These are the current La Liga standings after the wonder game El Clasico.
For more go to Fox Sports
Monday, March 23, 2015
El Clasico !!~~!!
El Clasico
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So since my TV was being hogged because of the March Madness going on here in USA. I had to get the minute by minute update. So this is what I have for you Okay. Before I post them I'm going to say this. El Clasico was the hardest thing for me since I Love Both Neymar and Cristiano, Due to that I didn't chose who I was going for so To Barca. Congrats on the win you did wonderful. To Real. I'm sorry for you lose, you played beautifully from what I read.. The people were updating about the game.. were favorites to Barca. But still you guys did great and this year my have not been yours but next year will so I have faith in you REAL MADRID.
And at the end of all that, Barcelona are four points above Real Madrid. It wasn’t easy. Real played very well for 50 minutes or so, but they had no answer after Luis Suarez made it 2-1. We’ll leave the final word to Admir Pajic. “It seems that Luis Suarez managed to decide two big derbies today with his departure from Liverpool to Barcelona,” he says. And on that note, good night.
And at the end of all that, Barcelona are four points above Real Madrid. It wasn’t easy. Real played very well for 50 minutes or so, but they had no answer after Luis Suarez made it 2-1. We’ll leave the final word to Admir Pajic. “It seems that Luis Suarez managed to decide two big derbies today with his departure from Liverpool to Barcelona,” he says. And on that note, good night.
FULL-TIME: Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid
It’s over!
90 min+3: Real have a throw on the left. Oh for a Rory Delap. They can’t do anything with it and Barcelona win the ball back. That should be that. Real look a tired and beaten team. And...
90 min+1: Suarez should release Alba. He can’t. Real attack. Benzema looks for Bale, but Alba is there.
90 min: There will be three minutes of stoppage time.
89 min: A couple of corners for Real, but Barcelona stand firm. They’ve defended well in the second half.
87 min: The roles are reversed between Messi and Alba this time, but again Casillas stands firm! Alba cut the ball back to Messi, whose firm low drive was pushed away by Casillas! Real break up the other end and Pique concedes a corner. Before it’s taken, Lucas Silva replaces Luka Modric.
86 min: Iker Casillas keeps Real in the match. Messi prises Real open with a pass through to Alba, but Casillas turns his poked effort wide! That could be a huge save. Moments later, Suarez volleys well over from the left of the area.
85 min: Rafinha comes on for Neymar, who’s had a frustrating evening in front of goal.
84 min: Suarez twists and turns and fires a low effort across goal from the left. Wide.
82 min: ”Where, oh where has Bale gone in the 2nd?” says Doug. “Drifted completely out of the game it seems.”
That reminds me. Bale is playing.
80 min: The Real corner comes to nothing and Barcelona are able to bring on Xavi for Andres Iniesta. Jese is also on for Real Madrid, Isco the man whose evening is over. “Can Xavi beat 36 seconds for a red card?” says Matt Dony.
Updated
78 min: Real finally threaten an equaliser! Benzema shoots from 20 yards and two deflections, one off Mascherano and one off Pique, give Bravo a major headache. But the Barcelona goalkeeper shows superb reflexes to tip the ball wide. It looked destined for the bottom corner.
77 min: There has been a strange lack of conviction about Real since Suarez’s goal. They haven’t gone close to equalising or really mustered much pressure. Instead it’s Barcelona who continue to press for a killer third. Neymar’s backheel sets up Messi on the left. He tricks his way inside but his low shot is deflected and Casillas gathers the ball.
76 min: Barcelona make a defensive change. Sergio Busquets is on for Ivan Rakitic.
74 min: Neymar misses another one! Suarez lays the ball off to Messi, who slips it to Neymar on the right. Incredibly he blazes wide of the near post! What a dismal effort that was.
73 min: Raphael Varane replaces Pepe. Barcelona, meanwhile, are getting Sergio Busquets ready. And soon Messi is on the run, scooting inside from the right, opening up his body and going for the curler into the far corner with his left foot. Just wide.
72 min: Raphael Varane will be on soon.
71 min: Another dribble from Neymar and another shot. This one’s tame and easily blocked and Real try to counter. They’re stopped by Dani Alves - by any means necessary - and he becomes the 934th player to be booked. Who’s going to be sent off?
