Here’s Sid Lowe’s match report from the Camp Nou.
Lionel Messi left the field in something close to disgust. Real didn’t really create much after going behind, but they’re a threat from set pieces, and they got it right when it mattered. Disappointment for Barcelona, and Neymar should have wrapped it up with 20 minutes to go, but one good piece of news was Andres Iniesta’s return from injury: they looked a much better team when he came on in the second half.
Honours even at Camp Nou, and Real stay six points clear. Barcelona aren’t out of it, though. Thanks for reading. See you soon.
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A breathless finish, and some late drama in a game that didn’t have much. Barcelona looked to have done enough after Luis Suarez gave them the lead early in the second half, but Real won a free kick in the 90th minute, Modric crossed accurately, and Sergio Ramos headed home unmarked. Real maintain their unbeaten start to the season, and they probably deserve a point, on balance, but Barcelona will be kicking themselves: after taking the lead they should have wrapped the game up. Neymar’s miss turned out to be big.
Full-time: Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid
And that’s the whistle! Real snatch a point at the death!
90 min +2 Last effort from Barcelona, and it’s headed off the line by Varane! Panic stations in the Real defence, but they do enough to hustle it clear.
90 min +1 Three minutes of stoppage time. Barcelona’s marking was really sloppy on the goal: Ramos is such a danger, and the home team just let him go!
90 min What a finish to this match. Very similar to Barcelona’s goal: Modric crossed from the left, Barcelona’s marking was slack, and Ramos powered a header past Ter Stegen from seven yards! Camp Nou is stunned.
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GOAL! Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid (Sergio Ramos 90)
Ramos draws Real level at the death! Amazing!
88 min Oh, Ronaldo! Marcelo did really well on the left, and Ronaldo couldn’t find the header from a narrow angle! He mistimed his jump. A let-off for Real. Mascherano is booked for his latest indiscretion.
87 min Better cross from Carvajal, and Ramos heads over! It was a difficult chance: no blame attached to the Spain star. Denis Suarez replaces Neymar in Barça’s final change.
86 min Poor cross from Carvajal when well placed. It’s not happening for Real. Final sub for Real: Mariano on for Kovacic.
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85 min Iniesta’s been seriously influential since coming on. He’s so calm in possession. What a player.
84 min Modric lifts it in, but Barcelona defend stoutly, and it’s out for a goal kick.
83 min Well played Marco Asensio, and he draws the foul from Busquets, who is booked. Chance here from the free kick.
81 min Messi shoots wide! A beautiful pass from Iniesta to take two Real defenders out, but Messi gets his angles wrong! Not quite as good a chance as Neymar’s earlier, but he had a clear look at goal.
80 min Defeat here would be Real’s first of the season. They’ve got 10 minutes to preserve their unbeaten record, but Barcelona have had the better of it since the goal.
79 min Carvajal is yellow-carded for whacking Neymar. It was deserved.
77 min Time running out for Real. They haven’t really created a clear chance, despite plenty of good play.
75 min Varane flicks on a Modric corner, but no other Real player can reach it. Interesting sub from Real: Benzema exits, and Marco Asensio comes on. And Andre Gomes is replaced by Arda Turan.
74 min Headed clear by Barcelona. Real recycle it, but it’s hacked away, and Suarez fouls Varane as Barça look to break. Suarez is booked for his protest.
73 min Good counter-attack from Real, and they win a corner. Real have the height advantage with Sergio Ramos, Ronaldo and Varane.
71 min Neymar goes through the inside-right channel this time, but Varane is quickly across to cover the danger.
70 min Zidane looked anxious on the bench. Real have lost some of their rhythm since the ball, and Iniesta has been heavily involved since his introduction.
68 min Neymar! What a chance to make it two. Barcelona counter-attacked, and Iniesta fed Neymar on the left side. The Brazilian danced around Carvajal, cut inside, and fired it over the bar from about 10 yards! That could have wrapped it up.
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66 min Isco kicks the bench in frustration as he’s hauled off for Casemiro. Expect to see Modric and Kovacic further forward from now.
64 min The goal has changed the whole tenor of the match. Real were playing really well, and then, out of nowhere, really, they were behind. Barcelona starting to dominate.
Today’s attendance: 98,485. Remarkable.
