MADRID — Real Madrid looked comfortable throughout their 3-1 Clásico win over Barcelona at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on 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 on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.)
The well-deserved win sees Los Blancos take a three-point lead at the top of the LaLiga table after nine games played, ahead 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 take their chances
This game laid bare the gap between a mature, fully formed Madrid team that knows exactly what it’s doing, and a Barcelona side who are still a work in progress. Madrid might have had less possession (43.8% to 56.2%) and fewer shots (8 to 18), created fewer chances (6 to 13) and had a lower XG (1.44 to 2.25) but none of that mattered in the slightest. Carlo Ancelotti’s team were ruthlessly clinical, making sure the key moments — notably, the chances that were converted into goals by Benzema and Valverde in the first half — went their way.
There’s a battle-hardened feel to this Madrid side, from the experience of Ancelotti on the bench to David Alaba at the back, Toni Kroos — who was outstanding — and Luka Modric in midfield and Benzema in attack. Even relative youngsters Valverde and Vinicius Junior already play with the mentality and confidence of veterans. The absence of Thibaut Courtois didn’t matter — Andriy Lunin was mostly well protected in goal — and once Valverde had made it 2-0, Madrid’s lead never felt under threat until those nervy few moments after Ferran had pulled a goal back, before Rodrygo’s penalty.
Barca might be making progress but on this showing, Madrid are still further ahead than their three-point advantage at the top of the table would suggest. — Kirkland
2. A wake-up call of a week for Barca
This week has been a reality check for Barcelona, whose start to the season had shown promise after a busy summer in the transfer market. Wednesday’s draw with Inter Milan, which left them on the verge of Champions League elimination, and now this defeat have brought them back down to earth.
They came into the Clásico sitting top of LaLiga with the best attack (20 goals scored) and defence (one goal conceded) in the league, but hindsight now suggests that was perhaps down to the quality of the opposition they had faced recently. Six of their seven wins have come against sides in the bottom half.
– Match report: Madrid 3-1 Barca | LaLiga table | Upcoming fixtures
Xavi Hernandez must now pick his players up because they have tough fixtures coming up against Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao, Bayern Munich and Valencia before the end of the month.
The good news is there is still undoubted quality in this side. They are still better than the rest in LaLiga and on that fact alone they should at least be able to keep up with Madrid, who move three points ahead of them for now.
Robert Lewandowski did not score here but he has scored 14 times this season — more than any Barca player managed last season. Ansu Fati and goal scorer Torres impressed off the bench, too, although there will be worries about Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha‘s form.
Xavi also needs to find the balance between midfield and attack. The midfielders, such as Pedri, suit a more controlled game, while Dembele is best when matches open up. — Marsden
3. Benzema returns to form at the right time
There’s no better game than the Clásico to end a goal-scoring drought. Benzema hadn’t scored since August, although that included a month on the sidelines with a thigh injury. Even when fit, there’s been a lack of sharpness and a feeling that he’s been playing within himself, just a step below his brilliant best. Opening the scoring here against Barca, a day before he’s expected to lift the Ballon d’Or, was the ideal way to silence any premature criticism.
This wasn’t a vintage Benzema performance — he visibly tired as the match went on, being subbed off in the final minutes — and it was unfortunate that he wasn’t on the pitch in added time to take the penalty that would have given him the opportunity to make up for his miss from the spot against Osasuna earlier this month. But it was a step in the right direction. Four goals from six LaLiga appearances this season is a solid, if unspectacular total, and there’ll be plenty of time for him to find his level between now and the end of the season.
Madrid are top of the table without Benzema firing on all cylinders, and that can’t be a bad thing. — Kirkland
4. Barca need shoring up at the back
Barcelona will not compete with Madrid or the top teams in Europe until they can improve their defensive structure and eradicate individual errors from their game. It cost them against Inter and was once again their downfall at the Bernabeu.
Sergio Busquets was beaten too easily by Kroos for Madrid’s first goal. The Germany midfielder then freed Vinicius, and when Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved from the Brazilian, it was Benzema who was left all alone to open the scoring.
For the next Madrid goal, Eric Garcia deflected the ball into Vinicius’ path when there was no apparent danger, and it was all too easy for Madrid from there. Barca’s defence stood off and Valverde was able to drill home from outside the box. Garcia then gave a penalty away when he was caught flat-footed by Rodrygo late on, although Barca will point to a penalty that was not given for a Dani Carvajal challenge on Lewandowski.
Barca will also lament untimely injuries to Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen, but that does not explain the repeated mistakes and structural problems.
– Dating back to 2010-11 in LaLiga and the Champions League, and 2014-15 in the Copa del Rey and Spanish Supercopa, Busquets completed the fewest touches (59) and fewest passes (47) as a starter in a Clásico.
– The last time Barcelona or Real Madrid came back from two or more goals down to win El Clásico was in 1959.
– In 2021-22, it took Rodrygo 33 games to score four LaLiga goals. It’s only taken him seven games this season.
– This is the first time that consecutive LaLiga Clásicos have been decided by multiple goals, with a different winner in each match, since 2008.
Up next
Real Madrid: Madrid travel to Alicante on Wednesday for a midweek LaLiga contest at Elche, before returning to the Spanish capital for another league fixture on Saturday, when Sevilla visit the Bernabeu.
Barcelona: Barca, too, have two LaLiga fixtures to contend with in the coming week. Xavi & Co. will be grateful to play both contests in the comfort of the Camp Nou, with Villarreal visiting on Thursday before Barca welcome Athletic Club to Catalonia on Sunday.