69 min: Now I’ve seen everything. Cristiano Ronaldo steps up to take a free-kick, around 35 yards out, and crosses instead of shooting. It’s headed away.
67 min: Neymar wastes a glorious chance to finish Real off. It was a spectacular solo run from the halfway line, his swaying hips and close control leaving the Real defenders very dizzy indeed, but he ruined it by blazing over from the edge of the area when what he should have done was pass to Suarez, who was free to his right and in a better position.
66 min: A long ball over the top of the Real defence. Neymar chases after it and stumbles with Carvajal, who’s on a booking, in close attendance. The referee ignores Barcelona’s appeals.
65 min: Andres Iniesta lives up to his hard-man reputation by nobbling Carvajal. He’s booked.
64 min: The game is in danger of descending into nonsense and fouling. Isco is booked for clipping Neymar’s heels and he’ll miss Real’s next game.
62 min: Andres Iniesta has a cut on his arm as a result of that clash with Ramos. He’s ordered off to get some treatment.
60 min: Mascherano brings down Ronaldo with a heavy foul and Mascherano then collapses, claiming Ronaldo, who was on a booking, kicked out at him. There was nothing in it. Mascherano is booked, Ronaldo survives. A pathetic reaction from Mascherano. Meanwhile Ramos is down after catching one in the jaw accidentally from that notorious hard man Andres Iniesta.
Updated
58 min: Real look for an instant response. Marcelo shoots. Deflected. Corner. Kroos sends it in and Ronaldo heads over.
It’s over!
90 min+3: Real have a throw on the left. Oh for a Rory Delap. They can’t do anything with it and Barcelona win the ball back. That should be that. Real look a tired and beaten team. And...
90 min+1: Suarez should release Alba. He can’t. Real attack. Benzema looks for Bale, but Alba is there.
90 min: There will be three minutes of stoppage time.
89 min: A couple of corners for Real, but Barcelona stand firm. They’ve defended well in the second half.
87 min: The roles are reversed between Messi and Alba this time, but again Casillas stands firm! Alba cut the ball back to Messi, whose firm low drive was pushed away by Casillas! Real break up the other end and Pique concedes a corner. Before it’s taken, Lucas Silva replaces Luka Modric.
86 min: Iker Casillas keeps Real in the match. Messi prises Real open with a pass through to Alba, but Casillas turns his poked effort wide! That could be a huge save. Moments later, Suarez volleys well over from the left of the area.
85 min: Rafinha comes on for Neymar, who’s had a frustrating evening in front of goal.
84 min: Suarez twists and turns and fires a low effort across goal from the left. Wide.
82 min: ”Where, oh where has Bale gone in the 2nd?” says Doug. “Drifted completely out of the game it seems.”
That reminds me. Bale is playing.
80 min: The Real corner comes to nothing and Barcelona are able to bring on Xavi for Andres Iniesta. Jese is also on for Real Madrid, Isco the man whose evening is over. “Can Xavi beat 36 seconds for a red card?” says Matt Dony.
Updated
78 min: Real finally threaten an equaliser! Benzema shoots from 20 yards and two deflections, one off Mascherano and one off Pique, give Bravo a major headache. But the Barcelona goalkeeper shows superb reflexes to tip the ball wide. It looked destined for the bottom corner.
77 min: There has been a strange lack of conviction about Real since Suarez’s goal. They haven’t gone close to equalising or really mustered much pressure. Instead it’s Barcelona who continue to press for a killer third. Neymar’s backheel sets up Messi on the left. He tricks his way inside but his low shot is deflected and Casillas gathers the ball.
76 min: Barcelona make a defensive change. Sergio Busquets is on for Ivan Rakitic.
74 min: Neymar misses another one! Suarez lays the ball off to Messi, who slips it to Neymar on the right. Incredibly he blazes wide of the near post! What a dismal effort that was.
73 min: Raphael Varane replaces Pepe. Barcelona, meanwhile, are getting Sergio Busquets ready. And soon Messi is on the run, scooting inside from the right, opening up his body and going for the curler into the far corner with his left foot. Just wide.
72 min: Raphael Varane will be on soon.
