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 Ancelotti’s side three points.
This victory was Real’s fourth straight in Clasicos and also Ancelotti’s first at the Camp Nou in six visits, with his side devastating on the counter-attack and the result moving them provisionally top of LaLiga with 20 points.
“We played a practical game. We knew what we need to do and the boys executed the game plan perfectly,” Ancelotti said.
Barcelona controlled possession in the first half but Real took 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 equalizer.
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 Barcelona shirt.
But it proved to be a consolation goal, leaving Barcelona five points behind in eighth place.
ARR
