5 pivotal moments that have seen Barcelona leave Real Madrid behind in the last 10 years
Whether Real Madrid fans like it or not, their fiercest rivals Barcelona have wiped the floor with them, and just about everyone else over the past decade.The ‘age of Messi’ has certainly coincided with some of the most incredible numbers ever seen from a club side, both in terms of trophies and matches won by the Catalans.Try as they might, Los Blancos have never really come close to overtaking the Blaugrana. Pockets of success are as good as it gets for the team from the capital.Let’s take a look at five pivotal moments that have seen Barca leave Real trailing in their slipstream:
#1 The influence of Ronaldinho
Although Ronaldinho arrived at the club in 2003, after a failed bid by Joan Laporta to sign David Beckham, his influence would be felt right across the team over the course of the next few seasons.
A first league title in six years was a direct result of the Brazilian’s artistry. Who can forget the way he destroyed Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2005. Even the Madridistas stood up to applaud – a gesture that is only reserved for the very best opponents.
A long awaited second Champions League trophy, 14 years after Barca’s first at Wembley, was also orchestrated by Ronaldinho. Although he was relatively quiet in the final, he’d written his name all over the competition in the preceeding rounds.
Lionel Messi has credited for the former number 10 with taking him under his wing and handing out some of the best advice the little Argentinian has received to date.
Certainly there’s been a very definite upward trajectory at the club ever since the magician took his first steps at Camp Nou and despite the way in which he left the club, Barca owed Ronaldinho Gaucho a huge debt of gratitude.