1:10 PM ET
Alex Kirkland
Sam Marsden
MADRID -- Real Madrid looked comfy passim their 3-1 Clásico triumph implicit Barcelona astatine the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu connected Sunday. Karim Benzema, Federico Valverde and Rodrygo scored the goals for the hosts, with Ferran Torres notching a consolation tally for the Catalan club.
- Stream connected ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, much (U.S.)
The well-deserved triumph sees Los Blancos instrumentality a three-point pb astatine the apical of the LaLiga array aft 9 games played, up of second-placed Barca.
JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Post-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures
Rapid Reaction
1. Ruthless Madrid instrumentality their chances
This crippled laid bare the spread betwixt a mature, afloat formed Madrid squad that knows precisely what it's doing, and a Barcelona broadside who are inactive a enactment successful progress. Madrid mightiness person had little possession (43.8% to 56.2%) and less shots (8 to 18), created less chances (6 to 13) and had a little XG (1.44 to 2.25) but nary of that mattered successful the slightest. Carlo Ancelotti's squad were ruthlessly clinical, making definite the cardinal moments -- notably, the chances that were converted into goals by Benzema and Valverde successful the archetypal fractional -- went their way.
There's a battle-hardened consciousness to this Madrid side, from the acquisition of Ancelotti connected the seat to David Alaba astatine the back, Toni Kroos -- who was outstanding -- and Luka Modric successful midfield and Benzema successful attack. Even comparative youngsters Valverde and Vinicius Junior already play with the mentality and assurance of veterans. The lack of Thibaut Courtois didn't substance -- Andriy Lunin was mostly good protected successful extremity -- and erstwhile Valverde had made it 2-0, Madrid's pb ne'er felt nether menace until those nervy fewer moments aft Ferran had pulled a extremity back, earlier Rodrygo's penalty.
Barca mightiness beryllium making advancement but connected this showing, Madrid are inactive further up than their three-point vantage astatine the apical of the array would suggest. -- Kirkland
2. A wake-up telephone of a week for Barca
This week has been a world cheque for Barcelona, whose commencement to the play had shown committedness aft a engaged summertime successful the transportation market. Wednesday's gully with Inter Milan, which near them connected the verge of Champions League elimination, and present this decision person brought them backmost down to earth.
They came into the Clásico sitting apical of LaLiga with the champion onslaught (20 goals scored) and defence (one extremity conceded) successful the league, but hindsight present suggests that was possibly down to the prime of the absorption they had faced recently. Six of their 7 wins person travel against sides successful the bottommost half.
- Match report: Madrid 3-1 Barca | LaLiga table | Upcoming fixtures
Xavi Hernandez indispensable present prime his players up due to the fact that they person pugnacious fixtures coming up against Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao, Bayern Munich and Valencia earlier the extremity of the month.
The bully quality is determination is inactive undoubted prime successful this side. They are inactive amended than the remainder successful LaLiga and connected that information unsocial they should astatine slightest beryllium capable to support up with Madrid, who determination 3 points up of them for now.
Robert Lewandowski did not people present but helium has scored 14 times this play -- much than immoderate Barca subordinate managed past season. Ansu Fati and extremity scorer Torres impressed disconnected the bench, too, though determination volition beryllium worries astir Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha's form.
Xavi besides needs to find the equilibrium betwixt midfield and attack. The midfielders, specified arsenic Pedri, suit a much controlled game, portion Dembele is champion erstwhile matches unfastened up. -- Marsden
3. Benzema returns to signifier astatine the close time
There's nary amended crippled than the Clásico to extremity a goal-scoring drought. Benzema hadn't scored since August, though that included a period connected the sidelines with a thigh injury. Even erstwhile fit, there's been a deficiency of sharpness and a feeling that he's been playing wrong himself, conscionable a measurement beneath his superb best. Opening the scoring present against Barca, a time earlier he's expected to assistance the Ballon d'Or, was the perfect mode to soundlessness immoderate premature criticism.
This wasn't a vintage Benzema show -- helium visibly bushed arsenic the lucifer went on, being subbed disconnected successful the last minutes -- and it was unfortunate that helium wasn't connected the transportation successful added clip to instrumentality the punishment that would person fixed him the accidental to marque up for his miss from the spot against Osasuna earlier this month. But it was a measurement successful the close direction. Four goals from six LaLiga appearances this play is simply a solid, if unspectacular total, and there'll beryllium plentifulness of clip for him to find his level betwixt present and the extremity of the season.
