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Real Madrid and Barcelona played out an El Clasico for the ages, with Los Blancos triumphing 2-1 at the end. The result leaves Real Madrid top of La Liga, level on 66 points with Atletico Madrid who play later, while Barcelona are a point behind.
Real Madrid and Barcelona began the match in an even fashion, before Los Blancos drew first blood in the 13th minute. Fede Valverde produced a storming run up the pitch, squaring it wide for Lucas Vazquez - who responded with a low cross which Karim Benzema impudently backheeled into the net.
Zinedine Zidane's side doubled their lead in the 28th minute, with Toni Kroos watching his free-kick cannon off Sergino Dest's back into the net, with Jordi Alba's attempted clearance off the line going in vain.
Los Blancos came close multiple times as the half wore on. Vinicius Jr. was devastating on the counter, with Fede Valverde hitting the post while Lucas Vazquez forced Marc-Andre Ter Stegen into a great save.
Leo Messi nearly scored directly from a corner late in the first half, hitting the far post with Thibaut Courtois stranded. The Belgian keeper was on hand to make a point blank save from Messi moments later, ensuring Real Madrid went into the break with a 2-0 lead.
Antoine Griezmann came on at half-time and nearly made an impact as the rain came pouring down, shooting wide from an offside position. The Uruguayan made an important contribution without touching the ball, as his dummy allowed Oscar Mingueza to score from Jordi Alba's cross on the hour mark.
Real Madrid responded as the game wore on, with Vinicius Jr. hitting the post and Kroos miscuing a header with the goal at his mercy. Barca had chances of their own, with Mingueza nearly scoring again from a narrow angle.
With the game heading into the final moments, Barca were left incensed after Martin Brathwaite went down in the box under the close attention of Ferland Mendy, but the referee deemed it a fair challenge.
Casemiro earned two yellows in the 90th minute, earning his marching orders, with Leo Messi forcing Courtois into a save from the resulting free-kick. The drama wasn't over though, as Ilaix Mendez hit the crossbar in the final move of the game, with Madrid surviving to win 2-1.
On that note, here are the major talking points from a hugely entertaining Clasico:
#1 Karim Benzema finally ends his El Clasico drought
Karim Benzema is in the best goal-scoring form of his Real Madrid career, so it was no surprise that he scored his tenth goal in his last nine games tonight. However, it was the Frenchman's first goal in his last ten games against Barcelona, and what a special goal it was.
Fede Valverde and Lucas Vazquez were brilliant in the build-up, but Benzema's backheeled finish into the near post was delicious in its execution. The Frenchman was superb for Los Blancos throughout, with Madrid looking like scoring in almost every move he was involved in.
Such is Benzema's importance to Real Madrid now that Zinedine Zidane saw fit to preserve him for the Liverpool game up next, despite the game hanging in the balance. It's not rocket science, when Benzema has been involved in 31 of the 73 goals Los Blancos have scored this season.
#2 Leo Messi's Clasico ends in tears in the pouring rain
It was emblematic of Lionel Messi's game tonight that his final El Clasico contribution was inadvertently blocking Marc-Andre Ter Stegen's goal-bound shot in the final moments. The Argentinian was shackled by multiple Real Madrid players tonight, with Messi crowded out for most of the game.
Messi is still Messi, and he did hit the woodwork from a corner, but he's failed to score with his last 25 shots against Real Madrid, including seven tonight. If this was to be the Blaugrana talisman's final El Clasico, it would be a crying shame.
It's been eight straight El Clasicos since Messi has scored, and he surely would have loved to have scored tonight. Perhaps this might motivate the Argentinian to stay, given he would not like to sign off having lost both games to Real Madrid and potentially missing out on La Liga as well.
#3 Fede Valverde and Vinicius Jr. justify their selection
Given Marco Asensio's recent form of late, it was perhaps surprising that Zinedine Zidane opted to select Fede Valverde out wide on the right. Yet the Uruguayan midfielder justified his selection, with a superb run for the opening goal, leading Madrid's press throughout the first half.
In a similar vein, Vinicius Jr. was Los Blancos' best threat tonight. The Brazilian troubled Oscar Mingueza throughout, twisting him all ends up multiple times and beating him for pace with ease. He was perhaps a bit too unselfish at times, and really ought to have scored tonight.
Once the pair went off, Barcelona found a route back into the game, so it will not surprise anyone if Zidane opts to start with the same front three against Liverpool.
#4 Zinedine Zidane won the tactical battle against Ronald Koeman
For a manager who's been derided multiple times as 'lucky', just a 'man-manager' and not a tactician, it's quite revelatory just how often Zinedine Zidane ends up winning the tactical battle in the big games.
The setup was unlike anything Real Madrid have played recently, a low 5-4-1 block that transformed into a 4-3-3 on the counter. Zidane realized Barcelona's defenders were there for the taking, and with Luka Modric supplying delicious through balls to Vinicius Jr, there was only going to be one outcome.
The low block also served to thwart the threat of Messi without leaving Casemiro alone to do the dirty work, although the Brazilian undid all that good work with a manic final minute to get sent off. Even as Zidane made questionable substitutions, Madrid always looked like scoring.
Indeed this could have been a far more comfortable win, with Ronald Koeman not having much of an answer to his counterpart's tactical nous.
#5 Bad omens for Barcelona in La Liga's title race
Prior to the game, Ronald Koeman insisted that even a loss for Barcelona would not affect their chances of lifting the La Liga trophy come the end of the season. However, what ought to concern the Dutchman is that Barcelona have never won the league when Real Madrid have done the double over them.
Koeman and Gerard Pique were quick to remonstrate with the referee once the final whistle blew, voicing their frustration at Martin Brathwaite's penalty shout, that if given, would have been quite generous. Perhaps the duo would be better off focusing on the fact that Barcelona have not lost three Clasicos since 1978.
The Blaugrana came into this game having won their last nine away games, and were bang in form. There is a danger of their season unraveling if Koeman is unable to bring the focus back to football as opposed to any perceived refereeing issues.
Barcelona are still only a point behind their rivals, but Real Madrid look quite unlikely to falter. Atletico Madrid are still in the race, and this three-way battle could go all the way to the final day.
