Spanish La Liga
Real MadridReal Madrid0BarcelonaBarcelona4

Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona

By Gary RoseBBC Sport
Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez has scored 15 goals for Barcelona so far this season

Barcelona moved six points clear at the top of La Liga as Luis Suarez scored twice in a dominant victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

The visitors controlled El Clasico throughout, opening the scoring early on when Luis Suarez struck from 16 yards, before Neymar sidefooted home.

Andres Iniesta finished off a fine team move to add a third after the break.

Suarez's cool finish wrapped up the win before Isco was sent off for a rash challenge to complete Real's misery.

It was a first home defeat in 23 league games for Real, but an early blow to their hopes of challenging Barcelona for the title this season.

Rafael Benitez's side are second with 24 points with Barcelona moving onto 30 points after 12 games.

Read more from El Clasico

No Messi, no problem

Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi started the game on the bench as he made his return for the first time since 26 September

Much of the focus in the lead-up to the game had been on the return of Lionel Messi.

The Argentina forward, Barcelona's leading goalscorer, was named on the bench for the first time since suffering a knee ligament damage on 26 September.

However, in his absence Suarez and Neymar have been in phenomenal form, combining to score all 17 of Barcelona's goals since Messi's injury, and the pair were in deadly form once again on Saturday.

Barcelona
Luis Suarez's first goal came after a build up of 24 passes; the most for a La Liga goal in 2015-16

Suarez struck first with Sergi Roberto - starting in Messi's position as part of a front three - the architect. He drove forward from middle of the pitch before slicing open the defence with a fine ball for Suarez to grab his 10th league goal of the season.

That was only the second goal Real had conceded at home all season, but their usually strong defence simply had no answer to Barcelona's attacking prowess.

Iniesta's smart ball set Neymar free, and the Brazilian made no mistake for the visitors second.

Following Iniesta's drive high into the net, Barcelona boss Luis Enrique introduced Messi, who marked his return by playing a part in Suarez's second.

What went wrong for Real?

Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo had one shot saved, but otherwise had a quiet game

"Men against boys," was how co-commentator Chris Waddle described Barcelona's performance against Real Madrid on BBC Radio 5 live.

After suffering their first defeat of the season against Sevilla in their previous fixture, Real Madrid fans will have expected an improved display in the first El Clasico of the campaign.

It never materialised. The hosts managed just one shot on target in the first half, while Cristiano Ronaldo was quiet for much of the game.

The Portuguese forward did manage to force Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo into a smart save in the second half, but by then it was too late.

Isco's late lunge on Neymar, which earned the midfielder a red card, summed up their frustrations.

"I've been really disappointed by Real Madrid," added Waddle. "There are too many egos. Barcelona are a team, they work as a unit. Real don't."

Man of the match - Andres Iniesta

Andres Iniesta
Andres Iniesta scored and assisted in a Clasico for the first time in his career at Barcelona

The stats you need to know

  • Barcelona have recorded their second biggest win without conceding in a league away game against Real Madrid (5-0 in 1974)
  • They won 4-0 in a league away game against Real Madrid for only the second time in Clasico history (4-0 in Copa de la Liga in 1986)
  • Luis Suarez has scored or assisted in his three games against Real Madrid (three goals, one assist)
  • The last player sent off in a Clasico at Santiago Bernabeu was Sergio Ramos on 23 March 2014

Line-ups

Real Madrid

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Navas
  • 23Danilo
  • 2Varane
  • 4RamosBooked at 51mins
  • 12MarceloSubstituted forCarvajalat 59'minutesBooked at 83mins
  • 19Modric
  • 8Kroos
  • 10RodríguezBooked at 23minsSubstituted forIscoat 55'minutesBooked at 84mins
  • 11Bale
  • 7Cristiano Ronaldo
  • 9Benzema

Substitutes

  • 3Pepe
  • 13Casilla
  • 14Casemiro
  • 15Carvajal
  • 16Kovacic
  • 20Rodríguez Ruiz
  • 22Isco

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

  • 13Bravo
  • 6Alves da SilvaBooked at 31mins
  • 3Piqué
  • 14MascheranoSubstituted forMathieuat 27'minutes
  • 18Alba
  • 4RakiticSubstituted forMessiat 57'minutes
  • 5BusquetsBooked at 90mins
  • 8IniestaSubstituted forEl Haddadiat 77'minutes
  • 20Roberto Carnicer
  • 9Suárez
  • 11Neymar

Substitutes

  • 1ter Stegen
  • 10Messi
  • 17El Haddadi
  • 19Ramírez
  • 21Correia
  • 23Vermaelen
  • 24Mathieu
Referee:
David José Fernández Borbalán
Attendance:
80,148

Match Stats

Home TeamReal MadridAway TeamBarcelona
Possession
Home41%
Away59%
Shots
Home13
Away18
Shots on Target
Home7
Away7
Corners
Home10
Away3
Fouls
Home13
Away10

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Real Madrid 0, Barcelona 4.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Real Madrid 0, Barcelona 4.

  3. Booking

    Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Sergio Busquets (Barcelona).

  5. Post update

    Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  6. Post update

    Munir El Haddadi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Danilo (Real Madrid).

  8. Post update

    Attempt saved. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Karim Benzema.

  9. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Luka Modric (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Karim Benzema.

  10. Post update

    Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Claudio Bravo.

  11. Post update

    Attempt saved. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Gareth Bale with a cross.

  12. Post update

    Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Jordi Alba.

  13. Post update

    Attempt missed. Munir El Haddadi (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Neymar with a cross following a fast break.

  14. Post update

    Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Gerard Piqué.

  15. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Cristiano Ronaldo.

  16. Post update

    Attempt missed. Munir El Haddadi (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Neymar.

  17. Dismissal

    Isco (Real Madrid) is shown the red card.

  18. Post update

    Neymar (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Isco (Real Madrid).

  20. Booking

    Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Saturday 21st November 2015