Sid Lowe’s match report has landed, so I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company and emails - goodnight!
Sergio Ramos speaks
“When you don’t win a game you feel disappointed. I felt Real Madrid deserved more. It’s a very complicated game – it’s difficult to come here, but we took the game to them and caused them problems. We didn’t make the kind of mistakes that have cost us so much in previous clasicos. We controlled the game quite well, especially the transitions. It’s not easy to do that in the Camp Nou.
“We had a strategy to put pressure on them high up and make it difficult to play the ball out from the back, and we did that. I think we’re having a really positive spell. We should have had two penalties [for fouls from corners], but that’s football. We’re leaving here with a smile on our faces.”
Barcelona stay top of the table on goal difference. The match wasn’t a stinker, but nor was it one of the great 0-0s. Real Madrid were much better in the first hour, though Barcelona were more dangerous after bringing on Arturo Vidal and rejigging their midfield.
Full time: Barcelona 0-0 Real Madrid
Peep peep! For the first time since 23 November 2002, el clasico ends goalless.
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90+3 min Both teams would like to win, but what they really, really want is to not lose. It shows.
90+2 min Carvajal is booked for a hack at Ansu Fati, and then has the effrontery to signal that he got the ball.
90+2 min “Hi Rob,” says Luke Loteng, “does MBM mean motivated by money? Just wondering.”
Lord, I wish it did.
90+1 min Five minutes of added time.
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90 min Carvajal runs into the area, onto a return pass from Modric. He overruns the ball but still manages to hit a shot that is blocked by Jordi Alba.
87 min Ansu Fati wins a corner for Barcelona. He takes it himself, driving it beyond the far post, where the under-pressure Suarez heads well wide. The last goalless draw between these sides, since you asked, was 6734 days ago.
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84 min Bale is fine. Lenglet looks a bit groggier but is going to continue.
83 min There’s a break in play after a clash of heads between Lenglet and Bale. While they are being treated, the 17-year-old Ansu Fati replaces Antoine Griezmann.
80 min A double change for Real Madrid: Rodrygo and Luka Modric replace Isco and Fede Valverde. Both were excellent but have looked tired in the last 10-15 minutes.
78 min Sergio Ramos gets his mandatory clasico booking, either for dissent or a foul on Messi.
77 min “I can happily confirm that people in countries other than England read the Guardian MBM and are interested in el clasico,” says Clare Lawrence. “Especially since this MBM is on the front page of Guardian Australia.”
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76 min Isco is booked for a lunge at Griezmann. Just as Barcelona’s three yellow cards told the story of the first half, so Real’s three tell the story of the last 10 minutes.
76 min Real Madrid were so dominant for so long, but it is starting to feel like they are hanging on for a point. Barcelona have been so much better since the introduction of Arturo Vidal.
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74 min After a frantic counter-attack from Barcelona, Suarez whacks a curler high and wide from the left side of the area.
NO GOAL! Yes, the offside decision stands.
They are checking the offside but I am pretty sure Mendy was offside.
73 min: BALE HAS A GOAL DISALLOWED FOR OFFSIDE! It’s the right decision, just about. Mendy was a fraction offside when he ran onto a crossfield pass and cushioned a volley across goal for Bale to score from close range.
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72 min A neat lay-off from Suarez finds de Jong, who surges forward and hits a low drive from 20 yards that is comfortably saved by Courtois.
71 min “Thanks for throwing the rule book in my face, Rob,” says Colin Chamberlain. “You do invite musings to be emailed to you, remember?”
Musings, aye.
70 min Bale is booked for a late tackle on Griezmann.
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68 min: Good chance for Bale! Valverde slalomed infield from the right, all the way to the edge of the box. After his first attempted pass was blocked, Valverde poked the loose ball through to Bale in space on the left side of the area. He allowed the ball to run across his body and lashed a rising drive that rippled the side netting at the near post. He should have done better.
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67 min “You HAD to link to that a Ronaldo header, didn’t you?” says Matt Dony. “I’m still scarred by a similarly towering header he put away a few summers ago. Still, on a vaguely related note, very happy to see Bale playing for Madrid. Should he score the winner, I’m sure many things will be forgiven.”
