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Luis Suárez’s sweet strike drives Barcelona past Real Madrid
Luis Suárez’s sweet strike drives Barcelona past Real Madrid
(35 minutes later)
Barcelona and Real Madrid have traded places; they may also have traded roles. Four points ahead eight games ago, Madrid are now four points behind after Barcelona beat them in a chaotic, open gamein which it was the Catalans who scored with a header from a corner and a goal on the break. Jérémy Mathieu and Luis Suárez got them and if Barcelona ended this match on top, chasing a third goal that would have seen then not only climb four points clear but also equal the head-to-head goal difference with Madrid, for much of the night they had held on.
Barcelona and Real Madrid have traded places; they may also have traded roles. Four points ahead eight games ago, Madrid are now four points behind after Barcelona beat them in a chaotic, open game in which it was the Catalans who scored with a header from a corner and a goal born of a long ball. Jérémy Mathieu and Luis Suárez got them, the second beautifully taken, but as Barcelona overran their opponents in the final minutes Neymar, Suárez and Lionel Messi were unable to add a third goal that would have also wiped out Madrid’s head-to-head advantage that will decide the title should they finish level. “That was the only pity,”Luis Enrique admitted.
By then, Madrid were exhausted, their early control gone. In the final minutes Barcelona were well on top, Lionel Messi running the game. But until then, it had been Madrid, unusually, who had been defined by pressure and possession even with Barcelona getting the first.
It nearly came. By the final minutes, Madrid were exhausted and Barcelona were on top, Messi running at opponents, skipping away from challenges, Jordi Alba speeding up the left, Neymar getting chances. Yet the last impression was not the lasting one. This had been far from easy.
Barcelona were given a free-kick on the left for a foul by Pepe on Suárez, another glimpse of a battle that was building. Messi curled the ball in and Mathieu headed down and into the net. It was Mathieu’s first goal of the season and Messi’s 22nd assist, more proof that things are not always as they seem: this the ninth header that Real Madrid have conceded in the league this season. Barcelona had conceded just one – to Pepe in the first clásico of the season.
Madrid had hit the bar, Claudio Bravo made key saves and for much of the night, Barcelona were grateful to Gerard Piqué for resisting. It had been Madrid, unusually, who had been defined by pressure and possession while Barcelona turned to the counter-attack.
And yet the lead was far from secure. Cristiano Ronaldo had already hit the bar with a volley at the far post, Isco’s shot had skidded wide and then Ronaldo had leapt to head over, all in a minute. Trailing now, they took another step forward. Every time Madrid pressed, Barcelona were uncomfortable and as the half went on Madrid pressed with growing insistence. Luka Modric, starting for the first time in four months, gave Madrid a clarity lacking of late; Marcelo, theoretically guarding Messi on the right, found space into which to progress, and the front three were increasingly involved.
Barcelona had the lead early via a foul by Pepe on Suárez, a glimpse of a battle that was building. Messi curled in the free-kick and Mathieu headed in. It was Messi’s 22nd assist of the season but it was also proof that things are not always as they seem: this was the ninth header that Madrid have conceded in the league this season. Barcelona have conceded only one.
The equaliser came just after the half hour and less than a minute after Neymar had somehow passed up the opportunity to make it 2-0, side-footing into Iker Casillas’ arms from four yards.
The lead was far from secure, though. Cristiano Ronaldo had already hit the bar with a volley at the far post, Isco’s shot had skidded wide and then Ronaldo had leapt to head over. All in a minute. They took another step forward, pressing with growing insistence.
Modric’s neat pass found Karim Benzema who provided a gorgeous assist, back-heeling the ball first time into the path of Ronaldo and he steered it away from Bravo. He has now scored in seven of his last eight visits to the Camp Nou.
Luka Modric, starting for the first time in four months, gave Madrid clarity; Marcelo, theoretically guarding Messi on the right, found space into which to progress and the front three were increasingly involved, Karim Benzema particularly.
Barcelona’s weakness was revealed and Madrid honed in on it, heading ever further up the pitch. Gerard Piqué held his side together, racing to put out fires at every turn. Gareth Bale slid in the second goal but was pulled back because the linesman judged Ronaldo offside when he flicked the ball on.
The equaliser came moments after Neymar had wasted a wonderful chance to make it 2-0 but was not undeserved. Modric’s neat pass found Benzema who provided a gorgeous assist, back-heeling first time in to Ronaldo who steered beyond Bravo.
The Wales captain shot wide from just outside the six-yard box after the ball dropped to him from a corner. And then Benzema, controlling beautifully on the chest and shrugging off his man, combined with Bale and Ronaldo. His shot was struck hard, the ball shifting in their air as it flew goalwards where Bravo pushed it over.
