Former Arsenal Coach Wenger: “It was men vs boys in El Clasico”
The French manager Arsene Wenger didn’t hold back his words when talking about Real Madrid’s big win over Barcelona, saying the match felt like “men against boys” and praising Madrid’s total dominance all over the pitch.
After the recent El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu, the ex-Arsenal boss shared his honest thoughts, saying that Madrid was clearly the stronger side, both in defence and in attack.
“That game looked a bit like a duel between men and boys,” Wenger said. “Real Madrid’s defence was much tougher and organized than Barcelona’s. Everytime Madrid went forward, they look like scoring, while Barça couldn’t really make anything happen.”
According to Wenger, the Catalan team showed lack of maturity and experience in a match that required a much higher level of competitiveness. He mentioned that Madrid’s intensity and experience was the key factor that made them dominate since the very beginning.
“Barça had lots of ball possession, but it didn’t really lead to something. Too many side passes, not enough risk against a team that was well positioned and compact. Madrid won many duels and were more determined,” added the French coach.
Wenger also took time to praise Xabi Alonso’s tactical setup from the Madrid bench.
“I give a lot of credit to Xabi Alonso. He managed to balance the team perfectly. They defended good, pressed high, and always created danger. Two goals and even missed a penalty — that’s a complete performance,” he said.
The veteran manager pointed out Madrid’s defensive stability as one of the main reasons behind their victory and insisted that the final result was totally deserved, since Barcelona barely had any real chances to score during the match.