71 min: Another dribble from Neymar and another shot. This one’s tame and easily blocked and Real try to counter. They’re stopped by Dani Alves - by any means necessary - and he becomes the 934th player to be booked. Who’s going to be sent off?
69 min: Now I’ve seen everything. Cristiano Ronaldo steps up to take a free-kick, around 35 yards out, and crosses instead of shooting. It’s headed away.
67 min: Neymar wastes a glorious chance to finish Real off. It was a spectacular solo run from the halfway line, his swaying hips and close control leaving the Real defenders very dizzy indeed, but he ruined it by blazing over from the edge of the area when what he should have done was pass to Suarez, who was free to his right and in a better position.
66 min: A long ball over the top of the Real defence. Neymar chases after it and stumbles with Carvajal, who’s on a booking, in close attendance. The referee ignores Barcelona’s appeals.
65 min: Andres Iniesta lives up to his hard-man reputation by nobbling Carvajal. He’s booked.
64 min: The game is in danger of descending into nonsense and fouling. Isco is booked for clipping Neymar’s heels and he’ll miss Real’s next game.
62 min: Andres Iniesta has a cut on his arm as a result of that clash with Ramos. He’s ordered off to get some treatment.
60 min: Mascherano brings down Ronaldo with a heavy foul and Mascherano then collapses, claiming Ronaldo, who was on a booking, kicked out at him. There was nothing in it. Mascherano is booked, Ronaldo survives. A pathetic reaction from Mascherano. Meanwhile Ramos is down after catching one in the jaw accidentally from that notorious hard man Andres Iniesta.
Updated
58 min: Real look for an instant response. Marcelo shoots. Deflected. Corner. Kroos sends it in and Ronaldo heads over.
GOAL! Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid (Suarez, 56 min)
The lull is over! Barcelona were offering nothing, so they decide to go direct. Dani Alves lifts a raking pass over the top of the Real defence, where Suarez has pulled away from Ramos and Pepe. He controls it instantly with his right foot and then slides a brilliant diagonal finish from right to left past Casillas. Barcelona lead again and Suarez has his first Clasico goal!
55 min: A lull. Xavi is warming up.
52 min: But here’s Messi. He gives Kroos the slip and accelerates past Modric, who cynically brings him down 35 yards from goal, taking the booking for the team.
51 min: Barcelona can’t get their front three into the game. Which is a problem.
49 min: Real counter at speed, Benzema breaking ominously down the right. Eventually the ball comes to Ronaldo on the right. He flicks it back to Benzema, who takes a touch before snapping a shot goalwards, forcing Bravo to save. Mathieu hacks clear before anyone can pounce on the rebound, but Real must be thinking that this is their game to lose.
48 min: Neymar scoots past Carvajal on the left and wins a free-kick by the byline. Carvajal protests his innocence, but he’s booked. “Evening Jacob,” says Simon McMahon. “I like the studio set up Sky have for their Spanish football coverage. It’s like a high class tapas bar, authentically Spanish, wine bottles and pictures of bullfights on the wall etc. with well dressed, multi-lingual pundits discussing the finer points of the game. I don’t know why they don’t do this for the Premiership. I could just see Neville and Carragher in a greasy spoon cafe with a mug of weak tea in one hand, bacon buttie in the other, sauce bottles on the tables etc.”
46 min: Off we go again. Real attack immediately and Benzema tries to release Bale. Bravo smothers the danger. “Barcelona can’t seem to be able to take the game out of their half, hope for their sake Busquets has 45 minutes in him,” says Philip Podolsky.
The lull is over! Barcelona were offering nothing, so they decide to go direct. Dani Alves lifts a raking pass over the top of the Real defence, where Suarez has pulled away from Ramos and Pepe. He controls it instantly with his right foot and then slides a brilliant diagonal finish from right to left past Casillas. Barcelona lead again and Suarez has his first Clasico goal!
55 min: A lull. Xavi is warming up.
52 min: But here’s Messi. He gives Kroos the slip and accelerates past Modric, who cynically brings him down 35 yards from goal, taking the booking for the team.
51 min: Barcelona can’t get their front three into the game. Which is a problem.
49 min: Real counter at speed, Benzema breaking ominously down the right. Eventually the ball comes to Ronaldo on the right. He flicks it back to Benzema, who takes a touch before snapping a shot goalwards, forcing Bravo to save. Mathieu hacks clear before anyone can pounce on the rebound, but Real must be thinking that this is their game to lose.
