In what was a closely fought encounter, Real Madrid came from behind to beat league leaders Barcelona by a goal at the Camp Nou. With this win, Real Madrid have closed down the gap between them and Barcelona to seven points.
The home team started the game strong but couldn't make much of the chances. The first half was pretty much uneventful and the both teams failed to score a goal. The break came in the second half when Gerard Pique scored off a corner kick in the 56th minute. Karim Benzema equalized for the Blancos just minutes later. Cristiano Ronaldo scored late in the game to seal the victory for the visitors.
Here's how the different players stood out.
Barcelona:
Claudio Bravo - 4.5/10Claudio Bravo started the game strong and made a couple of good saves, before getting outplayed by the Real Madrid attack. He was caught in awkward positions a couple of times and could definitely have done better to stop Ronaldo's shot from going in.
Jordi Alba - 5/10Jordi Alba was far from perfect. He put in some good defensive work but was pretty much useless in the attacking department.
Dani Alves - 5.5/10Just like Alba, Dani Alves too had an average game. He did manage to keep Ronaldo in check for the major part of the game. While attacking, though, his crosses and balls were far from effective.
Gerard Pique - 7/10Gerard Pique gave a disciplined performance as he kept the Real Madrid attack at bay for the most part of the game. He also gave Barcelona the lead by heading in the ball from a corner kick.
Javier Mascherano - 6.5/10Javier Mascherano once again proved his importance to the team with a solid defensive performance. His interceptions and tackles were spot on as he stopped a couple of dangerous breaks from the visitors.
Sergio Busquets - 7.5/10Sergio Busquets, as usual, was one of the best Barcelona players on the pitch. He kept the midfield ticking and his defensive work was spot on.
Ivan Rakitic - 7/10Ivan Rakitic played a very important role for Barcelona in the midfield. He created some chances and also put in a lot of defensive work. The fact that Barcelona's midfield instantly broke down when he was subbed off is a clear indication of his performance.
Andres Iniesta - 6.5/10Andres Iniesta was not at his usual best and could only partially succeed to take the game forward. Still a decent performance from the captain as he was good with the ball and keeping possession.
Luis Suarez - 3/10This was one of the worst performances of the season from Luis Suarez. He was rarely was a threat for Los Blancos and also missed a couple of very easy chances which should have gone in.
Neymar - 4/10 Like Suarez, Neymar was absent for the major part of the game. He had a hard time dealing with the Real Madrid defense.
Lionel Messi - 5.5/10Lionel Messi created some difficulties for the visitors in the beginning but slacked off soon after. He was brilliantly marked by Casemiro, who stopped the Argentine from performing at his usual best.
Real Madrid:
Keylor Navas - 7.5/10Keylor Navas was great in between the posts. He made a couple of crucial saves to keep Barcelona from getting ahead early on.
Dani Carvajal - 6/10Dani Carvajal justified Zidane's trust by shelling out a match winning performance. While he wasn't anywhere near exceptional, he did enough to keep Neymar in check.
Sergio Ramos - 3/10Sergio Ramos was the worst Real Madrid player on the pitch tonight. The Madrid captain played recklessly and was sent off in the dying moments of the game, which should actually have happened in the first half itself.
Marcelo - 8/10Marcelo had a wonderful game tonight. While solid in defense, he was the most threatening player while attacking as well. The first goal scored by Los Blancos was solely his creation.
Pepe - 6.5/10 Pepe was solid in defense. He did made a couple of reckless moves but his defensive performance more than made up for it. He kept Suarez in check, making life difficult for the Uruguayan.
Casemiro - 9/10Casemiro was the best player for Los Blancos tonight. He gave the performance of a lifetime as he did a brilliant job of keeping Lionel Messi in check.
Luka Modric - 5.5/10Luka Modric had a decent game and was crucial in the link-up play. He tried his best to help defensively and initiated counters whenever possible.
Toni Kroos - 6/10Toni Kroos gave a disciplined performance. He chipped in with the defense whenever necessary and also contributed at the other side when he provided the assist for Benzema's equalizer.
Cristiano Ronaldo - 6.5/10Cristiano Ronaldo turned out to be important for the visitors as he scored the winning goal for them in the dying moments of the game. Overall, he had an decent game, constantly trying to break on the counter.
Gareth Bale - 7.5/10Gareth Bale was instrumental in Real Madrid's win. He was a constant threat on the counter and provided some wonderful balls including the crucial assist for the winning goal.
Karim Benzema - 6.5/10Karim Benzema had a decent game. While he missed an easy chance early on, he made up for it when he scored the equalizer for the visitors.