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62 min Hm. Another replay of the goal suggests Suarez might just have been offside. It was very, very tight. Regardless: Real have work to do.
61 min Barcelona have established a degree of control in midfield. Real Madrid could maybe do with a new face. James for Isco, perhaps?
59 min Huge applause from the home fans as Andres Iniesta replaces Ivan Rakitic. The little genius is back!
58 min Benzema is nearly in at the other end, but he can’t quite sort his feet out. This is more like it: much more space now for the attacking players to shine.
55 min There was a slight suspicion of offside against Suarez, but I think he was just level when Neymar delivered the ball. What a great cross, too: very difficult for Real to defend. Maybe Navas could have come for it, but who can say, really. Suarez has a knack from close range, doesn’t he?!
54 min Clinical from Barcelona. Neymar whipped a fine cross into the box, Suarez got free, and pushed a header past Navas. It might have taken a deflection off Varane. What a poacher Suarez is. Real have been the better side, probably, but they find themselves behind.
GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Real Madrid (Suarez 53)
And Suarez heads home from six yards! Barcelona lead!
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52 min Free kick for Barcelona in a good position on the left. Neymar and Messi stand over it.
50 min Real are happy to fall back into their defensive shape when Barcelona have the ball. Pique and Mascherano have pushed up to the halfway line but Real look solid. Ronaldo gets free in the box but slams it over the bar from a tight angle.
47 min Vigorous start from Barcelona, and Messi feeds Suarez in the box. Carvajal comes across, and concedes the corner, but Barça can’t make it count. Andres Iniesta is off the bench to warm up, and Camp Nou shows its appreciation.
46 min We’re back. No changes from either side. Luka Modric, incidentally, completed 36 of 37 passes in the first half. He was excellent.
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No stoppage time, and the first half draws to a close. It’s been reasonably entertaining, but it’s been short on attacking quality: there’s just been so little space for Messi, Ronaldo and co to work in. Javier Mascherano was fortunate not to concede a penalty on Lucas Vazquez, but other than that there’s little to report: Real are happy to cut off the space in midfield, and Barcelona haven’t really tested Keylor Navas. Defences on top – let’s hope it opens up in the second half.
Half-time: Barcelona 0-0 Real Madrid
That’s the whistle.
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44 min Ooh, Pique diverts it just past the post! Benzema drove into the box, fired it across, and Pique did just enough to cut out the danger. Almost an own goal, though. Then Varane heads straight at Ter Stegen!
43 min Suarez goes through the middle, but Sergio Ramos is across to cover.
Here’s Charles Antaki: “It’s stating the obvious but Andre Gomes is a very pale imitation of Andres Iniesta – in fact so pale as to be invisible.”
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42 min There’s just been a shortage of space in this first half. Some nice pockets of play, but defences firmly on top at the moment.
40 min Appeals for a handball in the box on Dani Carvajal, and Camp Nou erupts, but again, Carlos Clos Gomez shakes his head. It did hit him on the arm, but it came at him from such a short distance.
38 min Real are getting closer. Lucas Vazquez does well again, and feeds Ronaldo, who skips into the area and pokes one at goal, but he can’t quite test Ter Stegen. The visitors are looking ever more accomplished, though.
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36 min Ronaldo attacks Pique on the left side of the box, and the Real man smacks one at goal with his left foot. Ter Stegen deals with it, just about. Corner to Real, but it’s cleared.
34 min It’s not quite happening for Barcelona. They’ve posed a sporadic threat, but Real have shut down their attacking options effectively.
Here’s Rhys Vaughan Williams: “As an avowed pedant, I have to point that although Seville and Granada are both Andalusian (14:51), they are around 150 miles apart: in other words, ‘neighbours’ in the same way, say, London and Sheffield are.”
32 min Marcelo fires wide after a moment of panic in the Barça defence. Benzema and Ronaldo rather got in each other’s way. Just two shots on target in this opening half-hour, but 10 fouls.
30 min Marcelo finds space on the left side, but his cross is poor, and then the ex-Fluminense man fouls Sergi Roberto. It’s been that type of game.
28 min Well, it looks as though Carlos Clos Gomez has run out of patience, and Neymar is cautioned for a clip on Lucas Vazquez. He’ll miss Barcelona’s next game.
