Actual Madrid have been demolished by Barcelona in El Clasico with a brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and objectives from Ferran Torres and Ronaldo Araujo giving the away facet a 4-0 win on the Bernabeu.
FT #ElClásico 0-4
⚡️ @Auba the star in a giant win for @FCBarcelona! 💙🔝❤️ #LaLigaSantander pic.twitter.com/CilqPGjpl9
— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) March 20, 2022
The house facet have been really fast off the blocks, creating two large possibilities within the opening jiffy. The primary shot was fired by Rodrygo, who was performed in be Fede Valverde driving from midfield. The Brazilian minimize in from the best and went for the close to put up however his shot went large.
Two minutes later, Madrid created a fair higher alternative. David Alaba pinged an awesome cross by means of to Vinicus on the left wing. The in-form winger placed on a couple of methods earlier than offloading to Valverde. The Uruguayan rigorously positioned a shot in direction of the far nook however ter Stegen was equal to it and acquired a powerful hand to it.
🛑 𝘽𝙄𝙂 𝙎𝘼𝙑𝙀 !! @mterstegen1 turns apart a shot by Fede Valverde 👏👏👏#ElClásico
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 20, 2022
Barcelona responded strongly. Sergio Busquets performed a ravishing by means of cross to Torres on the left wing and the Spaniard minimize it again to Aubameyang. The striker had extra time than he thought and his first time try from simply outdoors the field was saved brilliantly by Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian goalkeeper recovered shortly to punch away Ousmane Dembele’s comply with up roller.
The sport continued to be very open with Vinicius and Torres exchanging photographs at both finish. The latter had one other nice probability for Barcelona after some pleasant play from Pedri. The midfielder turned away from his man within the left channel earlier than chipping a cross into the field. Torres pulled the set off however Casemiro was lively sufficient to slip in an important block.
First #ElClásico.
First #ElClásico aim. pic.twitter.com/mwFnh8yMZf— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 20, 2022
There was no final minute intervention simply earlier than the half hour mark as Barcelona lastly took the lead. Pique unfold the ball to the best to Dembele who discovered himself one-on-one with Nacho. The Frenchman turned him inside out earlier than crossing for Aubameyang to nod it in forward of Eder Militao.
Barcelona continued to dominate with their excessive press and total tactical system trying clearly superior. Garcia discovered it too straightforward to play a ball excessive to Frenkie de Jong. He performed it early to Aubameyang whose low shot was saved by Courtois.
Madrid have been meek however the specter of Vinicus was all the time there. The Brazilian was performed in by Valverde as Madrid broke on the counter. Vinicus discovered himself nose to nose with ter Stegen however in his try and around the goalkeeper, he tripped over the ball – a golden probability to equalise gone begging.
And he was made to pay two minutes later. Dembele as soon as once more turned Nacho round and received a nook. He took it himself, whipping it right into a harmful space for Araujo to go it in previous a helpless Courtois. The Madrid defence not overlaying themselves in glory for that set-piece.
⚽ 29′ @Auba 🔥
⚽ 38′ @RonaldAraujo_4 🔥🤩 A dream first half for @FCBarcelona #LaLigaSantander | #ElClasico pic.twitter.com/yjZncbokMO
— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) March 20, 2022
Because the break approached, Barcelona continued to look the extra probably group so as to add to their tally however Madrid managed to carry on to only the 2-0 deficit at half-time. The 15 minute break didn’t appear to alter a lot and it ought to have been 3-0 inside 30 seconds of the restart.
Aubameyang dropped deep to select up the ball in midfield and Torres’ run off him was not picked up by anybody. The Spaniard’s end although was missing as he fired his shot large with simply Courtois to beat.
A minute later, he made no mistake, smashing within the ball into the highest nook after some champagne soccer from Xavi’s facet. De Jong intercepted the ball in midfield, exchanged passes with Dembele earlier than taking part in in Aubameyang. The Gabonese flicked the ball together with his heel to the left for the arrival Torres to fireplace house emphatically.
47′ | 0-3 | Objective by Ferran Torres.
#ElClásico— Actual Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) March 20, 2022
Issues went from unhealthy to worse for Actual Madrid within the 51st minute with Aubameyang including his second, and Barcelona’s fourth with a chipped end straight out of the Leo Messi textbook. It was too straightforward for the Blaugrana with Pique taking part in it lengthy to Torres who drew within the defence earlier than letting Auba put the final touch. The aim was dominated out for offside on Torres however a VAR examine confirmed that he was performed onside by Alaba and it stood.
Auba ought to have had his hattrick earlier than the hour mark after good play on the left-wing. Torres handed down the road to Alba who put in an awesome low cross for Aubameyang. The striker stretched to get there however couldn’t get his try on course with the entire stadium ready for the online to ripple.
😋 Flick and chips on the menu for @Auba tonight…
🤩 He’s loving his first #ElClasico outing! pic.twitter.com/JWlgtGmKt0
— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) March 20, 2022
Torres was the subsequent one to overlook a superb probability. Pedri, mature past his years, performed the winger in as soon as extra within the left channel however Courtois was readily available to maintain the scoreline remotely respectable with a superb save.
There was no respite for Madrid as Dembele had a penalty shout within the seventy fifth minute. The defence was large open as Aubameyang handed to the Frenchman. Militao was throughout Dembele, inflicting him to scuff his shot, and no penalty was a really gratuitous determination from the referee for Madrid.
Substitute Memphis Depay wished to affix in on the act, firing an off-the-cuff volley from the sting of the field however Courtois acquired down properly to get two palms behind the shot.
Xavi-Ball at its greatest
Barcelona have sizzled and sparkled in latest weeks with some beautiful soccer however there have been nonetheless query marks over their capability to do it in opposition to a superb in-form facet. Sunday evening although was an exhibition of soccer as imagined by the pure inheritor to Pep Guardiola, Xavi Hernandez.
The away facet was disciplined within the press, progressive on the ball and energetic all through the evening, delivering a efficiency for the ages. The soccer was aesthetically pleasing and the objectives had Cryuff’s stamp, through Guardiola and Xavi, on them.
Misfiring with out the Benz
Carlo Ancelotti’s facet was outplayed comprehensively on the evening however one can’t assist however surprise if that they had arguably their greatest participant slot in Karim Benzema. Barcelona pressed Madrid excessive and Courtois typically needed to go lengthy with a scarcity of choices. Nonetheless, there was no presence up high with Vinicus and Rodrygo clearly unable to compete aerially.
Madrid additionally had a few early possibilities which they missed. The consequence won’t have been totally different however the scoreline in all probability would have been significantly better with Benzema on the sphere.
The Future is Now
Regardless of the defeat, Madrid are nonetheless 11 factors clear on the high of La Liga however the winds are blowing in a brand new path. They are going to in all probability nonetheless win the league and are within the Champions League quarterfinals however an ageing squad and out-of-date supervisor don’t bode properly for the approaching seasons.
Barcelona had six gamers aged 24 and beneath whereas Madrid had seven gamers aged 29 and above. It’s clear that the perimeters are headed in several instructions and this could be the morning twilight earlier than a brand new daybreak in Spain.
