EL CLASSICO 2020-21 24/10/2020, CAMP NOU, BARCELONA.AS IT HAPPENED.

A fiery start ends in a painful defeat for the Catalans.

Eternal Rivals FC BARCELONA and REAL MADRID C.F. faced off in what I would describe as the most anticipated of the year - the EL CLASSICO.

Both sides had returned to LA LIGA after competing in the UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. Barça came back after a thumping 5-1 victory over Ferencváros at the Nou Camp whereas the defending champions had returned following a 3-2 defeat against Shaktar Donetsk at home. 

Barcelona hosted Madrid in their Fortress of Scarlet and Blue -the Camp Nou stadium- without any fans for the first time ever. But before the game could begin a special award was given to a very special player. Barcelona's ANSU FATI had been voted as La Liga's Player of the month and had been presented a trophy for the same. And very soon the whistle was blown and the game was underway.

Merely 5 Minutes into the game and Real Madrid's KARIM BENZEMA set up a Goal for FEDERICO VALVERDE as Barça's defenders were toasted by the accuracy and finish of Federico. The Visitors leading by a goal to nil.

Barcelona quickly started the game and it was their latest star Ansu Fati to the rescue once again as he hammered the ball past Thibaut Courtois and thus scored Barcelona's 400th goal in the El Classico.1-1 on the scoresheet and it was that wonderkid once again.

It also seemed that Barça had found their new DANI ALVES in the 19 year old American SERGINO DEST as he displayed a performance like no other in his first Classico.

Both the teams tried really hard to score but the men between the sticks proved to be a force to reckon with as Barça's Neto Murara and Madrid's Thibaut Courtois made some brilliant saves to keep their teams alive in the game.

At halftime, Barça and Madrid went to the dressing rooms with a goal each.

The second half began with the same intensity as Barça's duo of PHILLIPE COUTINHO & ANSU FATI tried to find the back of the net but couldn't do so. 

Then came in the controversy as CLEMENT LENGLET pulled SERGIO RAMOS down in the penalty box and VAR handed the visitors a penalty. Ramos stepped up and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner of the Barça Goal. 

62' mins on the clock and Real had the lead once more.

As the match reached to the last 20 minutes you could see the fatigue settling in the Barca players as they would miss key passss and chances to score. Suprisingly, Coach RONALD KOEMAN decided to bring in fresh legs in the 80th minute bringing in DEMBELE (for PEDRI), TRINCÃO (for BUSQUETS) AND GRIEZMANN (for ANSU) & BRAITHWAITE (for ALBA) on the 87th minute. The pressure to score a goal and fatigue of the players forced Koeman to change from a 4-4-2 to a 3-2-5 with the defence thrown wide open.

At the 90th, a brilliant strike from 2018 Ballon d'or winner LUKA MODRIC sealed the victory for Los Blancos in the Camp Nou as Messi and Co. dropped 3 vital points at home and against their arch-rivals.

The win pushes Real Madrid over to the top of the La Liga Santander Table and Barcelona sit 6 points behind at 10th but with a game yet in hand.

Focus now shifts back to the Champions League as Real Madrid face Borussia Monchengladbach and Barça travel to Turin to face Juventus. However tonight's result was glad tidings to Madristas but a dismal weekend for the Culers.

Asher Collin Alex Dias.