REPORT | 23/04/2017 | Alberto Navarro
Casemiro and James scored for the Whites, who still have their fate in their own hands in the LaLiga title race.- La Liga
- Matchday 33
- Sun, 23 Apr
2
3Real Madrid began the game in blistering fashion, pressing high up, stealing the ball in opposition territory and looking threatening in and around the area. The first notable opportunity came just two minutes in, when Umtiti upended Cristiano Ronaldo inside the area. With 6 minutes on the clock, the Portuguese forward shot from the edge of the box, but the ball ended up safely in the gloves of Ter Stegen. Barcelona then looked to respond in the 11th minute but Suárez's shot from 18 yards failed to find the target.
Chances
Barcelona sprung to life after the chance, but Real Madrid continued to cause problems. Benzema had a fine chance to score following a fantastic Modric through ball in the 18th minute, but Ter Stegen came out on top in the one-on-one. Cristiano Ronaldo then got in on the action just two minutes later, when his shot, though somewhat off balance, forced the visiting goalkeeper into another fine stop. He couldn't repeat his heroics in the 28th minute though, as Marcelo crossed for Ramos, who turned the ball on to the post and Casemiro was waiting to pounce on the rebound to open the scoring.
REAL MADRID HAVE SCORED IN THEIR LAST 56 CONSECUTIVE MATCHES
Real Madrid had taken the lead but the joy lasted only five minutes after Messi's goal thanks to some fine individual play. Modric looked to put his side back in front with a good effort from the edge of the area in the 36th minute but Ter Stegen managed to put it behind for a corner. Before the break, Zidane was forced to replace Gareth Bale due to injury, bringing on Marco Asensio.
Keylor Navas and Ter Stegen
The start of the second half was similar to the first with Real Madrid coming out on top and creating chances. Kroos had a good left-footed effort from the edge of the area in the 48th minute but Ter Stegen denied him before keeping out Benzema just five minutes later.
The match was end to end and Keylor Navas kept out Alcácer in a one-on-one in the 56th minute and pulled off a great save from Piqué's header from a corner three minutes later and Luis Suárez again in the 67th minute. Ter Stegen was called in to action again, producing a good save from a Marco Asensio shot in the 72nd minute.
One man less
Both sides looked like scoring but it was Rakitic who put his side in front in the 73rd minute with a shot from outside the area. Things then got worse when Ramos was controversially sent off with a straight red just minutes later, but Real Madrid looked like they had salvaged a point when James turned home a Marcelo cross, having replaced Benzema just moments before. The Whites almost won it in the 89th minute when a Marco Asensio shot was kept out again by Ter Stegen, but in the last second Messi scored and decided El Clásico.
