By Thomas Durning
Barca bolster title hopes with late El Clasico winner.
Barcelona are twelve points clear at the top of La Liga after a stoppage-time goal from Franck Kessie bagged them the three points against arch rivals Real Madrid.
Barcelona made one change to the side that claimed victory against Athletic Bilbao last time out with Ferran Torres coming out of the team and he was replaced by Ronald Araujo who returned after suspension.
Real Madrid made no changes to the side that defeated Liverpool last time out in the Champions League with manager Carlo Ancelotti clearly happy with his side’s performance in the last game. Striker Karim Benzema who came off in the last match was fit enough to start. Benzema is only five goals behind legend Alfredo Di Stefano in the all-time Real Madrid scorers in El Clasico and with him fit to start, he had a chance to narrow that gap.
The El Clasico got off to a fast start and Real Madrid had the first chance of the game. After good work down the right from Madrid, the ball was switched to striker Karim Benzema who took a touch and fired a low shot towards goal which keeper Ter Stegen managed to hold.
Two minutes later and it was Barcelona who had there first chance of the game. After Barca kept the ball for a period of time, Real Madrid were sitting deep in their own half and the ball was played to Lewandowski who got away from Camavinga and shot from long range which keeper Courtois managed to save and palm the ball away with two hands.
Barcelona was pressing high up the pitch which was causing Real Madrid issues and due to this pressure, they kept winning the ball back in dangerous positions. As a result, Barca had another chance when full back Balde crossed the ball from the left which was met by Raphinha but his header was well saved by Courtois.
It was all action in the first five minutes of this match and Barca had another great chance when Real Madrid failed to clear their lines following Raphinha’s header and the ball fell to midfielder Sergi Roberto at the edge of the box but his half volley went inches over the bar.
Despite this continuous pressure from Barca, it was Real Madrid who got the first goal of the game in the 9th minute. After the away side worked the ball well up the pitch, it eventually led to Vinicius Jr in the box and the winger takes the ball wide and as he tries to play the ball into the middle of the box, the ball hits Araujo which goes behind Ter Stegen and the ball went over the line. Araujo’s own goal was the first own goal in El Clasico in La Liga in the 21st century.
This goal settled Real Madrid as they started to get more control of the game by passing the ball confidently around the pitch and at times switching the play from right to left and vice versa.
In the 24th minute, Barca had another chance after the initial corner was overhit, it led to Raphinha recycling the ball and his cross found defender Christensen whose header at the near post went wide.
Barca were starting to claim a bit more control in the match and in the 34th minute had a great chance to get back in the game after Raphinha managed to cut in from the right hand side and hit a shot which Courtois managed to get fingertips to it.
Raphinha was having a great influence in the match as he was constantly trying to create for Barca and defender Nacho was having a tough time against him.
On the stroke of half time, Barca managed to equalise. After Raphinha completely missed the ball as he was going for a volley, Barca managed to keep the ball alive and it again leads to Raphinha whose shot deflected off Rudiger and the ball landed to Roberto who made no mistake and put the ball into the back of the net at the near post.
This was to be the last action of the first half and Barca deserved there goal as they created the best chances and also had the most possession. Despite going a goal ahead, Real Madrid did not capitalise and barely created anything after their goal.
The second half got underway and the start of the half followed the pattern of the first half with Barca keeping the ball and Real Madrid sitting in there compact defensive shape.
The first chance of the half came in the 59th minute from Barca as De Jong picked out a good pass to Lewandowski who managed to quickly turn but his shot deflected off Camavinga and the ball just went wide of the post.
Despite Barca’s pressure, Real Madrid were still very much alive in the match and could have scored in the 71st minute after a sloppy pass from De Jong led to Madrid going on the counterattack and as Vinicius was racing forward, he unleashed a shot which blazed over the bar and caused no harm to the home side.
Barca were starting to add more pressure to Real Madrid again and in the 76th minute had another great chance as the ball managed to get through the Madrid backline, it led to De Jong squaring the ball to Lewandowski but his first time shot just went wide of the post.
Both sides were starting to make changes and in the 81st minute, substitute Asensio thought he had given Real Madrid the lead. After Vinicius driving run at Barca’s defence, the winger picked out Carvajal who crossed into the box which found Asensio in the middle who slotted the ball past Ter Stegen. However, after a VAR check, the goal was ruled out as Asensio had just went offside.
In the last few minutes of the match, the game was very much end to end as both sides were really committed to finding a winner.
With the game much more open, it was Barca who managed to find the winning goal in the 92nd minute. After a brilliant backheel pass from Lewandowski who had cut in from the left, the ball manages to find Balde whose cross from the left is pulled back for Kessie who at the far side of the post, hits his shot first time past Rudiger and into the bottom corner.
This was to be the last action of the match and Kessie’s stoppage time winner sent Barca twelve points clear at the top of the table.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Araujo, Kounde, Christensen, Balde, Busquets, Roberto (Kessie 77’) De Jong, Raphinha (Torres 83’) Gavi (Fati 91’) Lewandowski
Subs not used: Alarcon, Alonso, Torre, Pena, Garcia, Tenas, Alba
Real Madrid: Courtois, Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Nacho (Mendy 62’) Camavinga (Tchouameni 76’) Modric (Ceballos 76’) Kroos (Rodrygo 62’) Valverde (Asensio 76’) Vinicius, Benzema
Subs not used: Hazard, Lunin, Lopez, Vazquez, Mariano, Vallejo, Odriozola,
Referee: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea
Reporter: Thomas Durning
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