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First Division - Day 28

Barcelona 2 - Real Madrid 1

Barcelona: Bravo; Dani Alves, Piqué, Mathieu, Jordi Alba; Rakitic (Busquets 76’), Mascherano, Iniesta (Xavi 80’); Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar (Rafinha 85‘). 4-3-3.
Madrid: Casillas; Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Pepe (Varane 73‘), Marcelo; Modric (Lucas Silva 88’), Kroos, Isco (Jesé 80‘); Bale, Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo. 4-3-3.

Goals:
1-0. 19. Mathieu. Steered angled header past Casillas from wide Messi free kick.
1-1. 31. Ronaldo. Poked shot past Bravo after Benzema played on Modric pass.
2-1. 56. Luis Suárez. Controlled long Alves pass and turned shot past keeper.

Yellow cards: Pepe 21’, Luis Suárez 28’, Ronaldo 37’, Jordi Alba 37’, Sergio Ramos 45’, Carvajal 48’, Modric 52’, Mascherano 61’, Isco 64’, Iniesta 65’, Dani Alves 71’.

Barcelona move four points clear at the top of the table after a 2-1 victory over second placed Real Madrid in the latest “clásico” between the two Spanish giants on Sunday evening. It was a close fought match, Ronaldo firing a shot against the crossbar before Mathieu headed the opener from Messi’s wide free kick in the twentieth minute. Ten minutes later Neymar missed an easy chance and play went straight up the other end, Benzema back-heeling Modric’s pass across for Ronaldo to slide home the equalizer. That boosted Madrid’s confidence, and before half time Bale had a strike ruled out for a dubious offside (by Ronaldo?), Bravo had to tip a shot from Ronaldo over the bar and Bale fired another chance wide. After the interval Bravo had to save again from Benzema, but soon afterwards Luis Suárez restored the lead for the Catalans, the ex Liverpool striker controlling a long ball from Dani Alves before turning a shot past Casillas. There were chances at both ends after that, Neymar and Messi shooting wide and Casillas saving from Jordi Alba, and Bravo having to react quickly to keep out a deflected shot from Benzema. But Luis Enrique’s side had the three points, and although the head-to-head record is still in favour of Madrid, that will only apply if the two teams are level at the end of the season. With ten matches to go anything could still happen, but right now that looks unlikely.