 3-3 draw against Roma after an 11th-hour dash to the venue.
The Italians were supposed to play Porto, but with the Portuguese side’s arrival in the UAE delayed, the home side stepped in.
And they were 2-0 up after the first 15-minute half as Yousef Vikry and Munther Ali scored. Roma hit back in the second period with goals from Alessio Scarchilli, Amedeo Mangone and Damiano Tommasi to make it 3-2.
But with time running out, Antonio Chimenti allowed Butti Salayem’s volley to squirm under his body and just over the line.
FIXTURES:
Today (Wednesday, July 3)
Real Madrid v Algerian stars – 7pm
Barcelona v Moroccan stars – 8pm
Porto v Egyptian stars – 9pm
Roma v Emirati stars – 10pm
Tomorrow (Thursday, July 4)
Barcelona v Emirati stars – 7pm
Real Madrid v Egyptian stars – 8pm
Porto v Algeria stars – 9pm
Roma v Moroccan stars – 10pm
Friday, July 5
Real Madrid v Porto – 7pm
Barcelona v Roma – 8pm
Egyptian stars v Algerian stars – 9pm
Emirati stars v Moroccan stars – 10pm
Saturday, July 6
Winner Gp A v Runners Up Gp B – 7pm
Winner Gp B v Runners Up Gp A – 8pm
Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2 – 9pm
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