BARCELONA VS REAL MADRID Asaph Mic Blog Spanish Primera División coverage.

Barcelona vs Real Madrid
Playing XI

Barcelona:
1 Marc-André ter Stegen
14 Javier Mascherano
3 Gerard Piqué
18 Jordi Alba
20 Sergi Roberto
5 Sergio Busquets
21 André Gomes
4 Ivan Rakitic
9 Luis Suárez
11 Neymar
10 Lionel Messi

Real Madrid:
1 Keylor Navas
4 Sergio Ramos
5 Raphaël Varane
12 Marcelo
2 Daniel Carvajal
22 Isco
16 Mateo Kovacic
19 Luka Modric
9 Karim Benzema
7 Cristiano Ronaldo
17 Lucas Vázquez


HALF-TIME! El Clasico is goalless at the break, with Real Madrid having the better of few first-half chances at Camp Nou. Barcelona have had a lot of the ball, but Navas hasn't had much to do, with Ter Stegen forced into a few saves at the other end. Zidane will be the happier of the two coaches thus far.

45' Messi feeds Sergi Roberto down the right-hand side, but a cut-back from the Spaniard is intercepted well by Modric inside the Real Madrid box. It hasn't quite clicked for either side in the final third yet.

44' Isco start a counter with a lovely touch, before Benzema is released down the left. The Frenchman jinks infield and opts not to use an overlapping run from Marcelo. His whipped cross is blocked by Pique, with the deflection wrongfooting Ter Stegen and sending the ball wide of the post. The resulting corner is curled in, and Varane nods straight at the goalkeeper. Huge chance!

42' Suarez is the target of a long, diagonal pass from the left-hand side, but his header back square across the box is gathered up by Navas. That is one of the first things that the Costa Rican has had to do for a while. Neymar tries to threaten down the left flank, driving forward at pace, but runs the ball out of play.

40' Appeals for handball turned away! Messi feeds Alba down the left-hand side, with the left-back then whipping in a good cross from the flank. Carvajal turns it behind for a corner with his body, but it touches both his chest and his arm. The resulting set-piece is cleared by Varane, with Andre Gomes then seeing a shot blocked.

38' Suarez makes a good defensive header at his near post from a corner, but Real Madrid keep their pressure on with releasing Modric down the left. The Croatia international, however, is caught offside. Moments later, Ronaldo dances past two defenders and gets into the box brilliantly, but can only stab a low finish straight at Ter Stegen. That was wonderful play from the Portuguese striker.

36' Neymar manages to win a free-kick from Carvajal, after going down awkwardly on the edge of the Real Madric penalty area out on the left flank, but the set-piece comes to nothing. Real Madrid try to break, with Modric starting the attack, but Ronaldo can only rattle a near-post shot straight at Ter Stegen! The German beats the danger around his upright.

34' Marcelo is found scampering into the penalty area for Real Madrid, but Pique steps out to make a timely tackle that deflects off the Brazilian. The ball loops up high into the air, with Ter Stegen able to make a very simple catch. The visiting wing-back has arguably been Zidane's brightest offensive spark of the first half.

32' Wide from Marcelo! Ronaldo is picked out by a cross from right-hand side, which the Portuguese can't meet with an acrobatic volley. Benzema is unable to get on the rebound, with Sergi Roberto half-clearing, allowing for the Brazil left-back to drag a low shot a long way wide of the near post.

30' Marcelo breaks down the left-hand side, but Sergi Roberto does well to get in between the Brazilian and the ball, before earning his side a free-kick. Real Madrid are looking fairly comfortable, with Barcelona enjoying more of the ball, but neither goalkeeper has had a great deal to do thus far.

28'

Neymar da Silva Santos Junior

28' Neymar comes through the back of Vazquez in retaliation for an earlier challenge, catching the winger on his ankle. A deserved booking.

27' Ramos gets caught out under a high ball, but Modric covers in behind his captain to ensure that a through ball which was looking for Messi is directed instead into Navas. Moments later, Mascherano is penalised for a foul on Ronaldo, as the Argentine shunts into the back of the Real Madrid striker.

26' Barcelona win themselves a corner on the left-hand side, but Ronaldo and Benzema are present at the near post and the latter heads clear. The hosts keep their pressure on, with Suarez threatening to get on a deep cross, but the ball skids off the turf and behind for a goal-kick. A lot of players are struggling in terms of losing their footing on this pitch so far. 

25' Marcelo breaks to the left byline and clips a wonderful ball into the box! It sails over Ter Stegen, who was caught in no man's land, but Alba is there to head clear with Ronaldo and Vazquez lurking. Not the most confident of starts from the German goalkeeper. It did appear that Mascherano was tugging on Ronaldo's shirt as the Portuguese looked to get on the end of the cross.