48 min: Neymar scoots past Carvajal on the left and wins a free-kick by the byline. Carvajal protests his innocence, but he’s booked. “Evening Jacob,” says Simon McMahon. “I like the studio set up Sky have for their Spanish football coverage. It’s like a high class tapas bar, authentically Spanish, wine bottles and pictures of bullfights on the wall etc. with well dressed, multi-lingual pundits discussing the finer points of the game. I don’t know why they don’t do this for the Premiership. I could just see Neville and Carragher in a greasy spoon cafe with a mug of weak tea in one hand, bacon buttie in the other, sauce bottles on the tables etc.”
46 min: Off we go again. Real attack immediately and Benzema tries to release Bale. Bravo smothers the danger. “Barcelona can’t seem to be able to take the game out of their half, hope for their sake Busquets has 45 minutes in him,” says Philip Podolsky.
Half-time: Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid
Well that flew by. Jeremy Mathieu put Barcelona ahead, but Real Madrid can always rely on Cristiano Ronaldo. “Not much happening on Messi’s side of the pitch (except Marcelo running wild),” says Charles Antaki. “He may be picking his time. Or it might be his batteries have run out. Or he could be mesmerised by Pepe’s Oscar-winning efforts.”
45 min: Sergio Ramos picks up his obligatory booking for a foul on Messi.
43 min: Ronaldo works the ball on to his right and bullets one towards the top corner from 25 yards. Bravo tips it over for a corner. It’s all Real at the moment and from the resulting corner from Kroos, Bale should score. The ball lands at his feet and he screws the ball wide with his swinger of a right boot. Barcelona could do with half-time.
42 min: Another replay suggests that Ronaldo might have been offside when he flicked the ball on to Bale. It’s tight.
41 min: Gerard Pique tries to score with a bicycle kick from 20 yards. It’s good to know your limits.
40 min: Gareth Bale puts the ball into the Barcelona net, but the flag goes up for offside! A cross came in from the left, Ronaldo flicked it on and Bale diverted the ball past Bravo from close range. But his joy is shortlived. Was it offside, though? No! The replay shows that Bale was a yard or two onside! That’s a bad decision - unless the flag was against Ronaldo.
39 min: Bale finally shakes off Alba and charges down the right and into the area. This is trouble for Barcelona, but Pique storms across on the cover and times his challenge perfectly. Real have a corner.
38 min: What this game needs is the calming presence of Steven Gerrard.
37 min: Cristiano Ronaldo goes on a turbo surge into the Barcelona area. Pique hangs out his right leg and Ronaldo goes down. The referee blows and books Ronaldo for diving. Alba is also booked for dissent.
36 min: No. “Suarez ‘bites your legs’ in the manner of Norman Hunter,” Mark Judd says. “Older readers look him up.”
35 min: Rakitic brings down Pepe from behind. Pepe is making a big show of letting everyone know he’s hurt. But is he actually hurt? What do we think?
33 min: Modric, who has been superb, tries his luck from 25 yards. Wide.
32 min: Neymar must be frustrated with himself. He kicks out at Bale on the right and is fortunate not to land himself in the referee’s notebook.
Well that flew by. Jeremy Mathieu put Barcelona ahead, but Real Madrid can always rely on Cristiano Ronaldo. “Not much happening on Messi’s side of the pitch (except Marcelo running wild),” says Charles Antaki. “He may be picking his time. Or it might be his batteries have run out. Or he could be mesmerised by Pepe’s Oscar-winning efforts.”
45 min: Sergio Ramos picks up his obligatory booking for a foul on Messi.
43 min: Ronaldo works the ball on to his right and bullets one towards the top corner from 25 yards. Bravo tips it over for a corner. It’s all Real at the moment and from the resulting corner from Kroos, Bale should score. The ball lands at his feet and he screws the ball wide with his swinger of a right boot. Barcelona could do with half-time.
42 min: Another replay suggests that Ronaldo might have been offside when he flicked the ball on to Bale. It’s tight.
41 min: Gerard Pique tries to score with a bicycle kick from 20 yards. It’s good to know your limits.