Based on your emails during the MBM, I’m surprised you can remember anything about that night.
66 min Casemiro is booked for a foul on Suarez. Barcelona are having their best attacking spell of the game.
65 min A very deep cross from the right is headed off the outside of the near post by Benzema. It’s not as dramatic as it sounds: ter Stegen had it covered and watched it all the way.
64 min Griezmann has a snapshot blocked and Madrid break dangerously, only for Benzema to play a poor ball to Valverde.
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61 min A couple of points on that double chance. Had Messi scored, it might have been disallowed for an accidental handball by Griezmann in the build-up; and I think Suarez had miskicked before Ramos challenged him, though it’s hard to be sure.
It was in the same attack as the Messi miss, so presumably the Griezmann handball would still have been a factor. I’ll level with you: I haven’t a clue about the laws these days.
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60 min: Lionel Messi turns into a pub player! What a miss that was. He was found by Griezmann’s low cross, eight yards from goal, but he miskicked the ball completely. A few seconds later, Sergio Ramos made a desperate last-ditch tackle to deny Luis Suarez. At first look I thought it was a penalty; the referee did not.
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57 min “So if it’s on tele why do people follow it on the computer?” sniffs Colin Chamberlain. “A barca is a boat in Spanish. FC Barcelona’s nickname is Barça in Catalan.”
Okay.
1. As you’ll doubtless know if you’ve read the Guardian football website at any point in the past 20 years, we don’t do MBMs of games unless they are on TV.
2. As you’ll doubtless know if you’ve read the Guardian football website at any point in the last 20 years, the Guardian style guide says we should not use diacritical markings in MBMs.
55 min Arturo Vidal replaces Nelson Semedo for Barcelona, which means Sergi Roberto will move to right-back.
54 min Valverde has far too much time to tee up another sweet long-range strike that deflects wide off poor old Pique. Barcelona are being battered 0-0.
53 min “I’m interested in this game, if that helps,” says Mac Millings, although quite why The Guardian thinks people are interested in Colin Chamberlain’s opinion is beyond me. I’m calling that personal attack a ‘tactical foul’ by the way, but only to annoy Stephen Carr.”
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52 min Another long spell of possession from Real. It’s been a while since they’ve dominated like this at the Camp Nou.
50 min Messi skedaddles thrillingly from centre to left before driving a low cross that is cleared a split-second before reaching Griezmann.
49 min Bale is flattened by Lenglet, a clear foul that the referee can’t be bothered to give. That was a bit odd. Apparently Arturo Vidal is warming up for Barcelona, which is no surprise given the way Real dominated the midfield in the first half.
47 min The impressive Isco wins an early corner for Madrid. It’s headed away by Pique, who has been Barcelona’s rock so far.
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46 min Peep peep! Barcelona begin the second half.
“The amount of space that Barca’s pressing leaves is a cause for concern,” says Hrishabh Narayan. “Roberto playing RM but finding it hard to cast off the right-back in him. Needs to be forward more and a little more centre. For he has always made a difference with those diagonal through runs.”
“Why do The Guardian think people are interested in this,” says Colin Chamberlain. “Everton are playing Leicester City in the League Cup 1/4 final. By the way, in Spain they are known as Madrid, not Real.”
Well, the Everton game isn’t on TV, so there’s that. There’s also a developing - if controversial - school of thought that people in all countries are interested in the most glamorous fixture in world football.
“I’m petitioning Uefa to introduce mandatory yellow cards for use of the term ‘tactical foul’,” says Stephen Carr.
This one will run and run. Until somebody stops it with a tactical foul.
“I’m late to the play,” says Charles Antaki. “Just settling into my seat for the end of Act I of the Panto, and it seems that Sergio Ramos is still on the pitch. Theatre just isn’t what it used to be.”
He’s setting a new record for clasico appearances tonight. I suppose we all hoped he would behave accordingly, but he hasn’t tried to maim anyone yet.