Madrid are apical of the array without Benzema firing connected each cylinders, and that can't beryllium a atrocious thing. -- Kirkland
4. Barca request shoring up astatine the back
Barcelona volition not vie with Madrid oregon the apical teams successful Europe until they tin amended their antiaircraft operation and eradicate idiosyncratic errors from their game. It outgo them against Inter and was erstwhile again their downfall astatine the Bernabeu.
Sergio Busquets was beaten excessively easy by Kroos for Madrid's archetypal goal. The Germany midfielder past freed Vinicius, and erstwhile Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved from the Brazilian, it was Benzema who was near each unsocial to unfastened the scoring.
For the adjacent Madrid goal, Eric Garcia deflected the shot into Vinicius' way erstwhile determination was nary evident danger, and it was each excessively casual for Madrid from there. Barca's defence stood disconnected and Valverde was capable to drill location from extracurricular the box. Garcia past gave a punishment distant erstwhile helium was caught flat-footed by Rodrygo precocious on, though Barca volition constituent to a punishment that was not fixed for a Dani Carvajal situation connected Lewandowski.
Barca volition besides lament untimely injuries to Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen, but that does not explicate the repeated mistakes and structural problems.
The astonishment is that Barca had seemed to beryllium improving successful this regard. They had conceded 1 extremity successful 8 league games this play anterior to Sunday, but Madrid, similar Inter successful midweek, exposed that statistic. -- Marsden
Player ratings
Real Madrid: Andriy Lunin 7, Dani Carvajal 7, Eder Militao 7, David Alaba 7, Ferland Mendy 7, Aurelien Tchouameni 7, Toni Kroos 8, Luka Modric 7, Federico Valverde 8, Vinicius Junior 6, Karim Benzema 7
Subs: Eduardo Camavinga 6, Rodrygo 8, Antonio Rudiger 6, Marco Asensio 6
Barcelona: Marc-Andre ter Stegen 6, Sergi Roberto 5, Jules Kounde 6, Eric Garcia 4, Alejandro Balde 6, Sergio Busquets 4, Frenkie de Jong 6, Pedri 6, Raphinha 5, Robert Lewandowski 6, Ousmane Dembele
Subs: Ferran Torres 6, Jordi Alba 6, Gavi 6, Ansu Fati 6, Franck Kessie 5
Best and worst performers
REAL MADRID
BEST: Federico Valverde. Scored the important 2nd extremity and worked arsenic hard arsenic ever. Keeps making himself undroppable successful large games.
Fede Valverde apical 3 successful the satellite close now
— Toni Kroos (@ToniKroos) October 16, 2022WORST: Vinicius Junior. He wasn't atrocious by immoderate means -- nary Madrid subordinate played truly poorly -- but helium wasn't rather astatine the high, decisive level we've travel to expect from him successful caller months, particularly fixed that helium was up against Sergi Roberto astatine right-back.
BARCELONA
BEST: Ansu Fati. Ansu lone came connected successful the 73rd infinitesimal but helium provided much of a spark than of the Barca players that had started the match. Within minutes helium had shown a tendency to sprout from distance, fizzing an effort conscionable wide, and past helium produced a good solo tally to acceptable up Barca's goal. He adjacent had a half-chance to equalise earlier Madrid's precocious penalty.
WORST: Sergio Busquets. Too brushed connected Kroos successful the build-up to Madrid's opener and not successful presumption for the second. Taken disconnected connected the hr people to headdress a atrocious week for the Barca captain, who besides gave a extremity distant against Inter.
Highlights and notable moments
The buildup to the Clásico had everything. Spare a thought for the horses, who could surely consciousness the hostility successful the aerial arsenic the Madrid autobus made its mode to the Bernabeu.
🤍💜 What a welcome, #Madridistas! 💜🤍
🐎 #ElClásico pic.twitter.com/131Du2GjMV
It didn't instrumentality agelong for Benzema to easiness that hostility among the location crowd. A good appetizer up of what's expected to beryllium the Ballon d'Or headed his mode connected Monday.
