MADRID: Reigning champions Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 3-1 in the El Clasico clash to overtake their fierce rivals at the top of La Liga on Sunday.
Goals from Karim Benzema, Federico Valverde and Rodrygo secured a dominating win for Real Madrid against FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid scored twice in the first half without ever completely dominating, and they appeared to be on track to win what had been a mostly quiet 250th edition of the most important match in club football.
Barcelona, however, rediscovered the kind of intensity they had been lacking up until Ansu Fati entered the battle late on, pulling one goal back and truly threatening to take at least a point out of the game.
By halftime, the situation appeared hopeless. When Vinicius powered down the left, the game had only been going for 12 minutes. Barca had only given up twice in this Liga season when Ter Stegen blocked the shot, but the rebound fell straight to Karim Benzema.
After 35 minutes, they would lose again when Federico Valverde sent in an unstoppable goal from the edge of the box after being allowed maybe too much time to consider his shot.
Before Ansu Fati, a substitute had a significant influence, the closest Barca had gotten to scoring was a denied penalty call on Lewandowski.
Barcelona, which made significant summer purchases in an effort to catch up to its competitors, is now three points behind them.
Prior to the Clasico, the Catalans had only given up one league goal in eight games, but they gave up double that amount in the first half, leaving Madrid as the only unbeaten team in the division.
Rodrygo took the kick and made the conversion. Barca is returning to Catalonia empty-handed after an exasperating afternoon, which came to an infuriating finale.