40 min: Gareth Bale puts the ball into the Barcelona net, but the flag goes up for offside! A cross came in from the left, Ronaldo flicked it on and Bale diverted the ball past Bravo from close range. But his joy is shortlived. Was it offside, though? No! The replay shows that Bale was a yard or two onside! That’s a bad decision - unless the flag was against Ronaldo.
39 min: Bale finally shakes off Alba and charges down the right and into the area. This is trouble for Barcelona, but Pique storms across on the cover and times his challenge perfectly. Real have a corner.
38 min: What this game needs is the calming presence of Steven Gerrard.
37 min: Cristiano Ronaldo goes on a turbo surge into the Barcelona area. Pique hangs out his right leg and Ronaldo goes down. The referee blows and books Ronaldo for diving. Alba is also booked for dissent.
36 min: No. “Suarez ‘bites your legs’ in the manner of Norman Hunter,” Mark Judd says. “Older readers look him up.”
35 min: Rakitic brings down Pepe from behind. Pepe is making a big show of letting everyone know he’s hurt. But is he actually hurt? What do we think?
33 min: Modric, who has been superb, tries his luck from 25 yards. Wide.
32 min: Neymar must be frustrated with himself. He kicks out at Bale on the right and is fortunate not to land himself in the referee’s notebook.
GOAL! Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid (Ronaldo, 31 min)
This is exquisite from Real Madrid. They pour up the other end after that escape a moment or two ago and Modric prods an incisive pass into the Barcelona area for Benzema. He has his back to goal, but he completely dupes the Barcelona defence with a backheel into the path of Ronaldo, who speeds on to the ball, reaching it before Alves and then almost toe-punting a wonderful finish past with Bravo with his right foot! Neymar will be kicking himself. YAY!!! Cris you got that goal. 15 goals going after Raul's Record!! Mainly in a Real Madrid Jersey.
31 min: Rakitic sends the corner to the near post. Marcelo heads it behind for another. The ball is sent into the mixer again and it leads to an almighty bout of head tennis. What is this, West Ham v Stoke? Eventually the ball drops to Suarez on the right. He scuffs his shot across goal but it falls to Neymar in the six-yard box. Somehow, with the whole goal to aim at, he sends his shot straight at Casillas! And that’s a costly miss, because...
30 min: A lucky ricochet goes Barcelona’s way, Rakitic’s pass deflecting off a Real midfielder and behind for a corner on the left, Casillas unable to get there in time.
28 min: It’s Luis Suarez 1-2 Pepe. Suarez swipes his studs down the back of Pepe’s calf and picks up a booking. These two. He was nowhere near the ball.
27 min: This game is all about Mathieu. Now he almost scores an own goal as he rises to deal with a cross from the left, his header dropping not too far wide of the post. He didn’t actually need to do that, there were no Real attackers behind him, and he asks Bravo why he didn’t give him a shout. “What Madrid need is another summer shopping trip to their London feeder club,” says Matt Dony. “Next season, with Kane leading the line, we’ll have a very different game on our hands.”
26 min: Marcelo is a threat. He beats one man, then two, but his low drive from 18 yards is blocked by Mathieu. What a game he’s having! The Frenchman is outshining Messi, Suarez and Neymar.
25 min: Real enjoy a spell of possession outside the Barcelona area. There’s no way through, however, not yet, Barcelona keeping their shape well. Real have to be patient.
24 min: A low corner from Rakitic reaches Messi. He tees up Alba for a shot from 25 yards. Over it goes.
23 min: The free-kick is in a central position, just to the left, surely made for the right foot of Neymar. Unfortunately for the Brazilian, Messi also fancies a go. His left-footed effort hits the top of the wall and goes behind for a corner on the right.
21 min: Pepe tries to make friends with Suarez again. Suarez is cute enough to buy the foul off Pepe, around 30 yards from goal, and to add insult to injury, Pepe is booked.
This is exquisite from Real Madrid. They pour up the other end after that escape a moment or two ago and Modric prods an incisive pass into the Barcelona area for Benzema. He has his back to goal, but he completely dupes the Barcelona defence with a backheel into the path of Ronaldo, who speeds on to the ball, reaching it before Alves and then almost toe-punting a wonderful finish past with Bravo with his right foot! Neymar will be kicking himself. YAY!!! Cris you got that goal. 15 goals going after Raul's Record!! Mainly in a Real Madrid Jersey.
