Barcelona’s ‘quest’ for invincibility continues

Departing legend Iniesta hails Catalans’ fightback despite being man down in bruising El Clasico battle to remain unbeaten in La Liga

BARCELONA:RIVALS Barcelona and Real Madrid showed on Sunday that they don’t need titles at stake to produce a thrilling game of football.

With Barcelona already Spanish league champions and Madrid focused on their Champions League final later this month, it was supposed to be the most low-key Clasico in years.

Instead, the Camp Nou was treated to a heated contest and four goals, including Lionel Messi’s strike which ensured 10-man Barcelona salvaged a 2-2 draw and remained undefeated in the league this season.

“Our quest continues to finish the league without a loss,” said Andres Iniesta, who played his 38th and final game against Madrid before he leaves the club after 16 seasons this summer.

When asked if the match had lived up to its “decaffeinated” billing, Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said: “Decaf? It had extra caffeine. Both sides always want to win a game like this.”

Ronaldo added a goal of his own and gave Madrid’s fans a scare when he couldn’t play on through a leg injury and needed to be substituted at halftime.

Ronaldo hurt his lower right leg while canceling out Luis Suarez’s opener in the 10th minute.

Madrid was dominating the match when Barcelona right back Sergi Roberto was shown a direct red card in first-half injury time for swiping his hand at Marcelo’s face as tempers flared.

But Messi came to the hosts’ rescue, sending the ball past Keylor Navas in the 52nd to swing the match back in Barcelona’s favor despite playing a man down.

Messi was stopped by goalkeeper Keylor Navas from scoring again and Gareth Bale pulled Madrid level in the 72nd after curling in a pass by substitute Marco Asensio.

Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said that he wasn’t worried about Ronaldo being able to play in the Champions League final against Liverpool on May 26.

“He doesn’t feel good now, but I don’t think it is anything serious,” Zidane said. “We will have him ready (to play).”

Barcelona stayed unbeaten If Sunday’s match proved anything, it is that the Clasico always means something. Eight yellow cards and one red pointed to the heat in the game, which fizzed throughout and briefly erupted during five minutes at the end of the first half.

Barca will claim Real scraped a draw against opponents down to Zinedine Zidane's nightmare, far more than a defeat at Camp Nou, would surely have been to lose Cristiano Ronaldo to injury less than three weeks before the Champions League final. Real now face an anxious wait to discover

demonstrated all the attributes that pushed Barcelona to a domestic double. There was the individual brilliance of Messi, who steered the momentum by putting his side ahead with a solo effort in the second half. Andres Iniesta overcame, or perhaps ignored, a niggling calf problem to play his 38th and final Clasico on Sunday.

Down to 10-men, Valverde had to sacrifice Iniesta to strengthen his defence. A legendary figure at camp Nou, he went off to a standing ovation.

through 35 league matches this season and extended its record run to 42 consecutive games without a loss. Barcelona has three matches left to become the first team to go unbeaten in the competition since the 1930s, when it consisted of 10 teams compared to 20 now. Even though nothing was at stake, both teams played with all the emotion of a final.

“Clasicos should be played like this, it was a beautiful game,” Suarez said. “We wanted to win it, Sergi’s sending off damaged us, especially against a team like Real Madrid. But a draw also isn’t a bad result for us given how the game went.” 10 men while Real will say they were without their star player for the same time. And that is not to mention the many grievances against the referee. the extent of the damage.

After the match, Zidane reported that Ronaldo had said it was only a ‘small problem’ but in the same breath admitted the striker was a ‘little bit worried’ by the swelling. Also, there was the important save from Marc-andre ter Stegen, who denied Ronaldo. And there was the grit and resilience instilled by Ernesto Valverde, as Barca played for 45 minutes with a man down but still eked out a draw.

PREZ FUELS GRIEZMANN SPECULATION

Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu has been in contact with Antoine Griezmann’s agent amid reports the Atletico Madrid striker is set to join the Spanish champions.

Frenchman Griezmann has a €100 million release clause in his contract and Spanish media reported that Barcelona are ready to pay it.

“We are analysing the season and we will see what we will do with ins and outs,” Bartomeu told radio station RAC1.

Clasico goals

Lionel Messi has scored at the Camp Nou, which is more than any other player in El Clasico history.

100th

SABINO BARINAGA

in 1948 has scored in El Clasico to equal Alfredo Di Stefano as the all-time Real Madrid top-scorer in El Clasico in all competitions.

Lionel Messi is the all-time top scorer with 25 goals.

200th

PACO GENTO in 1966

PLAYED

goals Cristiano Ronaldo