With Barca’s title already assured and Real’s minds elsewhere, there was a strangely muted atmosphere for a game only really notable for it being the final “Classico” for Barcelona great Andres Iniesta. “He said everything to him. Those in the stadium will go home happy”.
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After a slow start, the away side dominated play for the next few minutes, creating multiple chances for Ronaldo, who could have had a hat-trick in the first half itself. “This is football and everything should stay on the pitch”. The first 45 minutes showed that both teams wanted the win and were ready to go full throttle to get the same.
The match grew testy as the first half wore on, with Messi handed a yellow card for a hard tackle on Sergio Ramos and Roberto being shown straight red for violent conduct after throwing a punch at Marcelo before half-time.
In a bid to convert a pass by Suarez into a goal that decidedly put them ahead of the Vikings, the 30-year-old just dovetailed past Real Madrid’s ever alert defence and scored with that left leg without even looking at the goal post.
The midfielder was dismissed following an off-the-ball altercation with Marcelo on the stroke of half-time, but the hosts survived a late assault to take a point. The Uruguayan after the game, “It was bit of a foul against Varane”.
A rip-roaring 90 minutes included goals for Luis Suarez, Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale, but the performance of referee Alejandro Jose Hernandez Hernandez sparked most debate.
“I’ve come across him two or three times and he is a charming, very reserved man and I like players who can do everything on the field but are that calm off it”. The Croatian is called for being offside after spreading the ball into the centre of the box for a goal.
As has seemingly become their trademark in recent weeks, Real Madrid hit back when they perhaps least deserved to, and there can be no prizes for guessing who restored first half parity. Rakitic’s shoulder is offside or not?
Both sides pushed for a victor and Real could have had a penalty when Jordi Alba caught Marcelo but Barca clung on to remain unbeaten in the league with three games to go.
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– Cristiano Ronaldo equalled Alfredo Di Stefano as the all-time Real Madrid top-scorer in El Clasico in all competitions (18 apiece).
