R.Madrid-FC Barcelona: Defeat at the Bernabéu (2-1)

R.Madrid-FC Barcelona: Defeat at the Bernabéu (2-1)

A goal from Ramos with eight minutes left saw Real Madrid take a rather grey Clasico after Messi had equalised Benzema’s opener in the first half 

Valdés was sent off after the final whistle after remonstrating with the ref who denied Barça an apparently clear late penalty when Adriano was brought down in the box

Barça suffered their second league defeat of the season in what was an atypical Clasico – with a four o’clock kick off, a sixteen point difference between the two teams and Barça indisputable leaders at the top of the league despite Tuesday’s Cup KO. Roura’s side weren’t at their very best, but finally lost in an especially cruel way – denied what looked to be a clear penalty in the final moments of the game after Real Madrid had scored at the start and the end of the game.

Madrid get early goal

Madrid played a near full strength defence, but included a number of fringe players in midfield as Mourinho chose to rest some of his big names, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, ahead of the Champions League game in Manchester on Tuesday, whilst Barça sent out their strongest possible starting 11.

Despite that, it was the hosts who started the brighter and Benzema opened the scoring after just 6 minutes, latching onto a great cross from the left by Morata to tap in at the far post. It was the perfect start for Madrid, who now sat back and absorbed the Barça possession.

Messi equaliser opens door to Barça dominance

As Barça strove to impose their rhythm and trademark style on the goal, Alves played a lovely through ball down the right for Messi, who cut inside Sergio Ramos and fired low past the keeper for the equaliser. The goal seemed to settle Barça’s nerves and they were looking increasingly comfortable on the ball, with Madrid forced to watch and wait as Messi and Iniesta at one point just passed the ball to each other in the middle of the park, with no Madrid player coming out to contest the ball. The possession was Barça’s now, but it was mostly in midfield and chances were hard to come by, with Messi seeing a shot blocked by Diego Lopez on the half hour and Morata headed into the side netting a few minutes later.

Ramos goal and  big penalty shout

Barça upped the intensity a notch after the break and Madrid replied by bringing on Cristiano Ronaldo just before the hour mark. The game began to get a bit feisty now, with the referee flourishing a number of yellow cards. Shrugging off Barça’s dominance of possession, Madrid’s confidence was growing with Cristiano’s entrance onto the pitch and he was soon testing Valdes with a dangerous free kick on 64 minutes, which the Barça keeper saved spectacularly.

Valdés was again the hero ten minutes later when he pushed aside a Morata effort when the Madrid youngster was one on one on the keeper, but he was unable to do anything on 82 minutes, when Sergio Ramos rose high to head home a corner and it could have been worse minutes later when Cristiano fired a free kick against the woodwork. With Alexis, Adriano and Tello now on, Barça pushed hard for an equaliser and were unlucky to be denied an apparently clear penalty when Adriano was brought down in the box – a decision that saw Iniesta shown a yellow and Valdes a red for dissent after the final whistle had been blown.

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Real Madrid v FC Barcelona: Did you know?

Barça are back at the Bernabeu - a ground they’ve not lost at in the league for four seasons, with three wins and a draw to their name

The team boast the largest ever distance between them and Real before a game at the Bernabeu – 16 points

Just a few days after their Spanish Cup meeting, Barça and Real Madrid face each other in a league clash at the Bernabeu on Saturday, with the visitors a daunting 16 points ahead in the competition – the biggest ever distance between the two ahead of a clash in Madrid.

There are plenty of other interesting facts and figures surrounding the game, for instance, did you know………?

- Whatever the result, Barça will come away from the Bernabeu with their biggest ever lead over Madrid following a game at the home of their great rivals – 13, 16 or 19 points.

- Barça are unbeaten in their last four league visits to the Bernabeu, with three wins and a draw.

- A win or a draw on Saturday would equal their best ever run of results away to Madrid set between 1969/70 and 1973/74.

- Barça have lost just three times in the league in the last 10 years at the Bernabeu.

- Barça have won a total of 17 times away to Real Madrid in the league and five of those wins have come in the last ten years.