23' Benzema is picked out at the back post, but sees a volley well-blocked, before a second delivery from the left by Marcelo is inaccurate due to the Brazilian slipping over. Barcelona try to counter, but a poor pass from Rakitic bobbles straight through to Navas. End-to-end stuff suddenly, with both teams looking terrified of conceding the first goal at Camp Nou.

22' Neymar tries to burst down the left-hand side and cuts back a cross from the left byline. It picks out Suarez, who has to turn and shoot all in one motion, but the Uruguay international rattles a low drive into Varane. Moments later, Messi tries to go on a mazy dribble, but Ramos makes a well-timed challenge that the Argentine really feels.

20' Andre Gomes tries to press high, but fouls Varane, as this game continues to see plenty of free-kicks given. The referee has had to be very busy indeed. The home side continue to dominate possession, but chances have been rather hard to come by - not that Zidane will mind at the moment.

• 20' Andre Gomes tries to press high, but fouls Varane, as this game continues to see plenty of free-kicks given. The referee has had to be very busy indeed. The home side continue to dominate possession, but chances have been rather hard to come by - not that Zidane will mind at the moment.
• 18' Messi manages to earn a free-kick from Modric on the edge of the penalty area, which the Argentine gets up to take himself. Neymar also stands over it, but the Barcelona captain whips a fierce effort straight at Navas. Easy for the Costa Rica international, who pats it down to take the sting out of the shot.
• 16' Ronaldo is found in the penalty area by a delivery in from the right, but the Portuguese forward can only flick a glancing effort straight down Ter Stegen's throat. Barcelona respond with an attack down the left-hand side, but Neymar slips over - for the second time this afternoon. He might need to change his boots.
• 15' Benzema goes down under pressure from Pique, but the referee waves play on. Modric, as a result, dives into a very late tackle on Messi. He touches the ball, but clatters through the Argentine's ankle. The official chooses to keep his cards in his pocket. Real Madrid find Marcelo escaping down the left, but a whipped cross from the Brazil international is nodded away by Pique, with Ronaldo lurking. 
• 13'Francisco Román Alarcón Suárez13' Isco picks up a booking after being adjudged to have tripped Neymar, but it didn't appear there was much contact.
• 11' Real Madrid are happy to sit back and absorb some pressure, with the home fans responding well. Los Blancos have a clear game plan and are sticking to it. Marc-Andre ter Stegen plays a pass out of play under pressure, with the German making an error with his first real involvement in the match. The away side win a corner, which sees Kovacic shoot from the edge of the box, but Mascherano directs the ball away from danger.
• 9' Barcelona are dominating possession, but the hosts aren't playing the ball across the pitch quickly enough to really stretch Real Madrid. The visitors look fairly comfortable, with Zidane having his players pressing very well. Neymar is fed down the left and whips in a cross, which finds Sergi Roberto at the back post. The right-back thumps a fierce strike into Ramos' chest! Good block.
• 7' Neymar drives forward, with the Brazilian able to open play out to Alba on the left. The full-back clips a cross into Messi, who flicks a header into a dangerous area, but Carvajal gets ahead of Neymar to shepherd the ball out of play. Enrique will be pleased with his team's start to this huge game.
• 5' After some big tackles and an intense start to proceedings in the first few minutes, Barcelona settle down in possession. Isco is scuttling around, trying to close space in between the lines, with Zidane's men pressing as a team to try and force the hosts into non-threatening areas of the pitch.
• 3' No penalty! Lucas Vazquez is fed into the box and scampers forward, with Mascherano coming across to muscle the ex-Espanyol man off the ball. The Spaniard tumbles to the turf and asks for a spot-kick, but the referee isn't interested. Nervy moments for the Argentine centre-back already today!
• 1' We are underway in El Clasico! Barcelona are six points off first-placed Real Madrid, meaning that today is a must-win fixture for the Blaugrana, adding an extra bit of spice to what is already one of the biggest matches of the La Liga campaign.
• Real Madrid substitutes: Pepe, Nacho, James, Casilla, Casemiro, M. Diaz, Asensio.
• Real Madrid starting line-up (4-3-3): Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Kovacic, Modric, Isco; Vazquez, Benzema, Ronaldo.
• Barcelona substitutes: Denis, Arda, Iniesta, Cillessen, Alcacer, Digne, Umtiti.
• Barcelona starting line-up (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Pique, Mascherano, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Andre Gomes; Messi, Suarez, Neymar. 
• TEAM NEWS: Raphael Varane is given the nod to start over Pepe at centre-back for Real Madrid, with Dani Carvajal selected ahead of Danilo at right-back. Casemiro takes a seat on the bench, which means that Isco is the man chosen to join Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic in midfield. Lucas Vazquez is deployed on the right flank, as Gareth Bale is out injured, with Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo offering the main goal threat.