As It Happened: Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona

Hello and welcome to Nigerianeye's live text coverage of the final El Clasico of 2017 as Real Madrid host Barcelona at the Bernabeu.


The hosts come into this match knowing that realistically only victory will do if they are to keep their title defence alive, having fallen 11 points behind Barca in the La Liga table.

Unbeaten Barca, meanwhile, could all but kill off the champions' hopes this afternoon whilst also extending their six-point lead over second-place Atletico Madrid.

Make sure you don't miss a moment of the action courtesy of our minute-by-minute updates below.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

REAL MADRID: Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Casemiro, Modric, Kroos, Kovacic; Ronaldo, Benzema
Subs: Casilla, Nacho, Bale, Theo, Lucas, Asensio, Isco

BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, Vermaelen, Alba; Busquets, Iniesta, Rakitic, Paulinho; Messi, Suarez
Subs: Cillessen, Semedo, D Suarez, Mascherano, Digne, Andre Gomes, Vidal








































The referee brings an end to the final El Clasico of 2017, and as with the previous ones this year it is one to remember as Barcelona win three successive La Liga games at the Bernabeu for the first time in their history! Second-half goals from Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Aleix Vidal saw Barca cruise to a 3-0 victory which gives them a nine-point lead at the top of La Liga and, just as importantly, a 14-point advantage over Real Madrid. Surely there is no coming back from that. Thanks for joining our live coverage of the match!


90+4 min FULL TIME: Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona

90+3 min GOAL! Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona (Aleix Vidal)

90+1 min BARCELONA SUB: A third and final change for Barca sees Roberto replaced by Aleix Vidal.

90+1 min CHANCE! Messi feeds the ball out to Gomes in a good position, but the midfielder lacks composure and fires his finish well over.

90 min There will be three added minutes at the end of this match.

88 min SAVE! Messi comes close again with a good first-time volley which Navas needs two attempts to collect.

86 min Madrid have responded well to that second goal in fairness - particularly since the introductions of Bale and Asensio - but it is surely too late for them to salvage anything from this game now. They needed that Bale chance to go in.

84 min BARCELONA SUB: Another change for Barcelona here as Andre Gomes replaces Paulinho.

83 min Ronaldo plays a low ball across the face of goal which Ramos is inches away from turning home, although he was in an offside position.

82 min CHANCE! More debate here as once again Madrid want a penalty which is dismissed by the referee. Ramos stays alert inside the box, though, and takes a touch before hammering the ball towards goal from a tight angle which Ter Stegen does well to save from close range.

80 min CHANCE! Chance for Barcelona at the other end this time! Semedo is played through down the right channel and shoots across the face of goal, but Navas makes another important save. That would have been game over once and for all!

79 min SAVE! Ter Stegen is called into action by Bale again here as the winger cuts inside onto his left and tries to curl one into the far corner. Ter Stegen is across to it in good time but initially spills the ball before gathering it at the second attempt.

78 min CHANCE! Huge chance for Real Madrid to give themselves a lifeline in this match! The hosts come forward down the right flank and a low pass is played in to Bale, but Ter Stegen makes a fine save from the Welshman's effort. Bale should have scored there!

76 min BARCELONA SUB: Barca make a change of their own here as Nelson Semedo replaces Iniesta.

74 min Madrid want a penalty here as Asensio's cross strikes Roberto, but the referee immediately waves the claims away. Real Madrid are adamant, but the ref is having none of it.

72 min REAL MADRID SUBS: Here comes the cavalry for Real Madrid, but is it too late? Marco Asensio and Gareth Bale come on in place of Casemiro and Kovacic.

70 min SAVE! Navas is called into action again here as he keeps out a low strike from Messi and crucially holds on to the ball too, with Suarez lurking.

68 min It doesn't look like there is any way back for Real Madrid here. Barca have been the better team in this second half by some distance, and they have taken the game away from Madrid in that time.

66 min REAL MADRID SUB: This change has not improved the home fans' mood here. With his side 2-0 down in the Clasico, Zidane brings on Nacho - a defender - in place of Benzema.

