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Real Madrid cruised past FC Barcelona 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu to reclaim their place atop the La Liga standings. The game began at a frenetic tempo as both sides looked to impose their identity on the match. However, it was the home team who settled quicker and got into a passing rhythm.
The first opening of the encounter fell to Karim Benzema in the 7th minute. However, the Frenchman ballooned his strike over the bar from the edge of the box. As the half progressed, Barcelona grew into the contest and came close in the 34th and the 38th minute. On both occasions though, Thibaut Courtois rose to the occasion to keep the score goal-less at the break.
Post the restart, the Los Blancos looked the better outfit and deservedly nudged ahead when Vinicius Junior raced through on goal and slotted his effort past Marc Andre ter Stegen, albeit via a deflection.
The Blaugrana pressed for an equalizer but were caught with the proverbial sucker punch in second half stoppage time when Mariano Diaz finished coolly to hand the hosts the three points and a spot at the perch of the standings.
Here is a look at the hits and flops from the match.
#5 Jordi Alba – Flop
Prior to the game at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Spaniard had been nursing an injury, meaning that his participation was under a significant cloud. However, for the visit to the Spanish capital, the full-back passed a late fitness test, thereby allowing Quique Setien the luxury of calling upon his services.
Yet, unfortunately for the Blaugrana, Jordi Alba looked extremely tentative and rusty during his stint on the pitch. The defender looked a tad off the tempo and was remarkably out-paced by the likes of Dani Carvajal and Fede Valverde.
Additionally, he failed to track his runners adequately and had Real Madrid been more prolific in the first half, they could’ve propelled themselves into a half-time lead. In fact, Alba was immensely lucky to remain on the pitch, despite indulging in a couple of bookable offences.
The Spaniard was brandished a yellow card for a needless off-the-ball scuffle with Carvajal and could’ve been issued his marching orders for a foul on Valverde, especially considering that he had impeded a promising counter-attack.
Over the course of the past few seasons, Alba has firmly established himself as one of the world’s premier left-backs. Yet, one reckons that he might not look back at Sunday’s performance too fondly.
#4 Thibaut Courtois – Hit
In the 2018 off-season, Thibaut Courtois was embroiled in a long-running transfer saga, which eventually culminated with the Belgian completing a move to the Los Blancos. Since then, the shot stopper has found it tough to endear himself to the Madrid faithful, considering his patchy form and the fact that he displaced Keylor Navas.
To put things into perspective, several panned the Belgian at the start of the current campaign and many were left aggrieved at the club’s decision to persist with him at the Costa Rican’s expense.
However, over the past few months, Courtois has turned in numerous accomplished performances, meaning that the has silenced his doubters, to an extent. And, against Barcelona, he continued that trend rather emphatically.
For much of the first half, the Belgian barely had anything to do as the Blaugrana kept passing the ball in midfield without really penetrating. Yet, as the minutes ticked by, the visitors began carving out openings and did so in the 34th minute when Arthur Melo raced clear of Toni Kroos.
The Brazilian then found himself eyeball to eyeball with the keeper and the latter came out on top with a brilliant save. Four minutes later, Courtois was on hand to parry Lionel Messi’s goal-bound shot away from goal.
In the second half too, the Belgian looked calm and composed under crosses and seemed a goalkeeper that had tided over the ailments that had plagued the early part of his Real Madrid career.
And, to cap off his display, Courtois produced another sensational save when Martin Braithwaite bore down on goal in the 70th minute. For quite a bit of the 2018-19 and the 2019-20 season, it seemed that the Belgian keeper was destined to fall into a rather long list of illustrious players to not carve a niche for themselves at Real Madrid.
However, if he keeps conjuring such displays, those notions would be put to bed pretty soon.
#3 Dani Carvajal – Hit
The clash on Sunday pitted two of the planet’s best full backs against each other as Alba lined up against Dani Carvajal. However, at the Santiago Bernabeu, the latter outshone his counterpart spectacularly, although the former didn’t particularly cover himself in any glory.
