Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Dani
Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Adriano; Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta (Alex Song
76'); Messi, Fàbregas (Alexis 70'), Neymar (Pedro 84'). 4-3-3.
Madrid: Diego López; Dani Carvajal, Varane, Pepe,
Marcelo; Khedira, Sergio Ramos (Illarramendi 55'), Modric; Di María
(Jesé 75'), Bale (Benzema 60'), Cristiano Ronaldo. 4-3-3.
Goals:
1-0. 19. Neymar. Picked up Iniesta pass and struck
angled shot which hit Varane.
2-0. 78. Alexis. Controlled ball outside area
and lobbed shot over Diego López.
2-1. 91. Jesé. Collected
Ronaldo cross and fired low shot under Víctor Valdés.
Yellow cards: Busquets 06', Sergio Ramos 13', Adriano 34', Bale 44', Khedira 58', Marcelo 63', Ronaldo 79'.
The first "clásico" of the season is over, Barcelona beating Real Madrid 2-1 in the Nou Camp on Saturday evening to move six points clear of their arch-rivals in the table! Ancelotti surprised everyone putting out a line up which included three central defenders, Sergio Ramos playing a holding role in front of the back four and Bale starting up front in place of Benzema. The locals struck first though, Neymar picking up Iniesta's pass and firing in an angled shot which took a slight deflection off Varane before entering the net, and a few minutes later Messi got free on the right only to steer his shot wide of the far post. Madrid came back later in the first half though, Bale putting a good chance way over the top, and Khedira bringing a point-blank save out of Valdés shortly before half time. After the restart Diego López had to keep out Neymar, but Valdés had to save the day with stops from Ronaldo and Di María, Ronaldo felt he should have had a penalty when Mascherano bundled him over in the area, and Benzema fired a long shot against the crossbar. With twelve minutes to go however substitute Alexis caught Diego off his line with a lob from outside of the area, and although Jesé got one back in injury time from Ronaldo's cross, the goal came too late to change the result.