That’s all for tonight’s blog. I’ll leave you with Sid Lowe’s match report - goodnight!
Full time: Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona
Peep peep! It’s a famous night for Xavi’s resurgent Barcelona. They have hammered Real Madrid 4-0 at the Bernabeu, and it would have been more but for Thibaut Courtois. Real, without Karim Benzema, were fifty shades of shambles, but Barcelona shouldn’t care about that. They scored some fine goals, two from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and confirmed their status as the form team in Spain. More to the point, they won 4-0 at the Bernabeu!
88 min Lucas Vazquez and Nico Gonzalez are both booked for fouls in the space of a few seconds.
86 min Two changes for Barcelona: Dani Alves and Nico Gonzalez replace Pedri and Jordi Alba.
85 min Lucas Vazquez misses a decent chance, slapping a bouncing ball over the bar.
84 min “The fifth goal,” says Phil Podolsky, “should be scored by a sub no one’s ever heard of or will hear of again!”
I’m disappointed to see he didn’t end up at Stoke.
83 min Valverde shoots over from distance.
82 min Camavinga is booked for a robust challenge on Busquets. He got the ball but sent Busquets up in the air as well.
80 min A change for Barcelona: Adama Traore replaces Ousmane Dembele, who made both goals in the first half.
79 min A fierce shot from a tight angle by Alaba is shovelled away by ter Stegen.
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79 min “Is this simply a lack of confidence for Real Madrid’s playing without their talisman or is this the kinda squad Chelsea can dispatch as easy as last year?” asks Rob Coughlin.
I think Chelsea will beat them easily again, with or without Benzema.
78 min A snap-volley from Memphis is well saved by Courtois, diving to his right.
77 min Asensio shoots over from Alaba’s cutback. A half chance at best.
76 min Barcelona still look hungry for more goals, which is no surprise given how many famous 5-0 wins there have been in this fixture.
75 min Jordi Alba is booked for a lunging tackle on Vinicius.
73 min It should be 5-0. The hapless Eder Militao diverts Memphis’s pass to Dembele, who beats Militao again before dragging a shot wide from 12 yards.
72 min “Arsenal,” says Charles Antaki, “are looking for a striker.”
71 min No hat-trick for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He is going off, as is Frenkie de Jong. They’re replaced by Gavi and Memphis.
69 min This result means that Madrid are nine points clear with nine games to go. They’ll surely end up as champions, but this has been a seriously chastening night.
65 min Vinicius has a shot blocked by Araujo.
64 min Courtois flies to his right to repel a rasping shot on the run from Ferran Torres. This is ridiculous; Courtois has been Real’s best player and they’re 4-0 down.
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64 min Carlo Ancelotti moves a couple more deckchairs: Nacho and Rodrygo are replaced by Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio.
63 min Modric is booked for a bad foul on Dembele.
61 min Another chance for Aubameyang, who shoots tamely at Courtois after a header down from de Jong. He could have scored five goals tonight.
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61 min Rodrygo makes a bit of space in the area but shoots straight at ter Stegen. I can’t quite believe this scoreline.
60 min “Hi there Rob,” says Max Ferrer. “Regarding James Bolle’s kit comment, it should be noted that this is Barça’s fourth kit this season. Why wear the fourth when none of the first three would have clashed with black? Perhaps because it’s the kit featuring the Senyera, the ‘national’ flag of Catalunya. As the team of the anti-Catalan dictator Francisco Franco, Madrid seem like the perfect opponents against which to wear the region’s flag. I can’t say whether or not El Clásico is dead, but perhaps regional spite and Catalan pride aren’t.”
58 min Aubameyang misses a wonderful chance for a hat-trick! Jordi Alba played a one-two with Torres and curled a superb low cross to the far post. Aubameyang met it on the run but sliced his shot wide.
57 min It’s Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona.
56 min We’ve just seen a replay of the fourth goal, and it turns out Torres was being played onside by Alaba on the other side of the pitch.
55 min Here’s the third goal.
Barca are BACK! 🔵🔴
— Premier Sports (@PremierSportsTV) March 20, 2022
A stunning flick from Aubameyang for the assist and Ferran Torres smashes it into the back of the net to make it 3-0 🔥
An unbelievable performance from Xavi's side at the Bernabeu 👏 pic.twitter.com/zTCaV6I4TF
GOAL! Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona (Aubameyang 53)
It’s 4-0! This is unreal. Pique drove a long pass to Torres, who looked slightly offside but apparently wasn’t. He played a short pass through to Aubameyang, who lifted the ball lazily over Courtois.
Real players are angry, saying they stopped because the assistant referee put the flag up. Either way, it went to VAR and the goal was given. Barcelona, who have lost the last five clasicos, are 4-0 up at the Bernabeu!
VAR check - this goal might be given you know.
52 min Aubameyang has a goal disallowed for offside against Torres in the build up. Real Madrid are all over the show; it’s remarkable.
