IT DOESN’T GET much bigger than this, does it? The Catalans lead Real by one point in the title race but Carlo Anceloti’s side have won the last two Clasicos and are looking to make it three-in-a-row for the first time since 1978.
As always, we’d love to get your thoughts. Email us, tweet us or leave a message on our Facebook wall.
To disable push notifications on this liveblog, please click the toggle button above.
Good evening everyone. It’s been a pretty special weekend of sport so far and there’s a decent chance we’ll get another thrilling encounter tonight as two immense rivals clash at Camp Nou. Barcelona have the slight advantage in the title race and the pressure has been growing on Carlo Ancelotti and Cristiano Ronaldo in recent weeks. But, there are no rules in this fixture. It’s a different beast entirely.
Let’s get to the line-ups, shall we?
Barcelona: Bravo, Pique, Rakitic, Iniesta, Suarez, Messi, Neymar, Mascherano, Alba, Alves, Mathieu.
Real Madrid: Casillas, Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Kroos, Modric, Isco; Bale, Ronaldo, Benzema.
No major changes for either side. Their regular goalkeepers are back: Claudio Bravo and Iker Casillas. And Gareth Bale does start for Real – fresh from two-goals against Levante – to partner Ronaldo and Benzema up front.
Sergio Busquets remains injured so Mascherano will push into midfield and Jeremy Mathieu continues in central defence.
As always, some amazing statistics get thrown around whenever these two clash.
Here’s some more of them:
- Real have only done the league double over Barca once in 30 years – the 2007/2008 season.
- Lionel Messi has scored 21 goals in 29 El Clasico appearances.
Benzema is an interesting player. Seems to enjoy this derby and, for all you who fancy a flutter, he could be worth a punt or two.
Barca are rightfully favourites for this but a quick glance at the Real team sends shivers down the spine. The delicacy of Modric and Kroos coupled with the electricity and physicality of Ronaldo and Bale. But the hosts have so much stardust too – the front three are such a contrasting collection of characters. Mascherano has been so impressive, particularly over the last 12 months…while Rakitic has been eye-catching since signing last summer.
99,000 fans packed into the iconic venue tonight. Anyone have any Camp Nou stories they’d like to share?
Teams are on the pitch! Final predictions, everyone?
AND WE’RE OFF!
An early chorus of boos greets Ronaldo as he heads off on a dribble down the left side. He’s dispossessed and Rakitic comes away with the ball. Interesting to see if Alves will get some protection tonight.
CLOSE! Wonderful one-two between Iniesta and Suarez and the Barca captain crosses dangerously into the area. It ricochets off a Real player and goes over the top. Immaculate return ball from Suarez cut the guests’ defence to ribbons there. Looked like Iniesta was hurt for a moment but after some attention, he’s come back on.
Messi has already conjured a superb nutmeg – met with appreciation by the majority of the crowd. Classy touch.
This is…interesting.
Whoops!
We couldn't find this Tweet
Messi with a gorgeous cross-field pas to Alba, followed by some one-touch magic. But Real do well to absorb and get it clear.
Bale has a little kick-out at Jordi Alba and is given a talking-to by the referee. He pleads his innocence but it was a little cynical as he tried to chase a through ball.
OFF THE CROSSBAR! Benzema just about beats the offside trap, cuts back inside and lifts a cross to the far post. Ronaldo is there and from an acute angle, he side-foots against the underside of the bar. Moments later, Isco tries his luck from distance and the ball narrowly flies wide of the far post. Major let-off for the home side.
That Messi nutmeg I mentioned earlier. Kroos was the embarrassed victim of the effortlessly magnificent touch.
Early on, we’ve seen Real’s strategy. Pinpoint the right side of the Barca defence and make space for Ronaldo to exploit on the other side. It’s Benzema and Marcelo causing problems in the opening 17 minutes here. The hosts have had much of the ball but the guests have went closest to scoring.
GOAL! Mathieu!
Well what an unlikely source! Barca had a free-kick on their left side and Messi & Neymar were locked in conversation about how they were going to play it. In the end, Messi floats it in and the centre-back, Mathieu, rises highest to nod home.
Another free-kick for Barca here and Neymar might fancy it.
It was Messi who whacked the free-kick but the wall did its job. That goal has taken the swagger out of Real a little and Barca haven’t allowed them much room in the last few minutes.
Here’s the opening goal. A wonderful delivery from Messi – Mathieu just guided it home.
YELLOW CARD! That’s absolutely clueless from Suarez. As Pepe stands with the ball at his feet, the striker comes across and swipes his studs across the defender’s calf. No attempt to play the ball and he then complains when shown a yellow card. He’s on a tight-rope for the rest of the game now.
GOAL! Ronaldo!
Games turn on key moments. At one end, Neymar misses an absolute sitter as he digs a low mis-hit shot from Suarez that bounces across goal straight into Casillas’ gloves with the goal gaping. In an instant, Real counter. On the right side, Bale attacks and slips Benzema a pass in the right channel. The Frenchman immediately plays a deft back-heel into the path of Ronaldo who does the rest. Superb.
Apologies – it was Modric who slipped it through for Benzema. Terrific touch though, wasn’t it?
YELLOW CARD! Ronaldo has been booked for diving. He goes down in the area after Pique precariously dangles a leg. It’s risky from the defender but there’s no contact and it’s disappointing to see from such a terrific player. Doesn’t need to do that.
Bale goes tearing towards goal and Pique comes across to make a magnificent, old-school challenge, just as the Welshman goes to pull the trigger.
