Real Madrid were definitely surprised by Barcelona for the third time this season following their weekend 1-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ivan Rakitic was the star of the game scoring the only goal which which handed the Catalans maximum victory after regulation period.
The victory further position the Blaugrana as favourites to win the Spanish League again after opening seven points gap between them and second place team Atletico Madrid.
However, the story of last weekend’s El Clasico would not be complete without the clash between Sergio Ramos and Messi.
According to Mirror (UK), the 31-year-old was elbowed on his face after trying to make a tackle on Ramos during the encounter, only for the match official to claim Messi was exaggerating.
Messi was left furious by the incident and while he lay prone on the field holding his face, a number of Barcelona players – including Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets – crowded match official Undiano Mallenco.
Referee Mallenco did not interrupt play and instead said that Messi lunged himself to the ground on impact. “He has thrown himself” he declared, stating it on more than one occasion.
On the incident, ex-Madrid boss Jose Mourinho told beIN Sport: “I think, in the first half, both teams when they had the ball, they did not hurt the opponent too much.”There was no intensity on the defensive actions, with everybody playing in a low-medium block. It was not the temperature of a derby, of a Clasico that can settle the title. “I think Sergio Ramos’ action probably is coming from a player that knows the game has to change,” Mourinho said.
Madrid’s defeat in the latest Clasico left them 12 points behind Barcelona in the race for La Liga – with just 12 games left.
Solari’s men are also five points behind local rivals Atletico Madrid – despite their recent victory at the Wanda Metropolitano. TUKO.co.ke earlier reported that Ivan Rakitic’s first-half goal was all Barcelona needed to beat hard-fighting Real Madrid 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu, on Saturday. The explosive encounter saw the Blaugrana claim their second Clasico success in 72 hours over the Los Blancos. Coach Ernesto Valverde’s men remain at the summit of the table with 60 points, seven better than Atletico Madrid.