- Jordi Roura was in the Barça team who went to the Bernabeu in the 1990/91 season, but he didn’t actually play.

- Madrid have gone 24 games without defeat at home (20 wins and 4 draws) following their 1-3 defeat by Barça in December 2011.

- Leo Messi has scored in three of Barça’s last four trips to the Bernabeu in the league.

- Messi broke the record of scoring in ten successive away games and has now scored in each of Barça’s last 15 league games.

- Xavi has provided the assist for three of Messi’s last four goals away to Madrid.

- Cristiano Ronaldo has scored four times in the last four meetings between the two teams and bagged 10 of Madrid’s 20 goals against Barça over the last two years.

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Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona: The Clásico Match Preview

All details about the League's Match at Santiago Bernabéu

FC Barcelona - Protagonistes il·lustres al Bernabéu

FC Barcelona - Iniesta confident that the team can pull through

FC Barcelona - Training session 27/02/2013

19 players named to the squad ahead of tomorrow's match at the Bernabéu

Xavi will miss the match due to injury, while Abidal, Montoya and Dos Santos were left out of the team for technical reasons 

Bartra and Alexis, both of whom didn't suit up against Madrid this Wednesday, return to the team

Jordi Roura has named a total of 19 players to FC Barcelona’s squad ahead of this Saturday’s showdown at the Bernabéu against Real Madrid (16.00, Canal+). Besides Xavi, who is injured, Abidal, Montoya and Dos Santos won’t feature for the Blaugrana. Therefore, Bartra and Alexis, both of whom didn’t suit up against Los Blancos on Wednesday, will travel with the team to the Spanish capital. On Saturday, before kick off, Roura will have to rule out one additional player. 

Training session in the rain 

This afternoon’s training session saw Leo Messi train with the team. The player missed yesterday’s training session due to fever. The session, the last before tomorrow’s match, was held on Field 2 of the Ciutat Esportiva. Xavi Hernández worked with the team physio.

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Real Madrid - Barcelona 02.03.2013

R.Madrid-FC Barcelona: Universal Declaration of beautiful football

Marvellous Barça performance against Madrid who went ahead within a minute but were overwhelmed by a superior Barça with goals from Alexis, Xavi and Cesc 

The team switched to a three man defence after 15 minutes and are now back on top of the league, though Madrid do have a game in hand

For the fourth season on the run, Barça have made a clear statement at the Bernabeu - that they still are the supreme reference point in the world of football. In a high voltage game, the team fought back from a first minute setback with ambition and majestic football. Three goals stamped their authority and ensured another historic win at the home of their great rivals achieved with their trademark style to retake top spot, though Madrid do have a game in hand.

It was the worst possible start for Guardiola's team when a defensive mix up handed Madrid a goal after just 24 seconds as Benzama fired past Valdes. From that moment, Madrid sat back in defence and conceded possession to the much bolder Barça, whilst attempting to maintain a high line. Casillas made a great stop from Messi on six minutes and then on the quarter hour,

Guardiola switched to a three man defence  - taking maximum risk, but ensuring total domination.

Alexis goal reward for domination

Barça now began to strangle the life out of their hosts, who only threatened sporadically on the counter and  although Ronaldo had the chance to make it 2-0 on 24 minutes, Busquets and Puyol were defending like giants at times. Then Messi slipped through the Madrid defence and released Alexis who unleashed a great shot past Casillas to draw Barça level. Tension began to rise now and by half time Barça had seen two cards – Alexis and Messi, both for dissent, though the team had committed just four fouls against Madrid's nine, with just a single yellow card for the hosts.


Cesc heads home lovely Alves cross

If Barça had been unlucky at the start of the first half, they made up for that at the beginning of the second, when on 53 minutes a Xavi shot ricocheted off Marcelo to wrong foot Casillas and put Barça in the lead. Madrid desperately tried to pressure Barça as they tried to play the ball out, which in turn gave the increasingly dangerous looking Barça more space to counter. Ronaldo again blew a chance which would have drawn the teams level just past the hour mark and almost immediately after, Cesc headed in at the far post after a great cross from Alves.


