Barcelona's Luis Suarez Posts Treadmill Clip, Says He Will 'Focus on the Future'
Mar 5, 2020
BARCELONA, SPAIN - JANUARY 05: Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona during a training session at Estadi Johan Cruyff on January 05, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Barcelona forward Luis Suarez appears to have stepped up his injury rehabilitation.
The striker has been out of action since January 9, having undergone surgery on an injured knee. It was expected he would be sidelined for four months following the operation.
Suarez appears to be edging closer to a return to full fitness, though, sharing a clip on his Instagram account of himself on a treadmill, per infosfcb:
Accompanying the video was a message that read "focus on the future."
This season, the Uruguay international has netted 14 goals in 23 matches. He's always a threat:
10 - Luis Suárez has been involved in each one of the @FCBarcelona’s last nine goals in #LaLiga (four goals & six assists). The Uruguayan is the player to have scored & assisted both in a single LaLiga game more often (four as Karim Benzema). Key#EspanyolBarça#Derbyhttps://t.co/pL0rDO9day
With that in mind, it's no surprise that Barcelona have been a little blunted without the 33-year-old at the point of the attack.
Under new manager Quique Setien, the team have largely dominated possession of the ball in all of their matches, although they've lacked a ruthless edge when chances do come their way. Suarez is typically the man who can finish those opportunities.
Lionel Messi hasn't been at his fluid best under Setien:
Messi scored or assisted most of the goals Barça have under Setien, yes, but we know the man, he hasn’t been well for months now. It’s worrying, things have to be shaken up at the board level or we risk losing Messi’s final years in a worst way that we thought possible.
While Messi and Antoine Griezmann are both world-class, they are each at their best when playing in withdrawn roles in attack. When Barcelona have been at their peak in recent years, it's when Suarez has been the focal point up top.
Although he lacks the dynamism that once made him the best striker in the world at Liverpool and in the early days of his Camp Nou tenure, the striker is still sharp, intelligent and clinical when opportunities come his way.
With that in mind, getting Suarez back earlier than expected would be a major boost for Barcelona, with La Liga and UEFA Champions League success still up for grabs for the Catalan giants.
La Liga Would Be 'A Very Good League' for Erling Haaland, Says Father
Mar 5, 2020
DORTMUND, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 29: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund looks on during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and Sport-Club Freiburg at Signal Iduna Park on February 29, 2020 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Max Maiwald/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Alf-Inge Haaland, the father of Borussia Dortmund sensation Erling Haaland, has said La Liga would be a "very good league" for the striker in the future.
The young forward has enjoyed a remarkable 2019-20 season, shining for Red Bull Salzburg and then moving to Dortmund in January, where he has continued his blistering goalscoring form.
Speaking about his son's progress to AS, the former Manchester City and Leeds United midfielder said he's happy to see him performing well at Dortmund and discussed the competitions he thinks are best suited to the 19-year-old's skill set (h/t Rich Jones of the Daily Star):
"I am very happy for him and Borussia Dortmund, although for me the most important thing is to keep growing as before.
"Dortmund told us that they needed someone like him and that the goal is as high as possible. He is [at] a team that fights for the Bundesliga and is growing in European competitions. It is perfect to continue training.
"We were linked to more than 100 teams, but it is true that the Spanish is a very good league for my son, with great teams. You never know if he will play in Spain. What has to happen, will happen."
Manchester United were strongly linked with a move for Haaland in January, but he opted to join Dortmund.
Goal also mentioned Real Madridas suitors for the Norwegian. Haaland's Sr. was asked about the forward's relationship with compatriot Martin Odegaard, who is on loan at Real Sociedad from Madrid.
"My son loves to play with Martin; he is a great footballer," he said. "They understand each other very well on the pitch."
Per Bleacher Report's Dean Jones, the German club is developing a reputation for bringing in some of the best young players in the game:
Dortmund know a player when they see one... After signing Sancho, Reyna and Haaland, Bild say they are now clear favourites to sign 16-year-old Jude Bellingham from Birmingham City.
Having excelled with Salzburg in the Austrian top flight, with 16 goals in 14 games this season, Haaland has had no issue adapting to German football. He's made four starts and three substitute appearances in the Bundesliga, scoring nine goals.
It's in the UEFA Champions League where he has made a his mark, though, with 10 goals in the competition already this term. The most recent two came in a 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain, with this stunning long-range strike proving to be the winner:
The strike... The scenes... The SOUND!
Enjoy Erling Haaland's spectacular winning goal vs PSG from every beautiful angle 😍 pic.twitter.com/4OhGho3TaM
In all competitions, the forward has already amassed an amazing total for the 2019-20 season, outgunning some of Europe's biggest names in the process:
Should he continue to score at such a remarkable rate, Haaland will continue to be linked with some of the biggest clubs around.
