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Real Madrid beat Barcelona 3-1 in the first Classic of the season at the Camp Nou to recover from losing two games in a row.
An entertaining start saw Federico Valverde overtake Madrid in the first five minutes. Karim Benzema watched the midfielder’s career and confidently finished off goalkeeper Neto. However, the advantage lasted only three minutes, when Ansu Fati converted a center from Jordi Alba. Lionel Messi and Benzema had well saved shots before the break.
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After the break, Philippe Coutinho headed in shortly before Madrid received a penalty for the jerk of Clement Lenglet’s shirt on Sergio Ramos. Toni Kroos could have added another, but it was denied by a double stop by Neto, who went on to save Ramos before Luka Modric’s compound finish secured all three points.
Positive
Madrid entered this match under great pressure, needing to react after two surprise losses at home in a week to Cádiz and Shakhtar Donetsk. They responded with a lightning start, taking the lead early, and although Barça responded early, Zinedine Zidane’s team finished the first half on top and competed well during the second period.
Valverde’s performance, not only scoring the first goal, but as a whole, was also encouraging. The Uruguayan impressed when he first arrived at Real Madrid in 2019, looking for a must-choice in the big games, but his form declined a bit in 2020. Here he returned to his best, giving everything before being forced to leave feeling bad.
Negative
Zidane’s options as a right back are increasingly scarce. Starter Dani Carvajal is out with a knee injury, substitute Álvaro Odriozola has a calf problem and Nacho limped off with a sore thigh. Lucas Vázquez replaced, and Ferland Mendy can do a good job, but neither is a long-term solution.
Madrid will also have been disappointed to concede so shortly after moving forward, having just three minutes to enjoy their initial lead. Ultimately, it didn’t matter, and while the team’s stingy defense was key to its title-winning streak late last season, it has been violated too easily of late.
Manager rating out of 10
8 – Zinedine Zidane added to his enviable record at the Camp Nou as a coach, undefeated with three wins and three draws in six visits. This time he chose an attacking team, opting for 4-3-3 over 4-4-2. That meant choosing Valverde over Modric, a great decision that paid off.
Zidane was forced to make an early change with Nacho’s injury, which brought Vázquez, and had to replace Valverde with Modric later, and both decisions were spot on as well.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players submitted after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Thibaut Courtois, 7 years – He played well even if he couldn’t add to the two clean sheets held in the two last season. Classic. He made a crucial first stop from Lionel Messi.
DF Nacho, 6 – Selected as a right-back, a position he held when Barça won 5-1 at Camp Nou in October 2018. He got a yellow card and then a thigh injury that forced his retirement.
DF Raphael Varane, 6 years old – Rightly criticized against Shakhtar, but better here. He was unable to return in time to block Alba’s center for the Barça draw.
DF Sergio Ramos, 8 – His 45 Classic, the most of any player, ever. Back to the team after missing the defensive disaster against Shakhtar through injury. He couldn’t keep up with Ansu for his goal, but he made up for it by saving his penalty in the second half in a typically safe way and could have scored again later.
DF Ferland Mendy, 7 years old – He returned to his natural role as a left back, having been one of Madrid’s best players in the middle of the week on the right. In front of a calm Pedri and a much more impressive Sergino Dest.
MF Casemiro, 6 years old – Admonished for a first-half tackle to Messi, before a risky challenge on the same player inside the area saw the lucky Brazilian make contact with the ball.
MF Toni Kroos, 8 years old – Rested in the middle of the week, Kroos’s influence in midfield is undervalued and in games like this he is essential. She had the energy to advance into the area with five minutes to go, only to be denied twice.
MF Faith Valverde, 8 years old – Made his first goal brilliantly after a run into the box that made his lungs explode. He worked incredibly hard before I was taken off feeling dizzy in the second half.
PW, Vinicius, Junior, 5 – Recorded in the last Classic in March. He could have doubled Madrid’s lead shortly after Valverde’s first game, but his control disappointed him. An overall disappointing game.
DEL Marco Asensio, 6 – He played on the right, as he did in the middle of the week, against Jordi Alba who has returned from an injury. A dangerous-looking, but otherwise silent first race.
DEL Karim Benzema, 7 years old – Become a supplier with a pass weighted by experts for Valverde’s goal. He came to this game after having scored only three goals in 18 visits to Camp Nou, but his six assists in Classic in this stadium he put him ahead of players like Messi, Xavi or Iniesta.
Substitutes
ST Lucas Vázquez, 8 – He replaced the injured Nacho on the right side and did it admirably.
MF Luka Modric, 7 years old – Surprisingly left out of the starting XI. He went on to help watch the game and ended up scoring an effortless third goal.
FW Rodrygo Goes, NR – Entered by Asensio during the last 10 minutes.
