Too much El Clásico??? The lessons...

The series of four El Clásico matches between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona ended yesterday evening and to me at the end a lot around the games had nothing to do with football, but rather problems between these two giants of world football and their internal Spanish feud between the capital Madrid and the region of Catalunya.

Looking back at the results. The first match was on April 16 in the Spanish league which ended with a one-all draw with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both scoring from the spot and Barca keeing their eight point lead. The teams then met only four days later in the final of the Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) in Valencia which was decided by a Cristiano Ronaldo in extra-time in favour of Real Madrid.

Then came the two meetings in the UEFA Champions League with especially the first match a nasty affair with two red cards and the expulsion of coach Jose Mourinho though referee Wolfgang Stark did a good job. In the end it was nearly forgotten that Barca won the match 2-0 away in Madrid through two goals from Messi, which gave them a major advantage of the return-leg.

But between these two matches Champions League matches especially Real Madrid was active in trying to portrait their rivals as unfair sportsmen, which didn't find an ear with UEFA and the fourth and final El Clásico went off rather smoothly ending in a one-all draw. First a Pedro goal for Barca which sealed the tie for them and a consolation equaliser for Real Madrid from Marcelo.

The series ended - with a win each and two draws. Both clubs couldn't win a triple, but it is worrying to me to see the way officials, players and fans have behaved over the last few weeks. Often it seemed is if it wasn't about the football, but rather open hate and aggression. Both sides have been acusing each other of things and maybe now after the end of the four match series UEFA and the Spanish Football Association should have a word with the clubs and request them to tone down next time around or otherwise hit out with tough sanctions, if that is the only way all will learn.

Then in the end it is about the beautiful game, something which seems to be getting lost...