Barcelona, Real Madrid’s El Clasicco Ends First Time in 17 Years

Barcelona, Real Madrid’s El Clasicco Ends  First Time in 17 Years

The last there was a 0-0 between Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga someone had launched a pig’s head onto the pitch at Luis Figo during the game back in 2002. This time it was around 50 inflatable yellow balls thrown onto the pitch in the second half.

It was a controversial Clasico marked by the political tension between Spain and Catalonia. Trouble outside the stadium on the south side of the stadium meant the 90,000 inside the Camp Nou were advised, midway through the second half, to exit from the north side.

On the pitch it was frenetic, frantic at times but Madrid will come away feeling the more positive. Gareth Bale scored only for the tightest of offside decisions to go against Ferland Mendy who played him in, as Madrid dominated an underwhelming Barcelona.

Real Madrid spent most of the first half in the Barcelona half with Karim Benzema dragging Barcelona defenders around the pitch, Isco probing intelligently and Casemiro and Fede Valverde testing Marc-Andre ter Stegen from the edge of the area.

Real Madrid threatened from corners too with Raphael Varane claiming he was fouled by Clement Lenglet from one and Gerard Pique clearing off the line from a Casemiro header.

Alba was lively, squaring up to Varane and linking with Messi on the overlap. Ten minutes before half time he should have put Barcelona ahead against the run of play from Messi’s pass.

He put his shot wide of Thibaut Courtois’ far post. The Belgium keeper had another scare when he pushed the ball straight out to Messi but under pressure from Varane, Messi could not finish with Ramos clearing from the six-yard box.

A Barcelona goal would have been unfair on Madrid but they were asking for trouble failing to take advantage of their domination.

Sergio Ramos flicked the ball well wide from a Gareth Bale cross and Bale over-hit another centre much to Benzema’s disappointment waiting to connect at the back post.

Barcelona were sat deep and slow to get out on the break. Messi indicated as much as he turned to his team-mates in exasperation. It was bad enough for 17-year-old Ansu Fati to be warming up half an hour in. Antoine Griezmann was largely anonymous and Barcelona were being over-run in a midfield dominated by the giant stride of young Uruguayan Valverde.

It was 0-0 at the break but Barcelona had not turned up yet and they had Luis Suarez, Rakitic and Lenglet all with yellow cards.

Messi started the second half with intent to harm, slaloming into the area drawing nervous half-tackles from Varane and Carvajal.

But Messi aside there was no shift in power, Madrid were still on top and Madrid made their first change when Arturo Vidal came into midfield with Sergi Roberto stepping back to right back to replace Nelson Semedo.

It was at that moment, 11 minutes into the second half when around 50 yellow inflatable balls were thrown on to the pitch. Play was stopped for three minutes while they were cleared. This game had been postponed in October because of fears over protests at prison sentences handed out to the organizers of an illegal referendum over Catalan Independence. ‘Spain sit down and talk’ read a banner held up behind Ter Stegen’s goal in the second half.

The balls on the pitch provoked a rise in the volume and Barcelona’s best double chance. Inexplicably both Messi and Suarez swung at the ball and failed to make contact.

Casemiro was booked for a foul on Suarez as Barcelona broke. The game was broken now both sides playing with a mixture of desperation and the fear of that one mistake that would decide the game and, maybe, the season.

Valverde was still everywhere. He marauded forward by when he played in Bale the Welshman shot into the side netting.

Valverde had overshadowed Frenkie de Jong but the Dutchman was then presented with a chance to win it but he failed to finish from Suarez’pass.

It was now: You have a shot, we’ll have a shot. Mendy crossed from the left and Bale scored from close range. He was onside but Mendy was level with the last defender. And whenever a player is level to the naked eye VAR finds a toe, or in this case a knee, that puts him offside.

Ansu Fati came on for Barcelona and Valverde was somewhat surprisingly taken off replaced by Rodrygo. He drew a foul from Carvajal but could not inspire what would have been an uninspired winner for the home side.

Related Articles