El Clasico: Real Madrid punishes Barcelona and takes the lead in La Liga

In a one-sided Madrid match on Sunday (October 16), Real won the match courtesy of goals from Karim Benzema, Fede Valverde and Rodrygo. 

Before the match, both teams were level on points, but Barca led La Liga on goal difference. After the game, Real sits 3 points clear atop the table. 

And there was never a moment where Barca looked likely to threaten to run away with all three points. For most of the match, they were the second-best team. 

Even early in the match, Real went ahead courtesy of a fine finish from Benzema. Toni Kroos threaded a nice through ball for Vinicius Jr., but his touch was heavy and allowed Marc-Andre Ter Stegen to parry. 

However, the loose ball fell to Benzema, who finished in the middle of a flurry of Barca players on the line trying to block the shot. 

The second goal came somewhat against the run of play, but no one can say it wasn’t deserved. Dani Carvajal sparked a counter-attack with a well-timed through ball to Vinicius. 

A slick passage of play eventually saw the ball laid off to Valverde by Ferland Mendy, and the former made no mistake with a well-hit shot from just outside the box. Suddenly Real was in cruise control. 

That’s not to say Barca didn’t have their moments. However, they didn’t create enough chances, and the ones they made did not convert. 

Robert Lewandowski, so clinical through the season for Barca, missed a gilt-edged chance when a sliding tackle of a shot somehow went over the bar. 

And things did not improve for Barca after the break. They continued seeing much of the ball but could do little with it. 

Real could have had a third in the 52nd minute, but Benzema’s excellent finish was correctly ruled out for offside. Desperate for a change in fortunes, Xavi Hernandez rang in the changes. 

Two of his substitutes – Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati – would eventually combine to bring Barcelona back into the game, even if briefly. 

Fati found space on the left wing and laid in a beautiful ball for Torres, who had an easy finish and pulled it off. Suddenly, with 7 minutes left, a draw seemed a real possibility. 

However, that second goal never came – and to add insult to injury, an Eric Garcia stomp on Real substitute Rodrygo ended up conceding a late penalty. 

Rodrygo made no mistakes, rifling home from 12 yards to ensure the three points were signed, sealed and delivered for Los Blancos. 

Barcelona is no longer top of the league and is staring down the prospect of elimination from the Champions League group stages. 

It will be interesting to see how they step up from this setback – and whether or not Xavi survives the churn with his job intact.