Brilliant Barcelona thrash unlucky and woeful Real Madrid in one-sided El Clasico

Saturday 26 October 2024

La Liga EA Sports 2024/25

Real Madrid Vs FC Barcelona

Estadio Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Av. de Concha Espina, 1, Chamartín, 28036 Madrid, Spain

Brilliant Barcelona thrash unlucky and woeful Real Madrid in one-sided El Clasico

Robert Lewandowski scored a brace, as Barcelona produced a second-half masterclass to condemn Real Madrid to their first home loss of the season, in a one-sided affair where Lamine Yamal broke the record for the youngest ever goal-scorer at an El Clasico.

MATCH PREVIEW:

Brace yourselves for the first big clash of the 2024/25 season! As it's the El Clasico. Two heavyweights of Spain: Real Madrid & Barcelona go head to head at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu for the 189th time in the La Liga, on the back of some unbelieveable form! Both sides demolished two German teams in Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund respectively in the Champions league in midweek. Barcelona under their new head coach, Hansi Flick, have been absolutely terrific since the German's arrival in August. With main GK Marc-Andre Ter Stegen sidelined for the season with a ruptured patella tendon, they've signed 34-year-old ex-Juventus GK Wojciech Szczesny on a 1-year-deal to help Inaki Pena. The ex-Bayern Munich manager was re-united with Robert Lewandowski, and the standout man, Raphinha has been the one to watch, after a sparkling start to the new season with the Blaugranas. For Real Madrid, they've been as equally as good in all competitions. With new signing Kylian Mbappe firing, the Los Blancos will look to retain the La Liga, but they are 3 points behind Barcelona. If they win today, they will set the record for the most number of games unbeaten in the La Liga, after they lost against Atletico Madrid on 24 September 2023. Who will dominate the first El Clasico? Will it be unbeaten Real Madrid or the high-scoring Barcelona?

STARTING XI & FORM GUIDE:

Three changes for Real Madrid from their 5-2 home win against Dortmund in the UCL, with french duo of Edurardo Camavinga and Aurélien Tchouaméni starting in place of Rodrygo and Luka Modric, with the Brazilian winger, injured and unavailable. Lunin replaces the injured Courtois in goal for the hosts. Form Guide : DLWWW

Starting XI: Lunin, Mendy, Rüdiger, Militao, Vazquez, Camavinga, Tchouaméni, Valverde, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr. & Mbappe. Formation: 4-2-2-2.

Substitutes: Fran Gonzalez, Modric, Ceballos & Fran Garcia

For Barcelona, it's the same team that started the 4-1 home win over Bayern Munich in the UCL. Wojciech Szczesny is named amongst the subs, as Flick continues to trust in Raphinha, Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez. Form Guide: LWWWW

Starting XI: Pena, Balde, I. Martinez, Cubarsi, Koundé, Pedri, Marc Casado, Raphinha, Fermin, Lamine Yamal & Lewandowski. Formation: 4-2-3-1.

Substitutes: Szczesny, Gavi, Dani Olmo & De Jong

ONES TO WATCH:

Vini Jr - He's been on song for Real Madrid this season. A hat-trick in the champions league against Borussia Dortmund and he looks fired up, does the 24-year-old. Will he score against Barca to continue his magnificent scoring form?

Raphinha - It was considered 2 seasons ago, that the Brazilian wanted to leave FC Barcelona after he joined in 2022 from Leeds United. Now, he's been firing in goals for fun for Hansi Flick's side. This was the spark he needed, as he was rejuvinated back into the starting XI by the German. 

Robert Lewandowski - Rumours stated that Barca wanted to sell the Polish striker, but he has been superb this season. Getting 16 goal contributions in the La Liga, including a hat-trick in the last game before their midweek UCL clash. 6 goals and an assist in his previous 3 games, is he to score against Real Madrid today?

KICK-OFF: FIRST HALF

REAL MADRID KICK-OFF AT HOME!! And they almost scored straight away inside the 3rd minute! And it was Kylian Mbappe who couldn't convert the chance, and besides the offside flag is up! Great play from the hosts, but the 25-year-old forward couldn't keep himself onside! A huge let-off for Barcelona, as the ball hits the side netting! We're already getting treated to a very entertaining start at the Bernabéu, with Real having chances, but the offside flag is really not helping them at the moment. At the other end, Barcelona did have an effort, but Lamine Yamal could not finish it, thanks to some good pressure from Eder Militao. Tackles flying in, chances being created, it's been a thoroughly entertaining 21 minutes so far! On the half-hour mark, a big moment in the game happened. Now, this is interesting. Kylian Mbappe has the ball into the back of the net, but once again, is he onside? I don't think he is, as the referee today, Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez, has been asked to check the monitor by VAR. NOPE, THE GOAL IS NOT COUNTED! So he will have to wait until sometime later this season, to score his first El Clasico goal. You couldn't have asked for a more entertaining end to the first-half. HALF-TIME IN MADRID. There was absolutely nothing that can separate these two sides from scoring. 

