EL CLÁSICO
Real Madrid’s number 7 has caused problems for Barcelona in El Clásico
In the Clásico, it has been Real Madrid’s number 7 who has had the last laugh. Now it’s time for Vini Jr to shine.
Historically speaking, Barcelona respect and fear Real Madrid. Some months ago, it was Real Madrid who came, saw and conquered the Camp Nou in the Copa del Rey semi-final, winning a thumping game 0-4.
Another historical tendency, apart from the fear, is that the player who wears the white shirt with the number 7 on the back gives the Catalan club more than just a headache during El Clásico. During a time it was Amancio Amaro, a winger who silenced the Camp Nou on various occasions, until the power of the number dwindled with Torres during the 60s.
How to watch:
Real Madrid’s number 7 has taunted Barça throughout history
It has not been forgotten how much Emilio Butragueño taunted those in blue and red stripes many times with his footballing talent, breaking past defenders off the ball or sweeping it past their feet with a delightful touch. It was something we were used to seeing with Juanito, who scored at Camp Nou in 1980, dedicating the goal to Helenio Herrera, on the Barça bench, who had asked “who is going to defend him? There’s no point. Juanito marks himself.”
To carry on with the spell of the 7 shirt we must also go back to 1999, when Raúl’s famous goal at Camp Nou literally, with one finger over his lips, tried to silence the fans in the stands. Whether it worked or not is a different question, but that iconic photo is on many a bedroom and pub wall.
Vini Jr is next in line
Of course, the number 7 who gave most of the culé nightmares was none other than Cristiano Ronaldo. He scored every type of goal in a white shirt against the blaugrana, yet one sticks in the mind, perhaps his best: a strike in 2012 after receiving the ball from Özil, a goal which put Mourinho’s Madrid on the map, and one in which he too told the crowd to keep the noise down.
Given Hazard’s stint at 7 went by without a whimper, it turns to Vinicius Jr to step up and make his mark on the most important fixture of the Real Madrid calendar. There are no limits: it’s time for Vini to shine.