31 min: Rakitic sends the corner to the near post. Marcelo heads it behind for another. The ball is sent into the mixer again and it leads to an almighty bout of head tennis. What is this, West Ham v Stoke? Eventually the ball drops to Suarez on the right. He scuffs his shot across goal but it falls to Neymar in the six-yard box. Somehow, with the whole goal to aim at, he sends his shot straight at Casillas! And that’s a costly miss, because...
30 min: A lucky ricochet goes Barcelona’s way, Rakitic’s pass deflecting off a Real midfielder and behind for a corner on the left, Casillas unable to get there in time.
28 min: It’s Luis Suarez 1-2 Pepe. Suarez swipes his studs down the back of Pepe’s calf and picks up a booking. These two. He was nowhere near the ball.
27 min: This game is all about Mathieu. Now he almost scores an own goal as he rises to deal with a cross from the left, his header dropping not too far wide of the post. He didn’t actually need to do that, there were no Real attackers behind him, and he asks Bravo why he didn’t give him a shout. “What Madrid need is another summer shopping trip to their London feeder club,” says Matt Dony. “Next season, with Kane leading the line, we’ll have a very different game on our hands.”
26 min: Marcelo is a threat. He beats one man, then two, but his low drive from 18 yards is blocked by Mathieu. What a game he’s having! The Frenchman is outshining Messi, Suarez and Neymar.
25 min: Real enjoy a spell of possession outside the Barcelona area. There’s no way through, however, not yet, Barcelona keeping their shape well. Real have to be patient.
24 min: A low corner from Rakitic reaches Messi. He tees up Alba for a shot from 25 yards. Over it goes.
23 min: The free-kick is in a central position, just to the left, surely made for the right foot of Neymar. Unfortunately for the Brazilian, Messi also fancies a go. His left-footed effort hits the top of the wall and goes behind for a corner on the right.
21 min: Pepe tries to make friends with Suarez again. Suarez is cute enough to buy the foul off Pepe, around 30 yards from goal, and to add insult to injury, Pepe is booked.
GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Real Madrid (Mathieu, 19 min)
Who had Jeremy Mathieu as first goalscorer in the sweepstake? If so, you are in luck! No one saw this coming. Messi clipped a delightful ball into the area from the left and Mathieu got in front of Ramos and powered a low header past Casillas, who had no chance of keeping that out! That’s Mathieu’s first goal for Barcelona and he’s picked a pretty good time to score it. I like had a mini heart attack when I saw this and yelled yes then said Nooo~
19 min: Pepe introduces himself to Suarez. What a pair. Free-kick to Barcelona on the left. And...
17 min: Barcelona probe again. Messi starts the move on the right, skipping past Marcelo, and then swerving to the left and finding Neymar on the left side of the Real area. Neymar clips it into the middle and Messi, his run unchecked, heads well wide. If he’d left it, the ball probably would have reached the unmarked Dani Alves.
15 min: Real have started to dominate possession in the past few minutes. They’ve settled down.
13 min: Another chance for Real. Carvajal swings a cross to the far post and Ronaldo, under pressure, heads over. That wasn’t as good as the chance a minute ago.
12 min: Ronaldo hits the bar! Marcelo drives inside from the left and opens Barcelona up with an astute pass through to Benzema. He could shoot, but the ball gets stuck under his feet, so instead he twists and turns and then lofts a cross to the far post to Ronaldo, who sidefoots his volley against the bar from close range! By his standards, that is a woeful miss. Real would not have wanted anyone else in that position. From the resulting corner, Isco has another sighter from the edge of the area, but his deflected effort flashes just wide. Suddenly Real have woken up.
10 min: Ronaldo loses the ball again. Barcelona look sharp out of possession. They mean business. But Real are doing well to keep them at arm’s length in the final third.
9 min: Bale tries to run Alba. No dice.
8 min: Bale gets on the ball for the first time. No one boos him. He dribbles inside and plays a reverse pass through to Benzema, down the right channel. Benzema is faced by Pique and decides to take an early shot from a tight angle, the ball dribbling well wide of the far post.
