Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona: 5 hits and flops as Los Blancos blow title race wide open | La Liga 2020-21

Real Madrid completed a league double over Barcelona for the first time since 2008 as a 2-1 win in a riveting El Clasico blew open a pulsating title race.

Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos scored once apiece in the first half for Los Blancos as Oscar Mingueza's effort was not enough for Barcelona to salvage a share of the spoils.

Real Madrid's flying start left Ronald Koeman's side on tenterhooks as they trailed 2-0 at the break. But Mingueza reduced arrears at around the hour mark.

The Whites missed a couple of chances on the break. But the visitors upped the ante in the final quarter, with Ilaix Moriba smashing an effort against the crossbar with virtually the last kick of the game.

Casemiro was sent off in the final minute of normal time for a second bookable offence. But it was too late for the Blaugrana to make their numerical advantage count.

Real Madrid's win ended Barcelona's 19-game unbeaten run as Los Blancos won three El Clasico games in a row for the first time since 1977-78.

With the win, Real Madrid move atop the league table. Atletico Madrid can regain pole position with a draw at Real Betis on Sunday, though.

On that note, let's have a look at the five hits and flops from the game.

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Hit: Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

Vinicius Junior was in fine form against Barcelona.

Buoyed by his Liverpool heroics, Vinicius Junior turned in another fabulous outing against Barcelona.

His breathless runs down the flanks were a major cause of concern for the Blaugrana, as Vinicius Junior constantly hit them on the break.

In fact, the Brazilian was involved in both Real Madrid goals, showing a tremendous burst of pace on each occasion, the second of which resulted in a free-kick that Kross converted.

Though Vinicius Junior was not really at the receiving end of clear-cut opportunities, he twisted and turned Barcelona's defence inside out with his relentless probing, leaving them woefully exposed.

Sergino Dest, in particular, wouldn't want to see the sight of Vinicius Junior again.

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Flop: Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)

Ousmane Dembele struggled to make a meaningful impact against Real Madrid.

It's a surprise that Ousmane Dembele lasted 81 minutes despite his relative inability to impact proceedings against Real Madrid.

Besides a few decent crosses into the box, the Frenchman couldn't quite conjure anything to write home about.

The flair and finesse with which he had been operating recently was sorely lacking on Saturday, as most of Barcelona's attacking burden once again fell on Lionel Messi's shoulders.

Dembele ended the game with just 17 passes and two shots - neither of which were on target.

Hit: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

Karim Benzema produced a wonderful finish to put Real Madrid in the lead

Another big game, another big goal, for Real Madrid's Karim Benzema. The Frenchman set Los Blancos on their way to victory over Barcelona with a fabulous opening goal.

Latching onto a cross from Lucas Vazquez, Benzema executed a cheeky backheel to beat Barcelona custodian Marc-Andre Ter Stegen at the near post. The goal made Benzema only the second Real Madrid player to score in at least seven consecutive La Liga games since the turn of the century.

The Frenchman doesn't score too many goals in the El Clasico. But he couldn't have found a better occasion to find the net against Barcelona.

With the title race heating up, the holders had to win this game to keep alive their hopes of retaining the La Liga crown.

Benzema's audacious effort gave them the momentum to do exactly that, as Real Madrid's win sees the holders move level on points with Atletico Madrid at the top, with Barcelona only a point behind.

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Flop: Sergino Dest (Barcelona)

Sergino Dest came a cropper against Real Madrid.

Sergino Dest, who had been going from strength to strength in recent games, dropped an absolute stinker against Real Madrid - so much that Ronald Koeman had to take off the American at half-time.

Dest was run ragged by the explosive Vinicius Junior on the break and was also at fault for the second Real Madrid goal.

As if his defensive woes were not enough, Dest also offered nothing going forward, failing to make a single cross or lay a key pass.

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Hit: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Lionel Messi was Barcelona's best player once again.

It was not the greatest night for the El Clasico king. But Lionel Messi was still the man pulling strings for Barcelona, starring with a fabulous performance.

Despite the attacking quality in the Barcelona ranks, Messi remained the main source of threat from the visitors, attempting seven of their 18 shots on goal.

The Argentine also shouldered much of Barcelona's creative burden, completing seven dribbles on the night, too.

On the downside, though, Lionel Messi once again drew a blank in the Clasico, doing so for the seventh time in a row, something that's going to be talked about fiercely in the post-match analyses.