CONTROVERSY! Oh. Dear me. What an awful decision this is. The cross from the left is flicked on by Ronaldo, who gets the merest of touches to help it towards the back post. There’s Bale to help it to the net. But the flag is up. On the replay, it’s as clear as day that Bale isn’t offside…
BUT, on the second viewing, it’s Ronaldo who is offside when he flicks it on. That’s a great decision. Credit where it’s due. Not an awful decision at all! Apologies to any of the linesman’s family that may be following this liveblog.
CLOSE! Ronaldo’s shot is tipped over by Bravo and from the resulting set-piece, Bale has a great chance but snatches at the shot and it’s wide of the far post. It dropped to him right in the centre of the box but with bodies around him, didn’t have much time to set himself up.
YELLOW CARD! Sergio Ramos is the latest player to get his name taken. It wouldn’t be El Clasico without him getting at least a yellow.
AND THAT’S HALF-TIME!
Perfectly poised now, isn’t it? Real started well and absorbed plenty of pressure, sitting back and not taking too many risks. But then Barcelona netted from a set-piece and the guests needed to conjure a response. They had plenty of chances throughout the remainder of the half and deserved at least one goal. It was a wonderfully-worked strike and Bale was an inch away from scoring another one.
Barcelona have been well-shackled for much of that half. Casillas hasn’t had to do much except take the ball out of his net.
Here’s the offside decision that cost Bale a goal. Great spot that Ronaldo is slightly off when he flicks it on.
What a statistic this is!
YELLOW CARD! Dani Caravjal is the latest player to go in the book as he brings down Neymar close to the by-line. Delivery comes to nothing and Real break quickly…
CLOSE! And from that break, Real test Bravo. Ronaldo tees up Benzema but the Frenchman is denied. What a superb counter that was. Sharp, one-touch passing.
YELLOW CARD! Well, this is getting scrappy now. Modric is booked after taking down Messi. Lovely footwork takes the magical Argentine away and the Croatian has no option but to foul.
As Barca rack up a couple of corners in quick succession, this is an excellent point.
GOAL! Suarez!
Wow. That’s out of nowhere, really. It’s Dani Alves who clips a ball into the right channel and Suarez loses Pepe to run onto it. His first touch is immaculate but the angle is very tight. Still, he gets the ball out of his feet and slides it across Casillas. Could the goalkeeper have done better? Anyway, superb finish and really well-worked.
Here’s the goal. The first touch makes it. Nice spot by Alves but a simple run from Suarez so the centre-backs will definitely be disappointed.
YELLOW CARD! It’s all kicking off here. Mascherano absolutely cements Ronaldo and the attacker has a little nibble in retaliation. Mascherano drops to the floor holding his face, trying to get Ronaldo sent-off. Instead, he gets a booking and rightly so. Embarrassing stuff.
YELLOW CARD! Isco is the latest player to get booked but I’m searching to find the Mascherano reaction. It’s priceless.
YELLOW CARD! A few minutes ago, Iniesta flew into Ramos and caught him with an elbow. Now, he’s finally gone in the book. Ridiculous.
Here’s Mascherano – he also seems to get a nice face-rub from a few Real players when he’s rolling around. And by face-rub I mean, cheek-pinch.
CLOSE! Finally, some football to comment on. Great footwork by Neymar on the edge of the area makes some room for the shot but it’;s just too high and he can’t test Casillas.
YELLOW CARD! Dani Alves gets a booking. More importantly, Rafael Varane is going to come on for Real…
CLOSE! Messi races towards the area and as it opens up, you know he’s going to try and curl it inside the far post. That’s exactly what he does but it’s a fraction of an inch outside the upright and Real survive.
SUBSTITUTIONS! Varane (on) – Pepe (off) & Busquets (on) – Rakitic (off)
A switch for each team. Pepe has been booked, maybe that’s why he’s coming off? Could be a slight injury too, maybe.
CLOSE! Moments after Varane comes on, Neymar goes through on goal. As he strikes, the defender comes across and slides it despairingly. It worked. It was enough to put Neymar off and his shot is wayward.
CLOSE! Benzema on the left of the area, cuts inside and fires in the strike. It takes a wicked touch off Mascherano and it’s heading towards the bottom corner. But Bravo stretches and tips it wide. Wonderful save.
SUBSTITUTIONS! Xavi (on) – Iniesta (off) & Jese (on) – Isco (off)
Iniesta hands the armband to his replacement and the noise inside the stadium is incredible. Attacking swap by Real too as Jese is a bright, exciting forward.
Marca are going to love this statistic, aren’t they?
CLOSE! The impish Suarez jinks away from one challenge in the left channel of the area and flashes a strike across goal, narrowly missing the far corner.
SUBSTITUTION! Rafinha (on) – Neymar (off)
The Brazilian missed that sitter in the opening period and has been on the periphery of the game for long periods.
VERY CLOSE! Alba makes a darting run into the area and is slipped through. He looks to slot it home but Casillas gets a glove to the shot and deflects it wide. What an important save that could prove to be.
CLOSE! And it’s Messi that latest to test the Real keeper. The pull-back is perfect as the attacker runs onto it. He keeps it low and steers it towards the near post. Casillas gets down and palms it away.
There will be 3 minutes of injury time. It looks unlikely that Real can muster something special though.
AND THAT’S IT!
Barcelona hang on and move four points clear of their nearest and dearest rivals. It could be a crucial victory in the title race but there may be some more twists and turns before the campaign wraps up.
Luis Suarez proves the game-winner and a nice way for the Catalans to sign-off before the international break. The pressure will grow on Carlo Ancelotti and on Gareth Bale, who was pretty anonymous as that second-half wore on.
Thanks for staying with us throughout our coverage. An exhausting sports weekend is almost over! Back to reality tomorrow!
