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Barcelona's title ambitions suffered a massive dent this weekend as Real Madrid edged the Catalans to a 2-1 victory at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano. Barcelona were poor in the first half and Real Madrid took full toll to clinch a crucial victory.
Barcelona have now slipped to third place in the La Liga standings but remain in contention for the La Liga crown. Real Madrid, on the other hand, have moved to the top of the league table and made a massive statement with this victory.
Real Madrid pipped Barcelona to an important victory
Barcelona had plenty of possession in the first half but were unable to find space in the final third as Real Madrid defended with rigid lines. The home side looked dangerous on the counter and Zinedine Zidane's plans paid dividends as Karim Benzema netted a magical goal to open the scoring for Real Madrid.
Barcelona seemed lost for answers as Los Blancos grew into the game and began to threaten Ter Stegen's goal. Toni Kroos made the most of his purple patch and scored his first-ever El Clasico goal with a deflected free-kick to double Real Madrid's lead.
Barcelona approached the second half with plenty of intent and dominated the proceedings against Real Madrid. The Catalans created a series of chances before Oscar Mingueza found himself in the right place at the right time and poked a Jordi Alba cross into the back of the net.
Real Madrid fashioned their own chances at the other end and Vinicius Junior and Marcelo nearly restored the two-goal cushion. Barcelona came close to their equaliser on a number of occasions were unable to take the lead.
Real Madrid Player Ratings
Thibaut Courtois - 6.5/10
Thibaut Courtois made an excellent intervention to deny Ousmane Dembele a tap-in in the opening stages of the game. The Belgian shot-stopper pulled off a few good saves and played an important role for Real Madrid.
Eder Militao - 7/10
Eder Militao had the unenviable job of serving as the final obstacle against the likes of Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann and exceeded expectations on the night.
Nacho - 7/10
Nacho put in an understated shift for Real Madrid and pulled off some crucial blocks to thwart Barcelona's attacking forays. The Spaniard harried Lionel Messi and was a thorn in the Catalans' side.
Lucas Vazquez - 7.5/10
Lucas Vazquez enjoyed an excellent stint on the pitch and bagged an assist for Karim Benzema's goal. The Spaniard was involved in an unfortunate clash with Sergio Busquets and was taken off before half-time.
Ferland Mendy - 5.5/10
Ferland Mendy linked up well with Vinicius Junior throughout the game but did have his problems against Ousmane Dembele. The Frenchman could have done more to prevent Oscar Mingueza's goal.
Casemiro - 6.5/10
Casemiro dominated his battles with Pedri in the first half and won possession for Real Madrid on several occasions. The Brazilian midfielder received bookings in quick succession in the second half and was sent off in stoppage-time.
Luka Modric - 7/10
Luka Modric showed flashes of extraordinary brilliance throughout the game and his exquisite passes created several chances for Real Madrid. The Croatian midfielder did not see much of the ball in the second half but had a good game.
Toni Kroos - 8/10
Toni Kroos enjoyed an exceptional first half and was rewarded with his first goal against Barcelona after his free-kick took two deflections to find the back of the net. The German midfielder was the beating heart of his side and had a positive outing.
Federico Valverde - 7.5/10
Federico Valverde seems to bring out his best self against Barcelona and his driving run played an instrumental role in the opening goal. The Uruguayan put in an excellent shift and was replaced by Marco Asensio in the second half.
Vinicius Junior - 7/10
Vinicius Junior tormented Barcelona's defence on the night and his pace caused the Catalans a series of problems. The Brazilian youngster won the free-kick for Real Madrid's second goal but also failed to make the most of some excellent opportunities.
Karim Benzema - 8/10
Karim Benzema has produced crucial goals for Real Madrid this season and stunned Barcelona with his goal in the first half. The French striker also troubled Barcelona in the second half and was surprisingly taken off by Zinedine Zidane after the hour-mark.
Substitutes
Alvaro Odriozola - 6.5/10
Alvaro Odriozola replaced the injured Lucas Vazquez in the first half and put in a good shift. The Spanish full-back did not offer much in the final third but produced some crucial interventions in his own half.
Marco Asensio - 6/10
Marco Asensio came on for the impressive Federico Valverde in the second half and provided Real Madrid with an asset on the counter.