64 min What a devastating minute or so for Real Madrid! They go a man down and then two goals down in quick succession, with Lionel Messi slamming home from the penalty spot!

It was a flurry of activity before that, with Messi threading a fine ball through for Suarez, who only has the keeper to beat. Navas makes a big one-on-one save to deny the Uruguayan, but he then pokes the ball to Messi, who keeps his composure to find Suarez again. The second effort strikes the post, before Pique nods the ball towards goal from another rebound.

This time it is denied by Carvajal's save with his hand and, while Barca do then put the ball in the back of the net, the referee calls play back for the handball and shows Carvajal the red card. Barca ensure that they do get the goal as well, with Messi making no mistake.

64 min GOAL! Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona (Lionel Messi, penalty)

63 min PENALTY TO BARCELONA!

63 min RED CARD! Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)

62 min SAVE! Barcelona look the most likely to add the game's second goal here. They come forward down the left flank and Kovacic's delivery is only played as far as Paulinho, whose curling effort is easy for the keeper.

59 min YELLOW CARD! Ramos gets his customary Clasico card for a challenge on Suarez which saw him catch the striker in the face.

58 min CHANCE! Barcelona can smell blood here. This time Messi leads the charge before slipping the ball down the right channel for Suarez, but the striker loses his footing and can only pick out the side-netting with a shot which was initially meant to be a cross.

56 min It's all or nothing time for Real Madrid now. They are on course to fall 14 points behind Barcelona here, and they have just over half an hour to change that. It is a period which could make or break their season.

54 min First blood goes to Barcelona! It is a devastating move from the visitors, who play out from the back before Suarez finishes it off.

Busquets starts the move off in defence with a pass into Rakitic, and the pitch just seems to open up for the Croatian. He carries the ball a long way into the Madrid half before giving it out to Roberto, who in turn lays a perfect first-time pass into the path of Suarez. Navas reads it and gets across, but he cannot keep out Suarez's first-time finish as he drills it below the keeper.

54 min GOAL! Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona (Luis Suarez)

53 min CHANCE! Barcelona knock the ball about comfortably before bursting into life, with Alba slipped in down the left flank. He cuts the ball back to Suarez, but the Uruguayan's finish is a little tame and Navas makes the save.

51 min Now it is Real Madrid who are struggling to get their feet on the ball and get out from their own half. Barca have taken control of this second half in the early stages.

49 min Barcelona have seen the majority of the ball in the opening stages of his second half. It has been a much better start to the half for the visitors.

47 min SHOT! The first shot of the second half comes from Ronaldo, who cuts inside from the left and attempts to let fly, but he scuffs his effort and drags it harmlessly wide of the near post.

46 min KICKOFF: Real Madrid get us back underway for the second half of El Clasico. Remember, there has not been a goalless draw between these two sides since 2002.


Real Madrid have come closest to breaking the deadlock with Ronaldo looking particularly dangerous, but Barcelona have had a couple of good sights of goal themselves and this one could still go either way.



45+1 min HALF TIME: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona

45 min There will be one minute of added time at the end of this first half.

44 min Madrid have certainly been the main aggressors in this first half, but Barcelona would have expected that and the onus is still very much on the hosts to take the game to Barcelona. Barca are happy enough to just keep Madrid at bay right now.

42 min OFF THE POST! Real Madrid are inches away from breaking the deadlock right on the stroke of half time! Marcelo whips a cross into the box and Benzema darts in front of Vermaelen to get his head to the ball. He glances it towards the bottom corner, but it clips the outside of the post on its way behind.

41 min Real Madrid respond with a counter-thrust as Carvajal floats a dangerous cross into the box which Pique does just enough to deal with while Ronaldo and Benzema were also in attendance. The attack eventually comes to an end when Modric drags a shot wide of the target.

39 min SAVE! Navas is called into action again here as Messi dances down the left channel before squeezing a cross into the box which Paulinho does really well to meet in front of the defender. Navas makes a smart save at the near post, although he would have been disappointed if that have crept in.

38 min Marcelo needs a bit of treatment here, but he should be fine to continue. It is a fiercely-contested battle between these two - as ever - but it hasn't quite lived up to expectations so far.

