'Classico' between Barcelona and Real provides perfect tribute to Cruyff

How will Catalonia pay homage to one of its greatest sons? True, Johan Cruyff was born in the city of Amsterdam but it was on the playing field of the Camp Nou in Barcelona where his genius dazzled and was ultimately seared into footballing legend.

An old football lies at the Camp Nou shrine to former player and coach Johan Cruyff who died on 24 March. Reuters/Albert Gea

Cruyff was nicknamed El Salvador (the saviour) by the Camp Nou faithful. Hardly surprising really as his arrival helped the team lift the 1974 Spanish title for the first time since 1960.

The reedy Dutchman illuminated many a Clasico against Real Madrid during his five years as a player with Barcelona between 1973 and 1978. And he orchestrated successes against the old enemy during his eight year stint as Barcelona coach.

That the first match in the Spanish domestic calendar after his death on 24 March at the age of 68 should pit the fierce rivals together, would have appealed to Cruyff’s wily sense of theatre.

The cast couldn't be more star-studded either with the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Andres Iniesta performing in front of 90,000 partisans who will have their say by holding aloft banners emblazoned with the words: "Thank you Johan". The shirts of Barca's players will carry the same message.

"I am sure that what Cruyff would want more than any homage is that we win thanks to good football,” said Barca coach Luis Enrique. “He would want us to put on a spectacle and deserve the victory on the pitch."
.
Barca head into the game hoping to extend their unbeaten streak to 40 fixtures in all competitions.

Zinedine Zidane, one of the latter day greats of the game, takes his Real Madrid side into the match trailing the La Liga pacesetters by 10 points. Defeat in the 31st encounter of the campaign would almost certainly end their title hopes. And victory for Real might not even stop Barca’s title charge. They are nine points ahead of second placed Atletico Madrid who host Real Betis on Saturday.

Barcelona will send the South American attacking trident of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez into the mix. They have scored more than 100 goals in all competitions as the Catalans continue their quest to defend the Spanish title as well as the Copa del Rey and the Uefa Champions League.

Real do have Ronaldo, James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale up front. But it is not as ferocious a threesome. "If we win Atletico would be the only rival in the fight for the title," added Enrique.

Zidane enjoyed plenty of success as a Madrid player at the Camp Nou - most memorably scoring the opening goal with an imperious lob in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final in 2002.

"Clasicos are the most beautiful thing in football for a player," said the 43-year-old Frenchman. "Now I am going to live it as a coach. It will be my first time but I am very happy and will enjoy it.”

Perhaps Zidane will have beginner’s luck and spoil the Camp Nou party for the departed Dutch master. Perhaps emotion will claim the day and fire Barcelona closer to the title.

However one thing is certain. When the 26-year-old Cruyff signed for Barcelona from Ajax in 1973, he had just been anointed European footballer of the year for the second consecutive season. Real too had been seeking his presence in their attack but he snubbed the team from the capital because they had been backed by General Franco during the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s.

Homages to Catalonia don’t come any more transcendent than that.