Isco - 6/10
Isco had a few attempts saved towards the end of the match but did not spend enough time on the pitch to exert his influence on the game.
Mariano Diaz - 6/10
Mariano Diaz was introduced towards the end of the match and did not have much of an impact on the proceedings.
Marcelo - 6/10
Marcelo added defensive solidity to Real Madrid's back line and was brought on to protect his side's lead. The Brazilian nearly made an impact at the opposite end of the pitch but was unable to force Ter Stegen into a save.
Also Read: Real Betis vs Atletico Madrid prediction, preview, team news and more | La Liga 2020-21
Barcelona Player Ratings
Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 6.5/10
Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen could do nothing about either Real Madrid and was left rooted to his spot as Los Blancos raced into their lead. The German shot-stopper did have some tense moments but was largely reliable for his side.
Ronald Araujo - 5.5/10
Ronald Araujo had a rough first half and conceded the foul that led to Real Madrid's second goal of the night. The Uruguayan defender did improve after Toni Kroos' goal and made a couple of important interventions.
Clement Lenglet - 5/10
Clement Lenglet did not have the best of nights and was unable to keep tabs on Lucas Vazquez for Real Madrid's first goal. The Frenchman ventured forward on several occasions but was largely ineffective against his opponents.
Oscar Mingueza - 7.5/10
Oscar Mingueza faced a baptism of fire against Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior in the first half but managed to hold his own. The Barcelona youngster scored his side's only goal of the game and had an excellent second half.
Sergino Dest - 3/10
Sergino Dest was out of his depth against Real Madrid and failed to make an impact during his time on the pitch. The American teenager misplaced several passes and was replaced by Antoine Griezmann after half-time.
Jordi Alba - 5.5/10
Jordi Alba played a game of two contrasting halves and was taken apart by Real Madrid's blistering counters in the first half-hour. The Barcelona left-back showed considerable improvement after half-time and bagged an assist for Mingueza's goal.
Sergio Busquets - 6.5/10
Sergio Busquets was one of Barcelona's few good players in the first half and helped his team transition into the final third on a number of occasions. The Spanish midfielder was taken off in the second half as Barcelona looked for a way back into the match.
Frenkie de Jong - 7/10
Frenkie de Jong put in a classy display against the likes of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos and was the primary driving force behind Barcelona's second-half dominance. The Dutch midfielder occupied several positions on the pitch and allowed his side to seamlessly transition between formations.
Pedri - 5/10
In what seemed to be a strange case of stage fright, Pedri was unable to bring his talents to the fore against Real Madrid. The prodigious Barcelona starlet was surprisingly inaccurate with his passes and struggled against the likes of Casemiro and Luka Modric.
Ousmane Dembele - 4/10
Ousmane Dembele has often received criticism for his frustrating performances in the past and his failure to step up in El Clasico this weekend is unlikely to win him much favour. The French winger found himself in excellent positions but consistently failed to trouble Real Madrid's defence.
Lionel Messi - 6/10
Lionel Messi did not have the best of games against Real Madrid but still remained Barcelona's most influential player on the pitch. The Argentine talisman hit the post from the corner flag and created a fair share of chances for his teammates.
Substitutes
Antoine Griezmann - 6/10
Antoine Griezmann came on in the second half to facilitate Barcelona's transition to a 4-3-3 formation. The French striker produced an excellent dummy for the Catalans' goal but was unable to present a viable threat in the penalty area.
Sergi Roberto - 6/10
Sergi Roberto replaced Sergio Busquets in the second half and introduced a sense of urgency to Barcelona's midfield. The Catalan star was accurate with his passing but was unable to create concrete chances for his side.
Martin Braithwaite - 6.5/10
Martin Braithwaite was Barcelona's target man in the second half and won his fair share of headers in the final third. The Danish striker had his shirt pulled by Ferland Mendy in the penalty area but was unable to win a spot-kick for his side.
Ilaix Moriba - 6.5/10
Ilaix Moriba displayed plenty of confidence in his second-half cameo and spent much of his time in the final third. The La Masia graduate nearly stole a point for Barcelona and hit the post with his effort in stoppage-time.
Francisco Trincao - 6/10
Francisco Trincao was brought on against Real Madrid in the second half and did not have much of an impact on the match.
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