7 min: Neymar feeds a pass into Suarez. He shields the ball and tries to return the favour, but Carvajal shepherds it out of play, with Neymar breathing down his neck.
6 min: Isco cuts inside from the left and tries to slither a pass through to Bale. Nope.
5 min: There are boos every time Ronaldo gets the ball. He’s not very popular in this part of the world.
4 min: With Iniesta receiving treatment, Barca take the corner. It’s cleared and Iniesta is able to rejoin the fray. That’s a relief.
3 min: Barcelona look bright and inventive already. Iniesta plays a sumptuous one-two with Suarez on the left and breaks past the Real defence on the left. He cuts it back into the six-yard box, where the ball bounces first off Rakitic, then Isco and then over the bar for a corner. The worry for Barca, though, is that Iniesta is down, clutching his ankle. They’ll be desperate not to lose him.
2 min: Casillas boots a clearance out for a throw. There are jeers. He’s not been in great form for, well, about three years.
And we’re off! Barcelona, kicking from right to left in the first half, get the ball rolling. But soon Ronaldo has the ball. He sprints down the left, with piercing whistles in his ears, and is swiftly double-teamed by Rakitic and Alves.
A bit more tunnel hugging and then it’s time for the teams to emerge! The lights are shining and the Camp Nou rises to sing Barcelona’s anthem. It’s a sea of red and blue. Plus a bit of yellow. But mostly red and blue. A bit like Selhurst Park.
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The players are in the tunnel. Xavi and Iker Casillas are sharing a tender hug. Now Ivan Rakitic and Luka Modric are at it. How sweet. I doubt that would have happened when Jose Mourinho was at Real Madrid. “Speaking of inconsistent naming (BBC), has anyone confirmed whether AS Monaco’s Elderson is, in fact, an elder son?” says Peter McMurry. “Are his siblings named Youngerson, Youngestson, and ButYouToldMeYouHadAVasectomySon?”
Updated
Kick-off is not far away. Excitement is building. “Why?” asks Ruth Purdue. “Cause they pass to each other? No seriously…when they play together its like watching art. So quick, so memorising.”
“Which front 3 would you rather have?” says Ruth Purdue. “Such a touch question, I can’t decide.”
Messi-Suarez-Neymar.
Point of order: under no circumstances should anyone refer to Real’s front three as the BBC. It makes no sense at all. It’s inconsistent, two surnames combined with one first name. Stop it. Stop it now. They are the RBB or the RBB or the BBR or the BBR or the BRB or the BRB.
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And what an all-star cast it is! Iniesta, Rakitic, Messi, Suarez and Neymar on one side, Modric, Kroos, Isco; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo. There is no logical scenario in which this match cannot be good.
Who had Jeremy Mathieu as first goalscorer in the sweepstake? If so, you are in luck! No one saw this coming. Messi clipped a delightful ball into the area from the left and Mathieu got in front of Ramos and powered a low header past Casillas, who had no chance of keeping that out! That’s Mathieu’s first goal for Barcelona and he’s picked a pretty good time to score it. I like had a mini heart attack when I saw this and yelled yes then said Nooo~
19 min: Pepe introduces himself to Suarez. What a pair. Free-kick to Barcelona on the left. And...
17 min: Barcelona probe again. Messi starts the move on the right, skipping past Marcelo, and then swerving to the left and finding Neymar on the left side of the Real area. Neymar clips it into the middle and Messi, his run unchecked, heads well wide. If he’d left it, the ball probably would have reached the unmarked Dani Alves.
15 min: Real have started to dominate possession in the past few minutes. They’ve settled down.
13 min: Another chance for Real. Carvajal swings a cross to the far post and Ronaldo, under pressure, heads over. That wasn’t as good as the chance a minute ago.
12 min: Ronaldo hits the bar! Marcelo drives inside from the left and opens Barcelona up with an astute pass through to Benzema. He could shoot, but the ball gets stuck under his feet, so instead he twists and turns and then lofts a cross to the far post to Ronaldo, who sidefoots his volley against the bar from close range! By his standards, that is a woeful miss. Real would not have wanted anyone else in that position. From the resulting corner, Isco has another sighter from the edge of the area, but his deflected effort flashes just wide. Suddenly Real have woken up.
10 min: Ronaldo loses the ball again. Barcelona look sharp out of possession. They mean business. But Real are doing well to keep them at arm’s length in the final third.