KICK-OFF: SECOND HALF

Can either side break the deadlock, as Barcelona kick-off the second half. A change has also occured, with Frenkie De Jong coming on for Fermin Lopez. On 54 minutes, the breakthrough came, courtesy of Barcelona. Real Madrid are struggling to get their defence together, as we see a lovely pass from Marc Casado onto Lewandowski, kept onside by Mendy, keeps his composure, AND ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI SCORES FOR BARCELONA AT THE HOME OF THE LA LIGA CHAMPIONS!! Simply sensational from FC Barcelona as they picked the pockets of the weakened Madrid defence and the veteran Polish striker makes no mistake in slotting the ball beyond Andriy Lunin's reach! RMA 0 - BAR 1!!

Lewandowski celebrates after scoring for Barca on 54 minutes.

Well, that was terrific from Barca. How do Real Madrid respond to this setback? It gets worser, as Barca make it 2-0 in 2 minutes! They are really toying with the Madrid defence as Barca continue to cause problems. Here comes Balde, with the cross AND LEWANDOWSKI AGAIN!! IT'S 2 GOALS IN 2 MINUTES FOR BARCELONA!! QUITE SPECTACULAR FROM THE 36-YEAR-OLD!! THAT'S NOW 8 GOALS IN HIS LAST 4 APPEARANCES IN THE LA LIGA! HANSI FLICK IS ABSOLUTELY LOVING IT!! RMA 0 - BAR 2!!

Lewandowski celebrates with Balde as Barcelona scored the second goal of the game.

WOW! Real Madrid have been rattled and stunned! This has been extrodinary from Barcelona! This is a similar position that Madrid have experienced being in, but is there a way for them to score? Well, there was, until Inaki Pena denied Kylian Mbappe on the 64th minute mark. Quite spectacular this from the Spaniard. Mbappe was once again denied by the offside flag on the 66th minute. Madrid's luck today, has been absolutely woeful. They have found no way through the defence, despite Mbappe's attempts at scoring, only for the flag to go up against him. But Lewandowski just couldn't get his hat-trick. Only for Andriy Lunin to watch him miss his target. And Barca got a third goal on the 77th minute mark. Barca are really toying with the Madrid defence, as Raphinha comes with the ball towards the goal. On it goes to Yamal, on his RIGHT FOOT AND WHAT A GOOD HIT THAT IS!! LAMINE YAMAL BECOMES THE YOUNGEST EVER GOAL-SCORER AT AN EL CLASICO IN THE LA LIGA! WHAT A MASSIVE MOMENT FOR THE 17-YEAR-OLD, WHO IS REALLY RISING UP ONTO THE BIG STAGE! AND SURELY THERE'S NO WAY BACK FOR THE HOSTS NOW? RMA 0 - BAR 3, WITH 13 MINUTES TO PLAY!

Lamine Yamal scores Barca's 3rd goal on 77 minutes. 

What do you do? What do you say about FC Barcelona's performance tonight? It's been absolutely outstanding from the Blaugranas! And they added a 4th goal, 7 minutes later. They just continue attacking the Madrid defence as it's a beautiful pass from Inigo Martinez, not often you see this from a center half, onto Raphinha. Stays onside, AND FINDS THE BACK OF THE NET, WITH A SUPERB FINISH! AND SURELY, THAT IS THAT FOR REAL MADRID!! Wonderful vision from the ex-Athletic Bilbao defender to pick out the 27-year-old, who did more than enough to stay onside and fires in another goal to continue his fiery form this season! 

Raphinha fires home Barca's 4th goal on 84 minutes to pile on more misery to Real Madrid.

AND THERE IS THE FULL-TIME WHISTLE!! What an outstanding victory this is for Hansi Flick's Barcelona, who showed absolutely NO MERCY for Los Blancos at the Bernabéu with a ruthless second half display, which blew the Madrid fans away. After a first half where Real were so unlucky not to have a goal, due to the offside flag going against them a load of times. But the second half, was the main talking point of the game. Robert Lewandowski's brace, followed up with Lamine Yamal's superb finish and Raphinha adding the gloss to what has been a sparkling display from the visitors. They head into the next gameweek, 6 POINTS CLEAR of Real Madrid, who suffer their first loss in over a year.