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| Real Madrid beat Barcelona in a new-look El Clasico to go top of La Liga |
Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 in the first Clasico of the season in front of 86,422 fans at the Camp Nou on Sunday after a sensational strike from defender David Alaba and a late goal from Lucas Vazquez gave Carlo Ancelottiโs side three points.
Barcelona controlled possession in the first half but Real were lethal on the counter-attack, taking the lead when Alaba started a flowing move with a tackle and finished it at the other end with a left-footed drive from the edge of the box.
Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman brought on Philippe Coutinho at halftime while strikers Sergio Aguero and Luuk de Jong were also thrown on in the second half as they searched for an equaliser.
With seven minutes of injury time added on, Real doubled their lead when Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved a shot from Marco Asensio from another counter-attack but Vazquez was quicker than Gerard Pique to pounce on the rebound to score.
The home side got a goal back in the 97th minute when Sergino Dest crossed to the Aguero in the six-yard box and the Argentine tapped in for his first goal in a Barcelona shirt.
But it proved to be a consolation goal as Real moved provisionally top of LaLiga with 20 points, while Barcelona are five points behind in eighth place.
REALโS SPEED ON THE COUNTER
Koeman had warned his players they needed to be more effective when controlling the ball possession and that stopping Realโs speed on the counter would be decisive but that was easier said than done.
Barca managed to get the ball into dangerous positions around Realโs box but they lacked the final pass.
At the other end, Vinicius Jrโs speed and power on the counter-attack left Barcaโs defence scrambling time after time. The Brazilian was on fire and almost scored twice in the span of five minutes.
He first dribbled past two players and fell inside the area after contact with Jordi Alba but he was denied a penalty while he was also denied another opportunity when the linesman signalled offside with Ter-Stegen beaten.
Barcelona wasted their biggest opportunity of the first half when Memphis Depay led a counter-attack and crossed to Dest, who was unmarked in the box but he volleyed the ball into the stands.
Coutinho gave new life to Barca when he came on for Oscar Mingueza but Real kept persisting with the long balls to Vinicius, who left the game exhausted late on for Asensio.
Victory was Realโs fourth straight in Clasicos and also Ancelottiโs first at the Camp Nou in six visits.
REUTERS