9 min: Bale tries to run Alba. No dice.
8 min: Bale gets on the ball for the first time. No one boos him. He dribbles inside and plays a reverse pass through to Benzema, down the right channel. Benzema is faced by Pique and decides to take an early shot from a tight angle, the ball dribbling well wide of the far post.
7 min: Neymar feeds a pass into Suarez. He shields the ball and tries to return the favour, but Carvajal shepherds it out of play, with Neymar breathing down his neck.
6 min: Isco cuts inside from the left and tries to slither a pass through to Bale. Nope.
5 min: There are boos every time Ronaldo gets the ball. He’s not very popular in this part of the world.
4 min: With Iniesta receiving treatment, Barca take the corner. It’s cleared and Iniesta is able to rejoin the fray. That’s a relief.
3 min: Barcelona look bright and inventive already. Iniesta plays a sumptuous one-two with Suarez on the left and breaks past the Real defence on the left. He cuts it back into the six-yard box, where the ball bounces first off Rakitic, then Isco and then over the bar for a corner. The worry for Barca, though, is that Iniesta is down, clutching his ankle. They’ll be desperate not to lose him.
2 min: Casillas boots a clearance out for a throw. There are jeers. He’s not been in great form for, well, about three years.
And we’re off! Barcelona, kicking from right to left in the first half, get the ball rolling. But soon Ronaldo has the ball. He sprints down the left, with piercing whistles in his ears, and is swiftly double-teamed by Rakitic and Alves.
A bit more tunnel hugging and then it’s time for the teams to emerge! The lights are shining and the Camp Nou rises to sing Barcelona’s anthem. It’s a sea of red and blue. Plus a bit of yellow. But mostly red and blue. A bit like Selhurst Park.
Updated
The players are in the tunnel. Xavi and Iker Casillas are sharing a tender hug. Now Ivan Rakitic and Luka Modric are at it. How sweet. I doubt that would have happened when Jose Mourinho was at Real Madrid. “Speaking of inconsistent naming (BBC), has anyone confirmed whether AS Monaco’s Elderson is, in fact, an elder son?” says Peter McMurry. “Are his siblings named Youngerson, Youngestson, and ButYouToldMeYouHadAVasectomySon?”
Updated
Kick-off is not far away. Excitement is building. “Why?” asks Ruth Purdue. “Cause they pass to each other? No seriously…when they play together its like watching art. So quick, so memorising.”
“Which front 3 would you rather have?” says Ruth Purdue. “Such a touch question, I can’t decide.”
Messi-Suarez-Neymar.
Point of order: under no circumstances should anyone refer to Real’s front three as the BBC. It makes no sense at all. It’s inconsistent, two surnames combined with one first name. Stop it. Stop it now. They are the RBB or the RBB or the BBR or the BBR or the BRB or the BRB.
Updated
And what an all-star cast it is! Iniesta, Rakitic, Messi, Suarez and Neymar on one side, Modric, Kroos, Isco; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo. There is no logical scenario in which this match cannot be good.
Tonight's all-star cast
Barcelona: Bravo; Alves, Pique, Mathieu, Alba; Mascherano, Rakitic, Iniesta; Messi, Suarez, Neymar. Subs: Ter Stegen, Adriano, Bartra, Busquets, Rafinha, Xavi, Pedro.
Real Madrid: Casillas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Modric, Kroos, Isco; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo. Subs: Navas, Varane, Arbeloa, Silva, Illarramendi, Jese, Hernandez.
Busy Whistling Man: Mateu Lahoz.
I don't really have much to say but that this game was good and I hope the rest of them are going to be this great!!
Barcelona: Bravo; Alves, Pique, Mathieu, Alba; Mascherano, Rakitic, Iniesta; Messi, Suarez, Neymar. Subs: Ter Stegen, Adriano, Bartra, Busquets, Rafinha, Xavi, Pedro.
Real Madrid: Casillas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Modric, Kroos, Isco; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo. Subs: Navas, Varane, Arbeloa, Silva, Illarramendi, Jese, Hernandez.
Busy Whistling Man: Mateu Lahoz.
I don't really have much to say but that this game was good and I hope the rest of them are going to be this great!!
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