For large swathes of the game, Carvajal kept things tidy at the back and rarely allowed Barcelona’s endeavors to bear fruit, especially on his flank. He was strong in the challenge, positioned himself exemplarily and tracked back whenever he was slightly caught out.
Moreover, he showcased bravery and courage whenever he disposed his opposite numbers. In the process, that allowed the Los Blancos to advance higher up the pitch and squeeze Barcelona further.
At times, Carvajal also popped up as an auxiliary winger, meaning that Isco then had the freedom to venture in-field and create a situation of numerical superiority in the centre of the park.
And, he adorned his display with a magnificent assist when he curled the ball into Diaz’s path and set the striker free on the inside right channel. The Brazilian made no mistake and dispatched the ball beyond Marc Andre ter Stegen.
Over the past few months, Carvajal has endured his fair share of injuries. However, recently, the Spaniard seems to have shaken those niggles off and that has started reflecting in his performances. And, his stunning display in the Clasico just embodied that upturn.
#2 Vinicius Junior – Hit
The past couple of years have seen the Brazilian catapult himself from a prodigious talent to a regular starter at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, for much of that upward trajectory, Vinicius has had to battle accusations concerning his wastefulness in the final third.
On Sunday though, the teenager blended substance with his irresistible style to ensure that the Los Blancos emerged from the rubble unscathed.
Throughout the encounter, Vinicius looked a bundle of energy on the left flank and caused Nelson Semedo all sorts of problems. The Brazilian was extremely direct and kept posing questions with his mazy dribbling.
On numerous occasions, the winger got goal-side of his marker and got into good crossing positions, although that wasn’t particularly supported by the requisite runs by his strikers.
In the 71st minute, the Brazilian took matters into his own hands when he hoodwinked Braithwaite with an expertly timed run and got in behind Barcelona’s defensive line. He then showcased the requisite clinical edge to steady himself and nestle the ball into the back of the net.
Furthermore, he always offered the home side a passing outlet high and wide on the wings, thereby allowing them to transition quickly and relieve pressure. The Los Blancos have endured plenty of injuries in 2019-20 and their cause hasn’t been helped by the inconsistent form portrayed by a certain Gareth Bale.
Yet, in perhaps their biggest game of the season, a young Brazilian ensured that the hosts didn’t lack quality in the final third. And, most encouragingly for Real Madrid, he supplemented it with an adequate end product.
#1 Lionel Messi – Flop
For a major chunk of the 2019-20 season, Lionel Messi has carried Barcelona on his shoulders. And, for most of it, he has been rather successful. However, on Sunday, the Argentine failed to conjure a magical performance, meaning that the Blaugrana also inevitably struggled.
Throughout the encounter, the Barcelona skipper was kept on a tight leash as Casemiro and Valverde effectively crowded him out. Additionally, the supply lines towards the Argentine were cut off as Madrid rarely allowed the visitors any opportunity to rattle the ball into him in space.
In addition, Messi’s deliveries from set-pieces were also uncharacteristically poor as he kept clipping them too close to the keeper.
More worryingly though, the striker seemed to lack a touch of imagination at the Bernabeu. During the game, there were moments when he could’ve sprung into life. However, nothing of the sort materialized, thereby allowing the Los Blancos to shut the Blaugrana out.
The Argentine also looked devoid of his usual sharpness, a fact that was emphasized in both halves. Before the break, Messi fashioned himself a shooting chance when he took down Sergio Busquets’ chipped pass. However, rather surprisingly, he shot straight at Courtois.
After the restart, the forward had another opportunity to open his tally but he failed to get away from the retreating Marcelo as the Brazilian caught up with the former and ultimately, nicked the ball off him.
And, though it would be extremely premature to argue about the Argentine perhaps undergoing a decline in form, one certainly wouldn’t be too wrong to term Messi’s performance at the Bernabeu as an anomaly, especially considering the standards he sets for himself.
