<!-- google_ad_section_start -->
After a deadlock in the first half, substitute Zlatan
Ibrahimovic became Barcelona's newest darling when he scored the
only goal of the game in the 159th edition of El Clasico to bag
three points to the Catalans.
Injuries and fitness issues had deprived to threaten the world’s
Clasico of the biggest duel in football after reports emerged in
the morning of matchday that neither Lionel Messi or Cristiano
Ronaldo would start the game.
But the legions of fans and the global media were relieved to
see both players in the starting XI, although the two other big
guns, Ibrahimovic and Karim Benzema only started on the bench.
Barca wasted little time charging forward as Messi and Dani
Alves looked to exploit Madrid’s weak left-back spot immediately,
but the Brazilian wasted two early crosses as he
uncharacteristically over-hit them.
Kaka launched the visitors’ first attack after four minutes when
he lofted a through ball into the box but Gonzalo Higuain just
couldn’t control, leaving Victor Valdes to gather easily.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first meaningful contribution was to carve
up an opening on six minutes when he easily breezed past Carles
Puyol down the left flank and dinked a low cross to Marcelo, who
miscued his half volley and sent it well into the stands.
Minutes later, Messi danced past three players and slipped in
Thierry Henry into the area down the left channel, but his tame
shot was saved comfortably by Iker Casillas. Alves then sent yet
another cross into empty space before Xavi pummelled in a 20 yard
drive which sailed over the bar.
Ronaldo had a shooting opportunity of his own on 11 minutes as
he stood over the ball for a freekick from nearly 30 yards out
while deafening whistles rained down from the Camp Nou stands on 11
minutes when Ronaldo stood over the ball for a freekick from nearly
30 yards out, but his blistering effort crashed into Sergio
Busquets in the wall, much to the delight of the Catalan
faithful.
The best chance of the game came on 20 minutes. Kaka careened
down the left, cut into the middle and squared the ball to Ronaldo,
but his low drive was kick-saved by Valdes, leaving the Portuguese
in disbelief. Barca’s normally flawless passing game collapsed a
minute later when they lost the ball in their own half and
Ronaldo’s deft backheel released Kaka, but Valdes dashed off his
line to thump it clear.
The Blaugrana backline was sliced opened again on 25 minutes
when Kaka teed-up an unmarked Marcelo, but Puyol lunged forward and
blocked off the Brazilian’s shot.
Casillas was finally called to make his first big save of the
game on 36 minutes when he tipped over Henry’s cheeky angled cross
at the byline which was heading for the back of the net. The Madrid
shot-stopper then dived low to save Iniesta’s left-foot drive as
Barcelona looked to end the half the stronger, but both sides
marched back into the dressing room evens-stevens, although Los
Blancos appeared the happier of the two sides with the way the
contest was unfolding.
All the game needed was a goal to light the spark and Pep
Guardiola decided to introduce the first of the two missing big
guns as Zlatan Ibrahimovic replaced a quiet Henry after 50 minutes.
And the Catalans immediately upped the tempo.
But it was again Madrid who looked the more likely to score.
Barca failed to make the most of a corner and Sergio Ramos led the
counterattack as he played in Higuain, who checked past one
defender inside the box but Puyol again came to the rescue with a
brilliant tackle just as the Argentine was about to pull the
trigger.
The capital giants would pay for their profligacy as Barcelona
surged infront on 55 minutes. Dani Alves drilled in an inch-perfect
cross to Ibrahimovic, who stayed onside before he
rifled in a masterful cushioned volley past Casillas at the
backpost.
But the Blaugrana were stunned on the hour mark when Busquets’
clumsy handball earned him a second yellow card and Guardiola
suddenly found himself a man short. Ronaldo had another chance on
65 minutes but he thumped Marcelo’s cross over. That was his last
contribution as Manuel Pellegrini made his first change, sending in
Karim Benzema for ‘CR9’.
Gerard Pique almost killed off the contest in the 70th minute
but hammered his header from a freekick agonisingly wide. Straight
to the other end, Kaka danced his way past Alves at the byline and
cut it back to Benzema, but Puyol, for the umpteenth time, made a
pivotal interception to block the French striker’s close-range
attempt.
Eric Abidal was next to queue up to become the hero for
Barcelona when he latched onto Xavi’s through ball but pulled his
shot marginally wide of Casillas’ left post. Over at the other
side, Benzema almost became Madrid’s saviour when Xabi Alonso’s
corner bobbled into this path, but the former Lyon man ballooned
his shot from five yards out.
With two minutes left on the clock, Messi thought he had the
icing on the cake. He ran onto Dani Alves’ squared ball but he was
denied brilliantly by Casillas in a one-on-one. But it would be
game over a minute later when Madrid’s midfield talisman, Lassana
Diarra was dismissed.
It wasn't the goal rush fans around the world were expecting, as
Barcelona did just enough to fight off a valiant Madrid in a
fascinating encounter nonetheless.
