Barcelona moved four points clear at the top of La Liga as Luis Suarez struck a superb winner while Real Madrid went missing in the second-half of Sunday night’s Clasico.
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Cristiano Ronaldo had earlier cancelled out Jeremy Mathieu’s header, but it was a fully deserved victory for the hosts, who created enough chances – especially in the final 15 minutes – to win more comfortably.
The visitors fashioned the first chance with Karim Benzema – not for the last time – playing a decisive part as his angled cross found Ronaldo at the far post, but his angled volley rebounded to safety off the crossbar.
From the subsequent corner Isco had a low shot deflected wide and Los Blancos were enjoying a period in the ascendancy, but Barca were soon back in charge as Lionel Messi drifted forward to find Neymar and then ran onto the Brazilian’s cross to send a header wide.
The breakthrough followed shortly after as Suarez won a freekick midway inside the Madrid half, towards the left wing, and Messi angled the set-piece into the stride of the unmarked Mathieu, who sent a powerful header past the helpless Iker Casillas.
Lionel Messi: MotM vs Real Madrid, Rating 8.61, Assists 1, Shots 5, Key Passes 4, Dribbles 5, Tackles 2 @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/BLvhsmf3nf
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) March 22, 2015
Messi then had a free-kick deflected wide by the defensive wall before Madrid went on the offensive, with Marcelo storming forward to have a shot blocked by Mathieu.
The game turned with two key incidents in the space of sixty seconds as a cross-shot from Suarez fell straight to the unmarked Neymar, but the Brazilian shot tamely at Casillas when he should have scored. Madrid took immediate advantage as Luka Modric found Benzema whose brilliant backheel allowed Ronaldo to run on and stab home.
Ronaldo was then booked for diving but his goal appeared to have restored his confidence and, after Gareth Bale had a goal disallowed for offside, the Portuguese produced a stretching tip over the bar from Claudio Bravo with a brilliant long-range drive.
Suareeeeeez #goal #elclasico #suarez #ViscaBarca #mesqueunclub (Vine by @broncooooofan) https://t.co/kuvtzRkBsJ
— MANNY GARCIA (@MANNY__GARCIA) March 22, 2015
Madrid should have gone ahead from the resulting corner as a scramble saw the loose ball drop to Bale, who took a swing with his right foot but sent a low shot just wide, and Barca were happy to hear the half-time whistle.
A similar pattern resumed early in the second period as Bravo was forced into a diving parry to deny Benzema after slick link-up play with Ronaldo, but Barca then retook the lead after Dani Alves played what appeared to be nothing more than a hopeful ball forward, Suarez took it perfectly in his stride and steered a low shot into the left corner for a wonderful finish.
Madrid were rattled and the game took on a nasty edge for the first time with Javier Mascherano, Isco and Andres Iniesta booked in quick succession.
With the temperature rising, Pepe – already on a yellow card – was perhaps only reprieved after bringing down Suarez by the fact that the flag was already up for offside, while the crowd were angered when Dani Carvajal – also on a yellow – wasn’t penalised after tangling with Neymar.
Neymar then produced some magic to embark upon a winding dribble culminating in a fierce rising drive over the bar, and space was starting to open up on the break for Barca as Madrid went in search of a leveller.
Messi was the next to threaten, cutting inside dangerously onto his left foot and curling a shot just wide, and Barca wasted another chance to put the game to bed as Messi again raided forward to release Neymar, who thrashed his right-footed shot wide.
The hosts should have been home and dry but Madrid were still in the game and nearly grabbed an undeserved leveller when a snapshot from Benzema took a wicked deflection to force an excellent low save from the diving Bravo.
Jordi Alba and Messi forced saves from Casillas in the final minutes but Barca had done enough.