47 min So much ha happened at the start of the second half that I haven’t had chance to tell you about a double substitution that Real made during the interval. Eduardo Camavinga and Mariano Diaz came on for Dani Carvajal and Toni Kroos.
GOAL! Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona (Torres 47)
He’s scored this time! This is incredible! Barcelona have cut Real apart so easily. Frenkie de Jong played a one-two with Dembele and then found Aubameyang on the edge of the area. It was two against one, and Aubameyang had so much time to flick the ball across to Torres. This time he finished with aplomb, sweeping the ball high into the net.
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46 min Torres misses a great chance inthe first 30 seconds of the second half. He ran through from the halfway line, drew Courtois but then curled his shot wide of the far post.
46 min Peep peep! Real begin the second half.
Half time: Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona
Peep peep! Barcelona are in control after a startling first half at the Bernabeu. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ronald Araujo scored with accomplished headers from crosses by Ousmane Dembele. Barcelona were good but Madrid have been desperate. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
It's the stuff of dreams for Barca at the Bernabeu! 😱😱
— Premier Sports (@PremierSportsTV) March 20, 2022
A towering header from Ronald Araujo doubles the visitors' first half lead in #ElClasico 🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/dhd0okory8
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44 min Barcelona probably can’t believe how easy this has been. They almost get a third when Jordi Alba’s looping header across goal just evades Aubameyang.
41 min I think Real have switched to 4-3-3, with Valverde on the right, Vinicius left and Rodrygo up front. They’ve got a job on now, though, because Barcelona are in complete control.
40 min “Are both teams in their away kits?” says James Bolle. “El Clasico’s gone.”
Real’s excuse is that it’s a limited-edition kit for their 120th anniversary.
GOAL! Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona (Araujo 38)
It’s two! Dembele curls a right-wing corner onto the head of Ronald Araujo, who tenses his neck muscles to thump a downward header past Courtois.
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37 min Dembele has a shot blocked by Nacho.
36 min: Vinicius Jr misses an excellent chance! It was a devastating counter-attack from Madrid, with Vinicius eventually put through on goal. He overran the ball just slightly, which allowed ter Stegen to come out and narrow the angle. Vinicius went round ter Stegen and then fell over appealing for a penalty. There was nothing in it.
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35 min Aubameyang almost gets his second! Garcia drove a marvellous 60-yard pass to find de Jong in all sorts of space. He moved the ball left to Aubameyang, whose shot was saved a little awkwardly by Courtois.
34 min Here’s the Aubameyang goal.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang marks his first #ElClasico with a goal! 🔥🔥
— Premier Sports (@PremierSportsTV) March 20, 2022
He heads in for Barcelona after an outstanding assist from Ousmane Dembele 👏 pic.twitter.com/Hm2Ntwr6e8
33 min Real Madrid have been pretty awful so far. I’m surprised Carlo Ancelotti hasn’t changed something, anything, even just a switch to 4-3-3 until half-time.
31 min Busquets is booked for a brazen attempt to pull Eder Militao back.
GOAL! Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona (Aubameyang 29)
A deserved lead for Barcelona! Dembele beats Nacho with ease on the right and lifts a good cross to the near post, where Aubameyang gets in front of Eder Militao and flicks an accomplished header into the bottom corner. That’s an excellent goal.
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29 min It’s still all Barcelona. Carlo Ancelotti’s funky formation really hasn’t worked.
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27 min Jordi Alba is down after being poked in the eye by Valverde. It was an accident and Alba accepts Valverde’s apology.
26 min Frenkie de Jong is booked for a foul on Kroos.
24 min Pedri swaggers away from Eder Militao and scoops a gorgeous pass over the top to Torres, whose shot is crucially blocked by Casemiro.
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24 min Karim Benzema is having a stormer.
22 min Kroos is booked for a perceived foul on Busquets.
22 min Tiki taka tiki taka tiki taka tiki taka tiki taka tiki taka tiki taka tiki taka tiki taka. Barcelona are really dominating possession.
21 min Rodrygo walks away from Pedri and rakes a shot that is blocked on the edge of the area, I think by Garcia.
18 min A loose ball falls kindly for Torres, 25 yards out. He uses Carvajal as a screen and shapes a beautiful curling shot that flies just wide of the far post. Barcelona are looking dangerous.
16 min It’s an interesting contest, this. Barcelona are playing like the home side, with Real happy to use the pace of Vinicius and Rodrygo on the break.
14 min At the other end, Vinicius cuts inside Araujo and shoots straight at ter Stegen from the edge of the area.
12 min: Double save from Courtois! Barcelona should be ahead. Torres got away from Carvajal and crosses low to Aubameyang, whose unconvincing shot is beaten away by Courtois. Dembele collects the loose ball and hits a curling shot that is pushed away dramatically by Courtois. Aubameyang’s was by some distance the better chance.
11 min Aubameyang is late on Kroos, who goes down holding his knee. He’s a bit lucky to avoid a yellow card for that.
9 min Modric is still playing as a false nine, with Valverde supporting him a lot of the time. It’s a really unusual system, essentially a diamond midfield with two wide forwards and no striker.