27 min Mascherano gives Ronaldo a hefty whack from behind. He’s penalised for the foul, but no booking. It’s spicy!
25 min Suarez does well to win a corner, but well defended by Real. Not much space for Suarez to work in so far.
24 min It’s just starting to heat up after a measured opening. A bit more snap from both sides, but neither goalkeeper has truly been tested.
22 min Lucas Vazquez, who’s been prominent, skins Sergi Roberto completely and finds Benzema at the back post, but his shot is blocked. Great wing play from Lucas Vazquez, though.
21 min Busquets finds Neymar with a lovely raking pass, and Neymar’s first-time pull-back finds Suarez in the box, but his shot is blocked by Varane. Good defending from the Frenchman.
19 min Messi takes, and gets it up and over the wall, but it’s no trouble for Keylor Navas.
18 min Neymar slips for a second time. Maybe he needs to change from mouldies to studs. Messi draws another foul from Modric, about 27 yards from goal. Chance here for a shot.
16 min It’s been keenly contested so far, but little in the way of goalmouth action. Ronaldo tries to flick a header goalwards, but he can’t get the power, and it rolls through to Ter Stegen.
14 min Modric lunges in on Messi in center field, and it’s a foul, but no booking. Luis Enrique can’t believe it.
13 min Isco clips Neymar, and becomes the first player to be cautioned. I think he’s a bit unlucky – there didn’t look to be too much in that.
12 min Modric drives it in, and it pinballs around before Mascherano hacks clear. Then Suarez is upset at being called for offside as Barça broke, but it was the correct decision.
11 min I think it did hit Sergio Ramos on the arm, but he wasn’t in an unnatural position. The correct call from Clos Gomez. Now Real attack, and they win a corner.
9 min Wonderful first-time passing from Barcelona, and Neymar, after slipping in the penalty box, finds Sergi Roberto at the back post … but it’s blocked. Handball on Ramos, perhaps? No call from the ref, and it’s a corner for the home side, but they can’t make it count.
8 min First look for Ronaldo, and he misplaces a pass for Lucas Vazquez. Throw-in to Barcelona, and huge jeers for the Portuguese from the home fans.
7 min A couple of lovely fizzing passes from Sergio Busquets in these early stages. Madrid looking solid so far, though.
5 min It looks as though Ronaldo has started through the middle for Madrid, and Benzema from the left. Real happy to sit back and let Barcelona have the lion’s share of possession.
3 min Ooh, was that a penalty? Mascherano went in vigorously on Lucas Vazquez in the box, and Lucas tumbled … the ref said no, and Lucas couldn’t believe it! On second glance, that could easily have been given: it didn’t look as though Mascherano got the ball. A let-off for Barça.
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2 min Ramos gives Messi a forceful thud from behind, but Carlos Clos Gomez says no free kick. Then Sergio Busquets goes in hard on Modric. It’s a rumbustious start.
1 min And we’re off! Barcelona in traditional red and blue; Real Madrid all in white. The playing surface a beautiful vivid green.
Camp Nou is packed, and we’ll take a moment’s silence for the victims of the plane crash in Colombia, in which 71 people died, including many members of the Chapecoense team.
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The teams are in the tunnel. Remember, victory for Real would take them nine points clear at the top, and make them clear favorites for the title. It’d be their 33rd La Liga championship.
If you wish to keep an eye on all the other results this afternoon, check in with Lawrence Ostlere, who has our live clockwatch:
The expectation is that Barcelona will line up in a conventional 4-3-3: Sergio Busquets, Andre Gomes and Ivan Rakitic in midfield with Neymar, Messi and Suarez up front. Real Madrid are expected to go with a 4-2-3-1, with Benzema as the furthest forward, and Isco pulling the strings. But we shall see.
We’re about 25 minutes away from kick-off. It’s about 14C in Barcelona, and it’s fine – no rain anticipated for today’s match.
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An interesting result from earlier in La Liga: Sevilla went down to a surprise 2-1 defeat at their Andalusian neighbours Granada, who hadn’t won all season. A point would have taken Sevilla above Barcelona into second, but goals from Andreas Pereira and David Lomban gave Granada the points.