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Half-time reading
Half time: Barcelona 0-0 Real Madrid
Peep peep! Both teams had attempts cleared off the line in a relatively subdued first half. Madrid have been the better team and should probably be ahead, with Barcelona struggling to get control of the midfield. For once, the story of the half can be told in the number of bookings: Barcelona 3-0 Madrid. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
45 min Lenglet is booked for a cynical foul on the breaking Isco. Just before that, Suarez’s cushioned volley across the six-yard box took a vital deflection off Mendy, with Messi waiting behind him to score.
44 min Another sweetly struck long-range volley from Valverde is well saved by ter Stegen, falling to his right.
43 min “Hey Rob,” says Neil McGwyre. “Just watching that video of Ronaldo nutting that header home made me think that he might have a future in Aussie rules when he decides there are no more worlds to conquer on the association football scene. The ability to get up like that and take a mark is a much-revered talent and would have him on many an end-of-season highlights reel. If he’d like to a grow a mullet and get many more tattoos then he can only increase his chances. I’m quite sure he’d also be fond of the very short shorts and the sleeveless tops to show off his guns.”
41 min: Jordi Alba misses a great chance! Messi played an exquisite chip over the defence, right into the path of Alba’s run, but his sidefooted volley from eight yards bobbled just wide of the far post.
40 min Suarez reminds everyone he’s on the field by giving the assistant referee an unmerited bollocking and then, seconds later, getting himself booked for a foul on Casemiro.
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37 min Kroos, given far too much space 25 yards from goal, shoots well wide. Barcelona look really vulnerable in midfield; Sergio Busquets is having a marvellous game.
35 min Barcelona are having plenty of possession now, but Real still look the more dangerous side.
31 min This is warming up nicely. Pique heads a cross away to Valverde, who swishes a beautiful volley from 25 yards that beats ter Stegen and flashes this far wide of the far post. His technique was immaculate.
31 min Jordi Alba’s cross is punched away by the flying Courtois. The ball runs to Messi, whose snapshot is superbly cleared off the line by Sergio Ramos!
29 min This game could do with a bit of Ronaldo.
Look at the leap by Cristiano Ronaldo. Easily the greatest header of the ball of all time. pic.twitter.com/NKJ694mdZ2
— TC. (@TotalCristiano) December 18, 2019
27 min The resulting corner is headed behind by the backpedalling Varane.
26 min Another nice move from Madrid. Valverde frees Benzema on the right side of the area, and his low cross towards Isco is kicked away by ter Stegen. The ball reaches Casemiro 30 yards out, and his curling shot is palmed behind for a corner by the diving ter Stegen.
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24 min Isco has been terrific. He combines with Bale to find Benzema, whose cross is booted away by the beleaguered looking Pique.
22 min I’m dedicating this entry to Antoine Griezmann because I don’t want him to feel left out.
21 min Rakitic is booked for a tactical foul on Isco. Real are much the better team at the moment.
20 min This is a superb spell for Madrid, with Barcelona struggling to get out after a series of Real corners. Eventually they get a slightly generous free-kick for a foul by Varane on Jordi Alba.
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19 min After another Real corner causes problems, Casemiro has a low shot kicked away by Lenglet, just in front of ter Stegen in the six-yard box.
18 min That was a vital piece of defending from Pique. He wasn’t on the post, but smelt danger as the cross came in and ran back towards the goal-line to head it clear.
17 min Casemiro’s long-range shot deflects behind for a corner. It’s taken short to Carvajal, whose cross is headed towards goal by Casemiro and cleared off the line by Pique!
16 min Isco wriggles away from Semedo on the left, but his cross is headed clear by Pique.
14 min The last few minutes have been scruffy and frantic. Calm down lads, it’s only a game, eh? Eh?
11 min Barcelona appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty when Jordi Alba’s low cross hits the sliding Carvajal. Just one problem: it didn’t touch his hand, and even if it had it wouldn’t have been a penalty because the ball deflected off his body.
10 min Real have their first good spell of possession. Isco is eased over by Pique on the edge of the box but the ball runs square to Benzema, whose snapshot is straight at ter Stegen. Good strike, though.