Benzema successful the close spot astatine the close clip ⏰ pic.twitter.com/LlLnfWUtZu
— ESPN+ (@ESPNPlus) October 16, 2022Valverde, with venom, and Los Blancos enactment Barca into a two-goal spread aft 35 minutes. The Uruguay planetary is feeling it successful 2022-23.
A GOLAZO FROM FEDERICO VALVERDE 😱 pic.twitter.com/f1KnpCXUq6
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 16, 2022The 1 and lone Cristina Alexander summed up the defending from Barcelona rather nicely. Kevin was truthful arrogant of that chili, too.
La defensa del Barça #ElClasicoxESPN pic.twitter.com/BxAav5wYw9
— Cristina Alexander (@CrisAlexESPN) October 16, 2022One of these men is apt to triumph the Ballon d'Or connected Monday, and 1 is apt to spell location disappointed. You determine who is who.
Welcome to El Clásico, Lewy 😅 pic.twitter.com/A5OWFc9mgF
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 16, 2022Torres, scoring his archetypal LaLiga extremity since February 20, besides against Madrid astatine the Bernabeu, halves Madrid's lead. The ex-Valencia starlet's extremity gave the Catalan nine immoderate existent anticipation successful the game's closing moments. Still trailing, with little than 10 minutes to play, gesticulating to the fans is surely a choice.
BARCELONA HAVE LIFE 😱 pic.twitter.com/iVnWLsRNkI
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 16, 2022And past Rodrygo enactment a Madrid triumph beyond doubt.
RODRYGO SEALS THE VICTORY FOR REAL MADRID 😤 pic.twitter.com/nPx77ZQOPE
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 16, 2022After the match: What the managers, players said
Modric: "We're blessed with the win, with the crippled we played, truly happy. And we privation to convey the fans for the ambiance they created contiguous ... We knew the clip would travel erstwhile we'd endure due to the fact that [Barcelona] usage the shot good and that's erstwhile we person to support well, and we did it. We were precise objective successful attack. We played a large game."
Xavi: "Sometimes you find yourselves connected a atrocious run, but luckily it's conscionable 3 points. We tried, we had religion ... It was a bully accidental to enactment apical of LaLiga. We had it determination astatine times, but we did not instrumentality vantage of the moments erstwhile we were connected top. Madrid defended good and the feeling is we're connected a atrocious tally and thing is coming off. Like I say, it's conscionable 3 points and the play is long, though that is not overmuch of a consolation close now."
Rodrygo: "[Scoring my archetypal Clásico goal] was a immense joy. It was a hard penalty, against a large goalkeeper. I'm truly happy. There was a batch of pressure."
Kounde: "Really disappointed. We person not played poorly, but the archetypal fractional we slipped up successful areas wherever they are strong, successful the transitions. We should person made the foul to debar the archetypal extremity and the 2nd is the same. That's the spot of Madrid. Two chances, 2 goals. We person to larn that."
Key Stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)
- Benzema's extremity was the archetypal that Ter Stegen had conceded successful 636 LaLiga minutes, dating backmost to Aug. 22. It was conscionable the 2nd extremity Barca had conceded successful the league this season.
- Dating backmost to 2010-11 successful LaLiga and the Champions League, and 2014-15 successful the Copa del Rey and Spanish Supercopa, Busquets completed the fewest touches (59) and fewest passes (47) arsenic a starter successful a Clásico.
- The past clip Barcelona oregon Real Madrid came backmost from 2 oregon much goals down to triumph El Clásico was successful 1959.
- In 2021-22, it took Rodrygo 33 games to people 4 LaLiga goals. It's lone taken him 7 games this season.
- This is the archetypal clip that consecutive LaLiga Clásicos person been decided by aggregate goals, with a antithetic victor successful each match, since 2008.
Up next
Real Madrid: Madrid question to Alicante connected Wednesday for a midweek LaLiga contention astatine Elche, earlier returning to the Spanish superior for different league fixture connected Saturday, erstwhile Sevilla sojourn the Bernabeu.
Barcelona: Barca, too, person 2 LaLiga fixtures to contend with successful the coming week. Xavi & Co. volition beryllium grateful to play some contests successful the comfortableness of the Camp Nou, with Villarreal visiting connected Thursday earlier Barca invited Athletic Club to Catalonia connected Sunday.
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