More than just football

By Jason Moore IS Madrid making a comeback? I ask this question after watching Real Madrid cruise to victory over Barcelona in the league on Sunday. You may say that it was just a football match but this game is certainly more than that and the fact that Madrid won could mean that the balance of power is starting to turn. The last conservative Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, was an ardent Real Madrid fan and during his years in office Madrid won every trophy on offer. Exit Aznar and enter Barcelona-supporting Rodriguez Zapatero. Barca last season were crowned Spanish and European Champions much to the delight of the Prime Minister; they also beat Madrid on their home turf. But all is not well for Zapatero, now, with a series of unpopular domestic policies and on Sunday, Madrid won. The crowd in the Santiago Bernabeu were singing Viva España, much to the digust of Barcelona fans who for many years have been flying the flag for Catalonia, which wants far greater autonomy from Spain. Like politics things can change in football in a matter of days but Barcelona and Zapatero, appear to be on the back-foot. There is still a long way to go but two defeats in a week for Barcelona, especially against their arch enemies Chelsea and Real Madrid means that all is not well within the European champions. The next few months will see whether it was just a flash in the pan.