Barcelona’s weakness was revealed and Madrid honed in on it. Piqué held his side together, racing to put out fires. Bale slid in the second goal but was pulled back because Ronaldo was offside when he flicked the ball on. Bale then shot wide from just outside the six-yard box before Ronaldo was stopped by Bravo.
If the half-time whistle was welcome, a chance to correct and reconnect, the second half began in a similar manner. Within two minutes Bravo again had to intervene, Ronaldo and Benzema combining for the Frenchman to shoot. There was something eloquent in the wild, nervous way that Mathieu hacked the ball away, likewise in the way the Camp Nou roared when Sergio Busquets and Xavi Hernández left the bench to warm up: control was needed urgently at Camp Nou.
If the half-time whistle was welcome Bravo had to intervene two minutes into the second period, this time denying Benzema. There was something eloquent in the wild, nervous way that Mathieu hacked the lose ball away.
Madrid’s pressure troubled Barcelona but Barcelona did not trouble to press Madrid. In possession, they found more space and time than they could have expected. Unable or unprepared to wrest control of the ball in the middle, Barcelona turned more direct. It worked too: Dani Alves’s long ball found Suárez, running in behind Pepe. The first touch to control the ball as it hit the turf was sublime and the finish was assured, guided low into the far corner beyond Casillas.
In possession Madrid had found unexpected space and time. Unable to gain control, Barcelona turned more direct. It worked too: Dani Alves’s long pass found Suárez, running in behind Pepe. The first touch to control the ball as it hit the turf was sublime and the finish was assured, guided low into the far corner beyond Iker Casillas.
Now tackles flew, players tumbled, and yellow cards were waved. Madrid and Barcelona were winding each other up now; Mathieu Lahoz, a referee whose criteria remain a mystery, was playing his part too. It was all becoming chaotic, the noise rising and the pace quickening.
Tackles flew, players tumbled, yellow cards were waved and more chances came. Madrid lost control and in the chaos Barcelona appeared happier, running into the space.
A long ball over the top saw Neymar tumbling as he sought to run into the space behind Dani Carvajal and a few minutes later, the Brazilian raced through the middle, evading tackles, until he reached the edge of the area, where a brilliant run should have concluded with him dropping the ball off to Suárez. Instead, he sliced a wild shot over the bar.
Neymar dribbled through the middle, evading tackles until he reached the edge of the area where a brilliant run should have concluded with him dropping the ball off to Suárez. Instead, he sliced a wild shot over.
Madrid had lost control now and in the chaos Barcelona appeared the happier, pouring into the space that had opened up. Messi produced the classic Messi run, only that it did not end with the ball in the back of the net. Coming in from the right he curled a shot just wide. A minute later, he was running at Madrid again, the middle of the pitch no longer so populous, laying the ball into the path of Neymar.
Next Messi produced the classic Messi run, only that it did not end with the ball in the net but curling wide, and a minute later he was running at Madrid again, the midfield no longer so populated. This time, he laid off the ball to Neymar. Again, the shot was sliced, flying wide at the near post.
Again, the shot was sliced, flying wide at the near post. Next Neymar found Messi, but as he came inside and the Camp Nou held its breath, his close range shot was blocked. The misses meant that this was still not over. Bravo produced a sharp save to push away Benzema’s deflected shot and both sides made changes: Xavi and Busquets came on and so did Jesé. Control was the aim, but chances came and the game did not truly slow. Suárez pulled one shot wide and then Jordi Alba accelerated through and exchanged passes with Messi, the speed breathtaking as he bust into the area, but his shot was pushed wide.
Neymar then found Messi but as he came inside and the Camp Nou held its breath, his close-range shot was blocked. The misses meant this was still not over and Bravo produced a sharp save to push away Benzema’s deflected shot; but it was Barcelona dominating now. Xavi and Sergio Busquets came on: control was the aim, but the game did not truly slow.
The same pair combined a minute later, Messi hitting Alba’s pull-back first time only for Casillas to save at the near post. Barcelona sought the third at one end, the risk being that they might lose their lead at the other and the nerves continued until the end. Indeed, as Barcelona came forward looking for a third, some supporters wished they would not. Until, eventually, the whistle went. The third goal did not come, but the victory did. Barcelona are four points clear.
Suárez pulled one shot wide and then Jordi Alba accelerated through and exchanged passes with Messi, the speed breathtaking as he burst into the area, Casillas saved then and saved again when the same pair combined a minute later. Barcelona sought the third at one end, the risk being that they might lose their lead at the other, so the nerves continued.
Until eventually the whistle went, met with a huge roar.
