Real Madrid go top after slim victory in first post-Messi El Clasico
Alaba, Aguero score on El Clasico debuts
Real Madrid returned to the summit of La Liga after picking up a 2-1 win over Barcelona in the first El Clasico of the season at the Nou Camp to put more pressure on the Blaugrana’s boss Ronald Koeman.
After they picked up their first points of the Champions League with a win against Dynamo Kiev, Barcelona came into the first El Clasico with none of Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos since 2004 at Camp Nou trailing Real Madrid by just two points.
The first big chance of the match came Barcelona’s way after 25 minutes as Ansu Fati played in Sergino Dest, but the American defender skied his effort from 12 yards with only Thibaut Courtois to beat.
Seven minutes after Dest’s miss, Real Madrid found themselves in front through summer signing David Alaba.
The Austrian defender dispossessed Memphis Depay on the edge of the Real Madrid box before running down the left flank as the counterattack progressed. With Alaba in space, Rodrygo played a pass to his feet, and he stroked the ball majestically into the bottom left corner from outside the box in the 32nd minute to give Real Madrid the lead.
Barcelona stalwart Gerard Pique came agonisingly close to equalising within two minutes of Real Madrid scoring as his glancing header from a Depay corner was inches from ending up at the back of the net.
Both sides continued to cancel each other out until Real Madrid found a second in added time through versatile winger Lucas Vazquez. The Spaniard fired home the rebound from six yards out after Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen saved a shot from Marco Asensio in the 93rd minute.
With mere seconds left on the clock in the El Clasico, Barcelona got themselves a consolation goal through Argentine summer signing Kun Aguero, who notched his first goal for the club. The striker was on hand to turn home a low cross delivered by Dest after some good work down the right flank in the 97th minute.
Real Madrid have now won the El Clasico four consecutive times, with Barcelona’s last win coming in 2018. They now have 20 points after nine league matches, while their rivals Barcelona have only 15 points, who are in 9th place.