Zinedine Zidane’s La Liga record reads: played 33, won 27, drawn 5, lost 1. Scored: 99. No manager has ever had a start this good in points terms. Here’s Sid Lowe’s lovely profile of the great man:
Barcelona are unchanged from the side that drew 1-1 against Real Sociedad last week. Andres Iniesta is named on the bench. Real Madrid make four changes from the side that beat Sporting – Dani Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Marcelo and Isco replace Danilo, Pepe, Nacho and James Rodriguez.
Starting lineups
Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Sergi Roberto, Pique, Mascherano, Jordi Alba, Rakitic, Sergio Busquets, Andre Gomes, Messi, Suarez, Neymar. Subs: Cillessen, Denis, Arda Turan, Iniesta, Paco Alcacer, Digne, Umtiti.
Real Madrid: Navas, Carvajal, Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Modric, Kovacic, Lucas Vazquez, Isco, Ronaldo, Benzema. Subs: Casilla, Pepe, Nacho, James, Casemiro, Mariano, Asensio.
Referee: Carlos Clos Goméz
Hello and welcome
December has arrived, and for the first time this season, the clásico has, too. Barcelona play Real Madrid in club football’s biggest game, and, as always, anticipation is keen. This game between these Spanish giants has pretty much everything we could hope for in a football match: nip and needle, glitz and glamour, and on display the greatest concentration of talent in the world.
As usual, this fixture has serious implications for the where the championship will end up. Real Madrid haven’t lost this season, and they’re unbeaten in their past 32 games – victory would put them nine points clear at the top of La Liga, a seemingly unassailable lead, even at this early stage. But while Real Madrid have purred, Barca have stuttered, and Luis Enrique’s side have failed to win either of their past two league games, being held by Real Sociedad and Malaga. More good news for Zinedine Zidane’s men: Madrid are the only side in Europe’s top five leagues who remain unbeaten this term.
So Real Madrid have the form, and the momentum – but they don’t have Gareth Bale, or Toni Kroos, who are both missing with injury. Barcelona could be boosted by the Andres Iniesta, who hasn’t played for six weeks because of a knee injury. And despite Barça’s recent travails, the fact remains: they still have Neymar, Suarez, Mascherano, Pique and Messi – even if the Argentinian maestro hasn’t scored in his past five classics. Victory for Barça would cut the gap to three, and make it very much game on, etc.
Kick-off’s at 4.15pm local time. Teams, build-up and more to come. This could be delicious.
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Tim will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s Sid Lowe on Barcelona’s travails:
At least he ate well. Luis Enrique returned to San Sebastián, the most beautiful place in Spain, land of Patxarán, pil-pil and pintxos, tapas nailed to bread with lethal-looking cocktail sticks, of T-bones the size of T-Rexes and more Michelin stars than anywhere in Europe, and left the way he did last time and the time before that; the way that FC Barcelona have left every time they’ve been since 2007. For almost a decade now, they’ve departed defeated. Emotionally, at least. Actually too, most of the time. Six months back Luis Enrique said that he’d go there to eat a chuletón, a great big steak, but not to watch football. After all, like Pep Guardiola, Tito Vilanova and Tata Martino before, he’d had a gut full of that.
Six times Barcelona had been to face Real Sociedad in the league (seven including a Copa del Rey draw) and they had lost five and not won one. On Sunday night Barcelona’s team included just one player who was there when they last went and won – Leo Messi was 19 that day – and the run extended to eight. Messi, 29 now, scored but six minutes before that so had Willian José and a 1-1 draw left his side six points behind Real Madrid six days before the clásico. There’s something about this place, alright: Real Sociedad have been to the second division since but still it goes on. “A miracle,” Luis Enrique called it.
In his first season, the team lost 1-0 here; Messi was on the bench and Luis Enrique looked like he was on his way. The sporting director, Andoni Zubizarreta, was sacked, his assistant Carles Puyol walked and elections were called; the manager admitted that his position had “weakened” and he seemed unlikely to last much longer. It was the end, or so it seemed; it turned out to be the beginning. In his second season, Luis Enrique’s team lost 1-0 again, the week after defeat in the clásico: suddenly the headlines claimed “there is a league!” and there was too. In the end, it was Barcelona’s but, as Gerard Piqué put it, they had to win it twice. And now in this, his third season, Barcelona drew.
You can read the full article here:
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