36 min The ball breaks to Suarez just inside the Madrid half and he immediately looks to run at the defence. He skips past one challenge and takes it past another defender, but his touch is too heavy and runs through to the keeper.

34 min CHANCE! Ronaldo pops up on the right this time and plays a dangerous low ball into the middle, but Pique and Vermaelen just about do enough to deny Benzema.

32 min Ronaldo makes himself available from the resultant corner and rises highest to meet the cross, but he cannot steer his header on target.

31 min CHANCE! Madrid go straight up the other end and almost break the deadlock themselves! It is Ronaldo, as ever, who threatens, bursting down the left channel before drilling a low strike across goal with his left foot. Ter Stegen reacts really well to stick out a leg and make a crucial save, though.

31 min The resultant corner is met with a firm header by Pique, but his effort is blocked and Real Madrid survive.

30 min CHANCE! Barcelona's first chance of the afternoon falls to Paulinho! It is a brilliant pass over the top from Messi to find the run of Paulinho, whose first-time half-volley is tipped over the crossbar by Navas. First warning shot for the home side!

29 min Even Sergio Ramos have been fairly low key so far today, but he catches Paulinho here and Casemiro is lucky not to go into the book for kicking the ball away straight after.

27 min We're approaching the half-hour mark in this game now and so far it hasn't developed into the classic we were hoping for. Madrid continue to look the most likely, but clear chances have been at a premium.

25 min Messi has often been forced to drop deep so far this afternoon in order to get on the ball. His influence in the final third has been very limited so far.

23 min Barcelona make their brightest break forward so far as Messi gets involved, exchanging passes with Paulinho on his way into the box. Casemiro gets back to make sure that Madrid only concede a corner, though.

21 min Ronaldo again threatens down the left flank, breaking into the box before cutting inside onto his right foot. He has options in the middle, but chooses to go for goal himself and sees his effort blocked.

19 min YELLOW CARD! The first card of the afternoon is shown to Vermaelen for a clear and cynical trip on Modric. I suspect it won't be the last card of the game.

18 min Barcelona are not playing with any urgency here. Real Madrid are very much the team looking to make things happen, although that is what you would expect given the gap between the two teams in the table.

16 min Messi walks around looking disinterested before suddenly bursting into life and darting behind the defence. Iniesta has the vision to see the run, but on this occasion lacks the ability to produce the difficult pass.

15 min Important interception from Alba as he cuts out Benzema's pass inside the box following a good team move from the hosts.

14 min Barcelona are struggling to get their front two into this game in the early stages. Messi and Suarez have barely touched the ball, whereas Ronaldo is involved in almost everything for Madrid.

12 min Iniesta hurt himself while making that challenge and needs some treatment, but it looks as though he will be fine to continue.

10 min CHANCE! Big chance for Ronaldo, but he completely misses the ball! Madrid break forward down the left flank and a low ball is played into the box for Ronaldo, who is in space. However, it is a complete air shot from the world player of the year - proof that it can also happen to the best. The ball almost carries through to Carvajal, but Iniesta puts in a crucial last-ditch challenge inside the box.

9 min Barcelona have finally begun to settle into this game now. They are seeing more of the ball and playing in more advanced areas, although they are yet to trouble Keylor Navas.

7 min Madrid are pressing really high up the pitch in an attempt to stop Barcelona from playing out from the back here. The hosts want to pin Barca back into their own half both when they are in possession and when they aren't.

5 min SAVE! The first save of the game comes from Ter Stegen, but it is a simple one for the Barcelona keeper. Carvajal tried his luck from range, but it was a tame striker straight at Ter Stegen.

4 min Real Madrid have very much started this match on the front foot. They have pinned Barcelona back in the opening exchanges, with Ronaldo already heavily involved.

2 min DISALLOWED GOAL! Madrid think that they have taken the lead after less than two minutes as an early corner is flicked on by Casemiro before being nodded in off the underside of the crossbar by Ronaldo, but the Portuguese star was marginally offside.

1 min KICKOFF: Here we go then! Barcelona get us underway against Real Madrid!

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