El Clásico: Real Madrid Claims 2-1 Victory At Barcelona

Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 in the first El Clásico of the season courtesy of goals from David Alaba and Lucas Vazquez at the Camp Nou on Sunday.

Barcelona had Memphis Depay upfront, supported by Ansu Fati and Sergio Dest on the flanks. While Madrid stared with a front-three of Karim Benzema, Vinicus Jr. and Rodrygo.

The hosts controlled possession in the first half. However, Madrid took the lead when Alaba started a flowing move with a tackle and finished it at the other end with a left-footed drive from the edge of the box and into the net.

Barcelona wasted their biggest opportunity of the first half when Memphis Depay led a counter-attack and crossed to Dest, who was unmarked in the box but he volleyed the ball into the stands. The score remained 1-0 to Real at halftime.

Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman brought on Philippe Coutinho at halftime to give the hosts new life as they looked to mount their way back into the game. Vinicius Jr’s speed and power on the counter-attack left Barca’s defence scrambling time after time.

Strikers Sergio Aguero and Luuk de Jong were later brought on in the second half as they searched for an equaliser. With seven minutes of injury time added on, Real doubled its lead when Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved a shot from Marco Asensio, but Vazquez reacted quicker than Eric Garcia to pounce on the rebound to score.

Barcelona continued to press after conceding, and they got a goal back in the 97th minute.

• Read more: Barca can still win La Liga – Koeman

Sergino Dest crossed the ball to Aguero in the six-yard box and the Argentine tapped in for his first goal in a Barcelona shirt.

However, it proved to be a consolation goal, leaving Barcelona five points behind in eighth place.

Victory was Real’s fourth straight in Clasicos and also Ancelotti’s first at the Camp Nou in six visits, with his side devastating on the counter-attack and the result moving them provisionally top of La Liga with 20 points.

“We played a practical game. We knew what we need to do and the boys executed the game plan perfectly,” Ancelotti said. “Our team enjoy playing on the counter-attack and I have to take advantage of that.”

La Liga results

Sevilla 5-3 Levante

Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid

Real Betis 3-2 Rayo Vallecano

Atletico Madrid 2-2 Real Sociedad

Chidi Nwoke/Reuters.