Barcelona’s 3-0 away win ends Madrid’s title hopes
Valverde’s men put pressure on Zidane after a 3-0 win over 10-man Madrid at the Bernabeu
Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde insisted the Primera Liga title race is not over despite his side opening up a 14-point lead over Real Madrid with a 3-0 win at the Bernabeu yesterday on a day when Lionel Messi set a new record for goals scored in the fixture.
“We have a gap over our rivals but we do not think about that, just to keep picking up points and moving forward,” Valverde said after goals from Luis Suarez, Messi from the penalty spot and substitute Aleix Vidal gave Barca an emphatic victory.
Messi became the first player to score 25 goals in matches between the two sides.
It was also his 17th league goal against Madrid and he has now scored the most goals of any player against them in Primera Liga matches.
It was the game Madrid had to win if they were to have any realistic hope of retaining the title, against a Barcelona side whose own fans had written them off at the start of the season after losing Neymar and who have not been able to field their injured club record signing.
Having arrived home from Abu Dhabi as world champions after winning a club record fifth trophy in a calendar year with the Fifa Club World Cup, in-form Madrid had reasons to be hopeful.
Yet, once again Zinedine Zidane’s side were put in the shade at home by a far superior Barcelona who, if they did not already beforehand, now have a firm grip on the league.
It was the first time that Barcelona had won three successive league games at the Bernabeu.
Yesterday’s result coming on the back of their 4-0 victory in November 2015, and their 3-2 success, where Messi scored a last-minute winner, in April.
To the rest of the Primera Liga, Barcelona are looking ominous.
They are unbeaten, they have scored more than any other team and have kept an astonishing 18 clean sheets from their 27 games so far with only seven goals conceded in 17 league outings.
While club politics and real life Catalan politics kicked off around him, no nonsense manager Valverde has quickly fashioned a winning team with an admirable spirit.
Madrid had their chances in the first half, but it was the visitors who opened the scoring early in the second half as Sergio Busquets controlled the ball from a Madrid attack and pushed it forward to Ivan Rakitic, who passed wide to Sergi Roberto.
He crossed for Suarez to side foot past Keylor Navas.
Barca were two up after 63 minutes following a goalmouth scramble when Dani Carvajal handled the ball, for which the defender was sent off.
Messi scored the penalty, his 25th goal in the clasico, and celebrated with his arms outstretched.
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen made smart saves from Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos as Real threatened a fightback, before substitute Vidal added a third for the visitors in injury time, his shot squirming under Navas after good work on the right from Messi.
Valverde, asked about the difference between the first half and the second, simply said: “We were able to get past their first line of pressure. It was more difficult in the first half.
“This is a game in which details, certain moments, can be decisive.” Zidane conceded the defeat “hurt” Madrid, adding: “This is a difficult moment, a defeat by three goals.
“I can say we did not deserve it, but this is football, and it is what happened today.
“We feel bad but we will not drop our hands for sure. We must rest well and return stronger than ever.
“Madrid never gives up, whatever happens.”
Once again Zinedine Zidane’s side were put in the shade at home by a far superior Barcelona who now have a firm grip on the league