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Barcelona and Real Madrid Share Spoils in Heated El Clasico

Week 35 Preview

Barcelona and Real Madrid shared the spoils in Sunday’s La Liga clash at the Camp Nou with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi scoring for Barca, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale netted for the visitors.

It was a tight opening with Barcelona largely controlling possession and they made it pay dividends in the 10th minute through Suárez.

Roberto broke clear down the right and got the better of Marcelo, before sending a superb cross to the far post which Suárez volleyed home with customary precision beyond Keylor Navas who was going the other way.

Real were not rocked and attacked with confidence and soon found an equaliser through talisman Ronaldo. In the 14th minute, Ronaldo drove at his defender on the left before playing in Toni Kroos with a deft back-heel.

The Germany playmaker sent a delightful cross to the far post which a lurking Karim Benzema headed across goal. Los Blancos’ all-time leading scorer was brave as he poked home despite a strong challenge from Gerard Piqué.

Barca nearly responded soon after as Lionel Messi showed his eye for a pass as he almost played in Jordi Alba with a good pass over the top. However, Alba was just unable to react as the effort went over the goal to Navas’ relief.

With that said, the visitors were looking the more threatening and Ronaldo nearly made it 2-1 as he raced behind the defence but saw his strike blocked with his feet by an alert Marc-André ter Stegen in goal.

Seconds later CR7 found space on the left-hand side of the penalty area but pulled his shot just wide of the far post. The momentum continued for manager Zinedine Zidane’s men as a cross found the Portugal superstar.

Yet, the forward headed over on to the roof of the net despite a majestic leap and attempt at the far post under pressure. The largely anonymous Philippe Coutinho then had a moment of creativity just before the break.

He picked out Messi though the Argentina genius was denied by Navas who palmed the ball away as he attempted to round him at pace.

The game took a twist in the closing stages as Roberto saw red following a tussle with Marcelo. He appeared to lash out with a fist at the Brazil left-back, and was handed his marching orders.

After the interval, the 10-men of Barca stunned the team with the man advantage. Suarez skinned Raphael Varane before picking out Messi on the edge of Real’s area.

The 30-year-old showed his usual perfect touch and understanding of time and space, before cutting away from challenges to curl home an effort off the inside of the post beyond Navas at full stretch.

In the 70th minute Navas was the hero as Messi raced through on goal after Suarez’s lofted pass, but the keeper came out tops with a brilliant diving save to his left.

The Champions League finalists showed rare character as Marco Asensio, who had come on as a substitute for Ronaldo, played in Gareth Bale and he curled home brilliantly beyond ter Stegen into the left-hand corner of the target.

© TEAMtalk Media

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