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7 min Vinicius twists Araujo inside out on the left of the area but has to wait for support. Eventually he plays the ball to Valverde, who slides a low shot from the edge of the area that is pushed behind by the diving ter Stegen. Good save.
5 min Valverde zooms through midfield and finds Rodrygo to his right. He runs at Jordi Alba and spanks a shot that swerves wide of the near post.
4 min “I was wondering how many names I would recognise from the Barcelona lineup,” says Charles Antaki. “Lo and behold our old friends Gerard Piqué and Sergio Busquets are still happily ensconced, and even Jordi Alba, who spent some time in the wilderness, is back on the pitch. But Pierre Emerick Aubameyang? Still hard to come to terms with. But the move seems to have suited him, so the best of luck to him. Xavi’s new army, indeed.”
3 min Lots of early possession for Barcelona. I’m trying to work out the Madrid system - at the moment it looks like Modric is playing as a false nine. I didn’t see that coming. Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo have started very wide, so there’s no orthodox centre forward.
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2 min “Right,” says Matt Dony. Just endured a surprisingly tense and horrible 90 minutes, where I couldn’t relax until the final whistle blew. Now I’m looking forward to hopefully relaxing and seeing Barcelona given a Mes Que Un Clubbing. There’s just something about them. I might hate them more than any club in the Premier League. Hala Madrid.”
1 min Peep peep! A few minutes later than advertised, the clasico is under way.
In other rivalry news
The players are ready for action. It’s a pleasantly cool night in Madrid, and things are about to get lively.
This never gets old
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“It’s weird to be watching El Clásico in the spring with as much riding on the outcome as, say, Wolves v Villa,” writes Kári Tulinius. “Yes, it might have an effect on who gets into the Champions League next year, and it’s a grand old fixture with a venerable history. But I’m having trouble remembering a match between Real Madrid and Barcelona where the outcome would have so little to say about who’d win the league. Maybe spring 2013? I’ll still watch, of course, even if it’s El Meaninglesso.”
A reminder of the teams
Real Madrid (possible 4-D-2) Courtois; Carvajal, Eder Militao, Alaba, Nacho; Casemiro; Valverde, Kroos; Modric; Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr.
Substitutes: Lunin, Diego Pineiro, Vallejo, Hazard, Asensio, Marcelo, Jovic, Lucas V, Ceballos, Isco, Mariano, Camavinga.
Barcelona (4-1-2-3) ter Stegen; Araujo, Pique, Garcia, Jordi Alba; Busquets; F de Jong, Pedri; Dembele, Aubameyang, Ferran Torres.
Substitutes: Riqui Puig, Dani Alves, Memphis, Gavi, Mingueza, Traore, Braithwaite, Neto, Nico, Lenglet, L de Jong, Arnau Tenas.
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The early evening game has finished Sevilla 0-0 Real Sociedad. That means, if they win tonight, Real will go 12 points clear with nine games remaining. A Barcelona victory would move them to within three points of second-placed Sevilla.
Big fan of Xavi calling every game a final, week after week, however minor, until he reaches the Classico and says “it’s not a final”
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) March 20, 2022
Sid Lowe’s match preview is really good. Of course it is; Sid Lowe wrote it.
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Team news
Rodrygo has the thankless task of replacing the injured Karim Benzema. We don’t know yet whether Real will play 4-3-3 or a diamond with Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr as split strikers.
📋✅ Our #ElClásico starting XI is here! pic.twitter.com/64xKP3IYfN
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) March 20, 2022
Ousmane Dembele starts ahead of Adama Traore for Barcelona, while Ronald Araujo is preferred to Dani Alves at right-back.
Barça XI#ElClásico
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 20, 2022
💪🟦🟥 pic.twitter.com/4ACeiSJgKt
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Preamble
Marsellus Wallace never played in no clasico. Even when the game is relatively meaningless – Real are going to win the league - pride is of the essence. This is Real Madrid v Barcelona, a fixture that speaks so profoundly for itself so profoundly that I’m sorely tempted to break the unwritten rule that a man in his forties should never use the phrase “nuff said”.
We’re still a long way from the golden age of the early 2010s, but this game waters the mouth more than recent clasicos. That’s mainly because of Barcelona’s resurgence and the growing feeling that they will be soon be ready to compete for big trophies again.
When they lost at home to Real in October they were ninth. Ninth. Xavi replaced Ronald Koeman a couple of weeks later, and since the turn of the year Barcelona have been in blistering form. Their geriatricos and future galacticos are getting on famously. But this is their biggest test yet. Madrid, the best team in Spain by a distance this season, and on a run of five straight clasico victories, would love to remind them what’s what.
Kick off 8pm in London, 9pm in Madrid.
⏰ Your #ElClásico kick-off times around the world!
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) March 20, 2022
🗺️ Where will 𝙔𝙊𝙐 be watching from?
✈️ @emirates | #ElClásico pic.twitter.com/s148tTnjBC
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