Barça produce vintage display to destroy Real in Clasico
FC Barcelona crashed Real Madrid’s 120th anniversary celebrations by demolishing their arch-rivals 4-0 in El Clasico. ‘Los Blancos’ suffered their first home defeat of the season after losing for the first time in six meetings with their arch-rivals in humiliating fashion at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
The Catalan giants enjoyed a superb start to the game, dominating possession and creating the better chances. Pace in wide areas proved a real asset for the visitors, as Ferran Torres displayed by creating a huge chance for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but the forward’s effort was brilliantly stopped by Thibaut Courtois. Torres then threatened himself, as his curled effort from the edge of the box drifted narrowly wide.
On the half-hour mark though, the Belgian goalkeeper had no answer. Ousmane Dembélé left Nacho Fernández for dead before delivering a pinpoint cross that was nodded home by Aubameyang. The Gabonese forward was causing all sorts of problems, forcing Courtois into yet another save, but that couldn’t prevent Barça from doubling their lead before the interval. Dembélé was the provider once more, as his brilliant corner gave Ronald Araújo a free header to power home and silence the Bernabéu.
Carlo Ancelotti changed his side’s system in the absence of Karim Benzema, and such were the struggles of his side before the interval, he tinkered once more after the break. The changes had no impact, as Torres missed a gilt-edged chance to extend the lead within 30 seconds, before netting a minute later. Frenkie De Jong found Aubameyang who produced a fabulous chop to give Torres the chance to find the top corner.
Moments later, Barcelona added a fourth. Real failed to play to the whistle having presumed Torres was offside, but the Spaniard slotted in Aubameyang to chip beyond Courtois, with the goal given after a VAR review. Xavi’s men were on the rampage and showed no interest in taking their foot off the gas, as Aubameyang missed a tap-in at the back post which would’ve completed a phenomenal hat-trick.
In truth, Real could count themselves lucky that they only conceded four in a shambolic display. Ancelotti has now lost four of his previous six meetings with Barcelona, a record that looks ominous as the latter’s revival continues apace. Xavi has now seen his side remain unbeaten in each of his first ten league away games as they closed the gap to Sevilla to just three points.