This is the meeting that all of Spain, even Europe, has been waiting for. For this 11th day of La Liga, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid met for the first Clasico of the season, with a different objective from other years: to stay in the wake of leader Girona, surprising leader of La Liga. If the Merengues presented themselves with an almost complete team, despite the absences of Courtois and Militao, Barça had to cope without De Jong, Pedri, Roberto and Lewandowski, in the group, but too tight for a start.
General league table
|
#
|
Team
|
Pts
|
J
|
DIF
|
G
|
NOT
|
D
|
BP
|
B.C.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
|
28 |
11 |
15 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
23 |
8 |
|
2 |
|
28 |
11 |
12 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
25 |
13 |
|
3 |
|
24 |
11 |
11 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
23 |
12 |
|
4 |
|
22 |
9 |
15 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
23 |
8 |
See the full ranking
However, these absences did not bother Barça who started the match perfectly in front of their home crowd. Taking advantage of a Madrid defense in difficulty and the missed intervention of Tchouaméni, Gündogan was able to enter the area and deceive Kepa to score his first goal with the Blaugranas (1-0, 6th). Without reaction after this goal conceded, Real Madrid could not cope with Barça’s pressure. Valverde endangered Kroos, who offered Lopez a break point, but the young Catalan found the post (16th).
Real Madrid go top of La Liga
In control, Barça failed to take cover and Lopez found the post again after a good action (51st). But while the Madrid attackers failed to demonstrate, Madrid tried to make the difference from afar. After a first alert from Tchouaméni saved by Ter Stegen (65th), Bellingham, again, released a sublime long shot from outside the right to equalize (1-1, 68th).
But after that, the match went in all directions and the refereeing decisions were questionable, like two penalties not called by the VAR on Araujo, then Camavinga. And at the end of the match where Barcelona generally dominated, Bellingham was once again decisive in turning the match around. Clearly, we no longer know how far the young Englishman will stop. With this victory at the last minute, Real Madrid returns to the top of La Liga, tied with Girona. On the other hand, Barça concedes its first defeat of the season and falls four points behind its great rival.
