Match Report: Real Madrid 0 Barcelona 2

Amid the running battles and petty fighting of an unsightly confrontation between Spain’s giants, two moments of excellence from Lionel Messi and it is all square in April’s El Clásico mini series. Real Madrid may have snatched the Copa del Rey from their rivals last week but, with the league title all but secured, Barcelona have now placed one foot firmly in May’s Champions League final at Wembley. With Manchester United’s victory in Gelsenkirchen last night, a repeat of 2009′s final in Rome now seems all but certain.

In the end it is perhaps a relief that there were moments of footballing merit to look back on in a game which, in purely sporting terms, suggested it may not be about to live up to its inevitable top billing. Malian midfielder Seydou Keita deputised for the injured Andrés Iniesta alongside Xavi Hernández and Sergio Busquets, while Javier Mascherano moved back into central defence to cover for the injuries to Maxwell and Adriano that had meant an enforced left-back role for captain and regular centre-half Carles Puyol. Certainly, Iniesta’s absence was keenly felt as Barcelona’s attacking endeavour in the opening period was chiefly limited to a threesome of speculative mid-range efforts from Xavi which never truly threatend to trouble Madrid keeper Iker Casillas. David Villa, playing on the left of a forward three with Messi and Pedro, did also offer a moment of menace, cutting in from the flank and firing a left-footed drive across Casillas’ goal.

If Barcelona did not offer an abundance of offensive incision, Madrid provided even less. The low-key nature of the first half was epitomised by the anonymity of a frontline trio of Mesut Özil, Ángel Di María and Cristiano Ronaldo on whom the weight of the home side’s creative responsibility was placed, all the more so given the composition of a conservative midfield comprising Xabi Alonso, Lassana Diarra and Pepe whose principal brief was clearly aimed more at thwarting their opponents than acheiving any sort of deep influence over their side’s own attacking efforts. The ineffective character of Ronaldo’s first-half display in particular was notable, reduced to two left-sided free-kicks both sent straight into the defensive wall, and a long-range effort spilled by goalkeeper Victor Valdés which, on the follow-up, Özil could not capitalise on.

That the game did come to life shortly after half an hour owed much to off-the-ball events than anything that happened with it. Pedro and Sergio Busquets (the latter shamefully so) both fell to the floor claiming wayward elbows on the part of first Álvaro Arbeloa then Marcelo. Both incidents served to raise the temperature as both sets of players moved in, squabbling and shoving. The half-time whistle then signalled a tetchy melee involving players and technical staff as the teams made their way to the dressing rooms, for which Barcelona replacement goalkeeper José Manuel Pinto was subsequently given a red card by German referee Wolfgang Stark.

Such unseemly happenings offered the prelude to the moment that, those from the capital will argue, laid the way for Catalan victory. Pepe, eagerly (perhaps over-eagerly) carrying out his duties as midfield stopper-in-chief for this fixture, flew enthusiastically yet, it must be observed, honestly into a challenge with Dani Alves. The Brazilian fell to the turf as if shot, his team-mates predictably and saddeningly hurtled towards Herr Stark, baying for punishment, and – weakly – the official obliged with a red card. Mourinho, sarcastically appplauding the fourth official, was also sent off. Emmanuel Adebayor, introduced for the ineffective Mesut Özil at the break, may even have followed them, charging into Busquets and eliciting the kind of theatrics with which the hugely talented young midfielder is unfortunately becoming all too synonymous.

This, however, was not before Barcelona had begun to make their numerical advantage pay. Dutchman Ibrahim Afellay, on for the ever-willing but largely inconsequential Pedro, used his pace and Marcelo’s loose footing to find a crossing opportunity which Messi expertly prodded past Casillas at the near post.

Ten minutes later, the Argentinian added a glorious finish to a largely unglorious encounter. Collecting the ball from Busquets inside the Madrid half, his acceleration and close control left each of Diarra, Sergio Ramos, Raúl Albiol and Marcelo swiping at thin air before a cool, right-footed finish past Casillas. Surely there is no way back for Madrid. 

FT: Real Madrid 0 Barcelona 2 (Messi 76, 87)