LaLiga 2018/19: Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona, 5 key takeaways

The second El Clasico in a little over 72 hours took place at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Barcelona running out 1-0 winners courtesy a strike from Ivan Rakitic in the first half.

The defeat all but guarantees that Real Madrid would finish the season without domestic silverware, with their only realistic hope of a trophy coming in the Champions League, where they would attempt to win the title for a record-breaking fourth consecutive time.

For Barcelona on the other hand, it takes them one step closer to successfully defending the domestic double they won last year, while they are also on track for a unique treble. In this piece, we shall be taking a look at five talking points from the 241st official El Clasico.

#5 Santiago Solari feeling the pressure

Real Madrid made a disastrous start to the current season, with the 5-1 capitulation at the hands of Barcelona in October last year being the breaking point.

Then manager Julen Lopetegui paid for that loss with his job, having his contract terminated after just 14 matches in charge and for his replacement, the club looked inwards, signing youth team manager and former player Santiago Solari to take charge of the first team.

The Argentinean manager got off to a bright start, winning his first four matches in charge which led to his appointment on a permanent basis.

Since then, things have not been so smooth for the 44-year-old, as Real have blown hot and cold, posting some impressive results such as the 1-1 draw with Barcelona at the Nou Camp as well as the 3-1 victory over Atleti away in LaLiga.

There have however been some shock losses, including home defeats to Leganes and CSKA Moscow as well as a 3-0 loss away to Elche, while the consecutive home defeats to Barcelona are undoubtedly the major low points.

A loss to Barcelona is never tolerated at any venue, much less at the hallowed Bernabeu and in consecutive games for that matter.

These sets of Clasico losses are sure to crank up the pressure on Solari (which is something he has first hand knowledge of, having played under five different managers in his five years for Real Madrid).

#4 LaLiga title race all but over

Barcelona headed into the fixture at the Bernabeu seven points clear of Atleti in second and nine points ahead of their hosts.

Real Madrid have done well to recover their previous deficit in the league, but saw all their work undone by some poor results in recent weeks.

Nevertheless, they still maintained a slim hope of triumphing in the league if they could pull off a victory here (especially as Barcelona still have to host Atletico Madrid).

However, all those hopes came crashing down as Barcelona put up some resilience to pull off the 1-0 victory at the Bernabeu.

The victory took them ten points clear of Atletico Madrid (who travel to face the high flying Real Sociedad at the notoriously difficult Anoeta stadium), while they are 12 points ahead of Real Madrid in third.

With there just being 12 rounds of matches remaining in the Spanish top flight this season, it is looking highly unlikely that Barcelona would relinquish their lead at the top which would see them successfully defend their league crown and give them their seventh title in the last ten years.

#3 The next generation coming of age

Reguilon was one of the most impressive performers

El Clasico is widely believed to be the biggest club football match on the planet, with viewership running into hundreds of millions around the world.

Whenever Real Madrid and Barcelona lock horns, the world takes a break to watch the gladiators battle it out for supremacy in 90 minutes.

The history and caliber of players associated with this fixture has increased its popularity, while both teams' statures as being among the biggest clubs in the world give it a special appeal.

El Clasico however cuts across just football, having its origins firmly rooted in political and cultural divides, with both sets of fans seeing the match as an almost do or die affair where defeat is rarely tolerated.

The matches are not for the faint-hearted and even the most experienced of players feel the heat and tension whenever they participate in a Clasico, much less for young inexperienced players.

Both sides currently have an abundance of youngsters within their ranks, as they have started building for a future without the likes of Messi, Benzema, Ramos and Busquets.

On the night, a number of these youngsters featured and they took to the Clasico like fishes to water, not looking out of place and discharging their duties with excellence.

Players like Vinicius Jr, Clement Lenglet, Sergio Reguilon, Arthur, Federico Valverde were on show in the biggest club fixture in the world, but did not look out of place despite playing alongside some established greats like Messi, Ramos, Busquets, Bale and the likes.

Indeed, some of the best performers on the night were the young players on the field and on account of the displays by their youngsters, it is safe to say that the futures of Barcelona and Real Madrid are in the right hands (legs?).

#2 Gareth Bale continues to struggle

Real Madrid v FC Barcelona - Copa del Rey Semi Final: Second Leg

Bale was the world record signing when he arrived at Real Madrid from Tottenham in the summer of 2013 off his breathtaking performances for Spurs which saw him twice named the PFA Player of the Year.

However, the Welshman failed to carry his form into Spain and much of this was pinned down to the presence of Ronaldo, as the Portuguese was the undoubted star of the show with Bale and everyone else expected to take a backseat and play second fiddle.

Real Madrid's record goalscorer however departed last summer and it was expected that Bale would be among the biggest beneficiaries of his departure, as it would afford him the chance to be the star of the show much like he was at Tottenham and with his national team.

However, that has proven to not be the case, as the 29-year-old has struggled to impact matches in the manner Ronaldo did, while also failing to match his exploits on the field.

So far this season, Bale has managed just seven goals and two assists from 21 matches which are rather poor figures considering how much was expected of him.

His poor form led to him being dropped by Santi Solari in recent weeks, but the Argentine restored him to the starting lineup in the Clasico.

Bale however failed to take his chances, being more of a spectator and struggling to take the game to Barcelona when Real were in desperate need of an equalizer.

The jeers around the Bernabeu upon his substitution shows that the fans' patience with him is running thin, while his petulance in not acknowledging Solari on his way to the bench is significant of an underlying problem.

In six seasons at Real Madrid, it is yet to truly click for Bale (and this is taking nothing away from him, as on his day he is an extremely talented footballer), which is why it might be time for him to call it quits with the club.

#1 Sergio Ramos's ignobility

Sergio Ramos was constantly trying to get under the skins of the Barca players

Over the years, Sergio Ramos has distinguished himself as one of the best defenders in the world, showing a dedication and commitment to the cause that ensures he leaves everything on the field of play.

However, he is not everybody's cup of tea, as the 32-year-old is arguably football's public enemy number one, due to his penchant for dirty tricks and all-round villainy.

This pragmatic side of Ramos sees him place a premium on winning at all costs, regardless of the manner in which the victory is gotten and has helped Real Madrid and Spain win numerous titles over the years, endearing him to the hearts of both sets of supporters, while other sets of fans absolutely loathe him.

Ramos' rapsheet of ignoble acts reads like a case study of a comic villain, with the unintentional (read deliberate) arm break on Mo Salah in last season's UCL final being the most recent that comes to mind.

Against Barcelona, Ramos was at his petulant worst, constantly putting up frustrating antics in a bid to get under the Barcelona attackers' (especially Messi) skins.

He received a yellow card (no surprises there) for a cynical foul on Lionel Messi after leaving a trailing leg behind him to stop the Argentine from making a run on goal, while at the very end of the first half he deliberately put his hands into the Barca number 10's eyes which sparked a bit of a melee at halftime.

While he would go down as one of the best defenders in Real Madrid's history, fans elsewhere would be glad to see the back of him.