9 min Messi looks in the mood. He ignores challenges from Kroos and then Casemiro before playing a fine pass through the lines to de Jong. Nothing comes of it but it was an imperious bit of play from Messi.
8 min Barcelona have started with a relaxed confidence in possession. Real have done a lot of chasing in the first few minutes.
5 min Messi sprays a gorgeous crossfield ball to release Jordi Alba, who half-volleys a first-time cross towards the unmarked Suarez in the area. He can’t control it and the ball runs away to safety. With a surer touch he would have been in, though it wasn’t the easiest ball to take.
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4 min Lots of Barcelona possession in the early minutes, though nothing remotely troublesome for Madrid. Bale is playing as a right-winger when Barcelona have the ball.
2 min The early signs are that Real are playing a midfield diamond, with Isco scheming behind a front two of Benzema and Bale.
1 min Peep peep! Real Madrid kick off from right to left as we watch.
The players are out on the field. The captions, Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos, embrace warmly. That’s the pleasantries out of the way.
Busier than I’ve ever seen outside Camp Nou in 20 years of covering games here. Queues are big but protests and strict security control slowing things. People are getting into stadium ok. pic.twitter.com/06YXZosjAW
— Andy Mitten (@AndyMitten) December 18, 2019
Updated team news
Thanks to David Warren for alterting us to the news that Ivan Rakitic has replaced Sergio Busquets in the Barcelona XI. It’s not exactly Ronaldo and the World Cup final, but it’s still a bit mysterious. Barcelona say it was a “misunderstanding” and “a technical decision”; other reports suggest Busquets has a fever. One thing’s for sure: when the full story emerges, we’ll be the 12th to break it.
These are the revised teams.
Barcelona (4-3-3) Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Jordi Alba; Sergi Roberto, Rakitic, de Jong; Messi, Suarez, Griezmann.
Substitutes: Neto, Busquets, Alena, Vidal, Umtiti, Carles Perez, Ansu Fati.
Real Madrid (4-D-2) Courtois; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Mendy; Casemiro; Valverde, Kroos; Isco; Bale, Benzema.
Substitutes: Areola, Modric, Eder Militao, Nacho, Jovic, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo.
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Alternative MBM action, while u wait
Pre-match reading
Team news
Gareth Bale starts for Madrid; Luka Modric does not. Barcelona have picked Sergi Roberto in midfield ahead of Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal.
Barcelona (4-3-3) Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Jordi Alba; Sergi Roberto, Busquets, de Jong; Messi, Suarez, Griezmann.
Substitutes: Neto, Rakitic, Alena, Vidal, Umtiti, Carles Perez, Ansu Fati.
Real Madrid (4-D-2) Courtois; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Mendy; Casemiro; Valverde, Kroos; Isco; Bale, Benzema.
Substitutes: Areola, Modric, Eder Militao, Nacho, Jovic, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo.
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Preamble
Hello. Nine and a half months is a long time between clásicos; the longest gap, in fact, since 1996. When Barcelona and Real Madrid met at the start of March, the world was a different place. Real were European champions, Barcelona were European champions-elect. And football was the main topic of conversation.
Tonight, sport and politics have no choice but to mix. This match has already been postponed once because of the Catalan crisis, and there is a major security operation in place at the Camp Nou. Both teams have arrived at the ground without any problems.
The Real Madrid players heading into Camp Nou around 10 minutes ago @sidlowe #tsfpAtTheGames pic.twitter.com/o6JXNWnsWc
— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) December 18, 2019
It’s the first clásico since April 2014 that does not involve the champions of Europe. That’s an apt reflection of a match that is not quite as showstopping as it has been for most of the decade. But it still involves the current and - spoiler alert! - future champions of Spain.
Barcelona and Real Madrid top the La Liga table with 35 points from 16 games. In the absence of any head-to-head results, Barcelona are in first place because of a superior goal difference. Roll up, roll up, it’s time for the Christmas clásico!
Kick off is at 7pm local time, 8pm in Barcelona.
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