Footballing recital

With the scores at 1-3, Madrid got even rougher and the cards began to flow. The hosts were now playing with more heart than head, as they desperately played catch up behind a Barça team who were revelling in their exquisite one touch possession football, exemplified by a brilliant Iniesta action on 80 minutes. There were even chances to stretch the lead, but in the end, Barça's superiority was such as to leave no room for doubt: their beautiful football, the style that defines this team came out top for all the millions of viewers who watched as the Barça philosophy continues to stamp its mark, season after season on the footballing world.



Legendary Players and Moments at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Cruyff Schuster, Stoichkov, Luis Enrique, Rivaldo, Kluivert, Ronaldo, Messi and Pique are some players who have played for Real Madrid Classic Stadium

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Barcelona vs Real Madrid 1:3 Copa del Rey

Barcelona vs Real Madrid 1:3 Copa del Rey

(J.Alba/Ronaldo,Ronaldo,Varane)

Barça’s Copa del Rey title defence is over after losing at home to a Real Madrid side that knew how to take its chances

Barça have gone out of the Copa del Rey after losing tonight’s semi final second leg at home to Real Madrid. Despite FCB getting a good result in the first leg at the Bernabéu (1-1), the all-whites, spurred on by an early penalty, were highly effective at the back and lethal up front. They made the most of their strongest points, mainly counter attacks and dead ball situations, to go three goals ahead, which meant the game was as good as over with most of the second half left to play. Jordi Alba pulled one back for Barça, but it was too little too late.

Penalty start for Madrid

Although things didn’t eventually turn out their way, Barça started the match confidently and dominantly. They only took a minute to get the first shot in, a Messi effort that spun wide following an excellent piece of play by Pedro. Barça were producing the combination football for which they are famed, but the threat was always going to be what Madrid might be able to produce on the counter. And that is just how the opening goal came about, with Piqué bringing down Cristiano Ronaldo in the area, and the Portuguese striker showing all the composure required of the occasion by expertly slotting the ensuing penalty past Pinto.

Gripping football

Despite the setback, Barça still looked recognisable, staying loyal to their patient waiting game and dominating the possession. But there was no doubt that Madrid’s goal had unsettled them, with the Catalans displaying a certain insecurity in attack along with some uncharacteristically nervy errors in defence. Meanwhile, Madrid looked to be gaining in confidence, and with their defensive line moved forward, the remainder of the half was a gripping tactical and athletic battle, with Madrid opting for a more direct approach, and Barça in particular looking to Alves and Pedro to work their magic down the right.

The tension was as high as it ever is when these two teams meet, and despite several interruptions and bookings (both FCB centre backs, Piqué and Puyol, were yellow carded), the football was still of the utmost quality. A Messi free kick skimmed just inches wide of the post and the half ended with Jordi Alba on the ground requiring medical attention, although fortunately he was able to continue.

Tragedy at the worst moment

The second half was as electric as the first. Coentrao came close after 49 minutes, and two minutes later Busquets had a chance at the other end. And Barça were on the attack again when Madrid sent a long ball flying up to other end of the park, and the home fans’ greatest fear was realised. It just wasn’t Barça’s night as far as luck was concerned. Puyol slipped before Di María and then Pinto was only able to parry the Argentinian’s shot into the feet of Cristiano, who made no mistake as he added his and Madrid’s second of the night. But not even that cruel blow disheartened Barça, who immediately went out in search of a way back into the match, but time and again they were denied by Madrid’s inspired Diego López in goal. There was still some hope, but it all faded to nothing when Varane rose to meet a corner and headed home the goal that made it 3-0, meaning that Barcelona now needed to score four goals to have any hope of qualifying.

Fans still on song

Despite the dreadful result for Barça’s interests, the Camp Nou never lost faith in its team, and the fans continued cheering them right until the end. Villa, Tello and Thiago were all sent on as FCB chased a miracle comeback. And despite the near impossibility of the task ahead of them, they never let their heads drop and in the 88th minute were finally rewarded by a Jordi Alba goal that ultimately only served to make the defeat that little bit easier to bear.

FC Barcelona - Jordi Roura: "We don't know how to sit back-- we'll be out for a win"

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