3 things Barcelona is doing better than Real Madrid

Real Madrid fans have every right to be worried about the future of the club. There are mixed messages regarding what Florentino Perez will do this summer, including rumblings that he will not make signings at positions that desperately need an upgrade, namely right back.

Los Blancos are coming off an embarrassing 4-0 loss to Barcelona in El Clasico – at home, no less. Worse yet, Real Madrid could have lost by double that margin, as they were rescued by a few big saves from Thibaut Courtois and benefited from some missed simple chances.

Barcelona are back on the rise after an awful start to the season, as they have kept pace with Real since Xavi’s appointment. Here are five things they are currently doing better than Real.

Barcelona is building an identity

What is Real Madrid’s identity? How do Real want to play? They have lost the defensive structure given to them by Zinedine Zidane, and they are not playing with the same attacking swagger. Carlo Ancelotti does not have Real in control in matches. He looks to sit back and hit teams on the counter, and as we saw against Barcelona and in the first leg vs. PSG at the Parc des Princes, they are getting embarrassed and playing like cowards at times under Ancelotti.

Meanwhile, Xavi has helped Barcelona blend the style of old with a new way of playing. Perhaps football fans were surprised when Barça signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whose affinity for runs behind the defense may not have seemed to fit Barcelona’s identity on the outset. But he has been a perfect fit for what Xavi wants to do, which is to add this field-stretching dimension to the traditional possession-based, passing-oriented football La Blaugrana normally espouse.

The result is a unique, exciting brand of football that is the perfect partnership of a traditional philosophy and a modern one. Meanwhile, when you turn on a Real Madrid match, you are treated to a random “go out there and play, boys” gameplan bereft of identity, tactics, or soul.