While he has already reportedly interested a Premier League giant in Manchester United, it would be no surprise if some of Spain's biggest outfits were looking closely at him too.
However, his father is pleased with his son's situation at Dortmund, and it's difficult to see the youngster moving anywhere in the short term as a result.
Athletic Bilbao Dismiss Gonzalo Higuain Summer Transfer Rumours
Mar 4, 2020
LYON, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 26: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Gonzalo Higuain of Juventus sits on the bench during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between Olympique Lyon and Juventus at Parc Olympique on February 26, 2020 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Athletic Bilbao director Rafa Alkorta has dismissed speculation Juventus forward Gonzalo Higuain could join the club as a free agent this summer, saying the Argentinian doesn't meet their strict Basque-only policy.
Marca's Juanma Velasco reported Athletic could be shock suitors for the striker in the summer, noting he has Basque ancestry on his father's side.
Alkorta quickly dismissed those reports in an interview with Onda Cero (h/t Football Italia), however: "In order to sign for us, you must've been either born or formed as a player here. If you do not fit these rules, then it doesn't count. I don't know if one day those rules could be modified, but right now, that is what they are."
Athletic Bilbao supporters cheer their team during a footall match at San Mames stadium in the Spanish Basque city of Bilbao, on February 12, 2020. - The all-seater football stadium of San Mames in Bilbao, also known as
Higuain will also not be a free agent this summer―his current contract runs until 2021.
Athletic are the last remaining team in La Liga who have a Basque-only policy, meaning they only sign players who were born in the Basque Country or were trained at a Basque club.
They have bent their rules at times to sign the likes of Aymeric Laporte, but most of the time they adhere to them strictly:
Higuain was born in the French city of Brest, which lies well north of the French Basque Country. His father revealed the links to the region 15 years ago, per Velasco: "My grandfather was of Basque-French origin. My father always told me that my grandfather had taught him that the Basques are neither Spanish nor French, only Basque."
The 32-year-old Higuain is in his second spell with Juventus, returning to the club in the summer after loan stints with AC Milan and Chelsea.
He has been in and out of the team throughout the 2019-20 campaign, with manager Maurizio Sarri continuing to tinker with his formations and starting XI.
Higuain has scored five goals during the Serie A campaign, including this pivotal strike against Inter:
His play has regressed as the season has worn on, however, with just one goal since the turn of the year. Sarry has mostly relied on the duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala up front.
A summer move is a possibility, although Juventus have limited depth in the attacking third and no prospects ready to step into the first team. With one year remaining on his contract, a minimal fee might be enough to convince the Bianconeri to sell if they can find a solid replacement.
Ronald Koeman Confirms Barcelona January Approach, Talks Frenkie de Jong
Mar 4, 2020
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - NOVEMBER 19: head coach Ronald Koeman of Netherlands looks on prior to the UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifier between The Netherlands and Estonia on November 19, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)
Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman has confirmed Barcelona spoke to him in January about replacing former head coach Ernesto Valverde.
The Catalan giants ultimately replaced Valverde with Quique Setien after letting slip a winning position to lose 3-2 to Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final.
Per Goal's Sam France, former Barca player Koeman was asked whether the club approached him: "Yes. I said 'no' because I am with the national team."
Koeman has been in charge of the Netherlands since 2018, and this summer he'll take charge of the team at a major tournament for the first time at UEFA Euro 2020, having guided them to the UEFA Nations League final last year.
Setien had been out of work since he left Real Betis at the end of last season. Squawka's Muhammad Butt was pleased with the 61-year-old's work in February:
if there's one annoying thing about Barcelona's turnaround under Setién it's that he wasn't apponted in the summer. if he got the job then, as he should have given Anfield, Barcelona would be FLYING now.
Under their coach, Barca play with a slower tempo and tend to dominate possession much more, but the team have sometimes lacked a cutting edge despite recording two 5-0 wins.
The Spanish champions won seven of his first nine games in charge before drawing 1-1 at Napoli in the UEFA Champions League and losing 2-0 to Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.
Football broadcaster Juan G. Arango was critical of Setien after the defeat, in which Barca dominated the first half but failed to take their chances:
Frenkie de Jong has remained a regular fixture in the team under the new manager, and Koeman gave his take on his compatriot's start to life at the Camp Nou:
"De Jong plays a lot at Barca, and that is positive.
"But he is playing in a different position than he is used to. But that is the decision of the coach.
"He's very young, and from playing games, you learn a lot of things. But I think he plays differently with me in the national team."
The midfielder appeared to be a natural fit at Barca, whom he joined from Ajax last summer for an initial €75 million.
He has made 36 appearances, 32 of them starts, so game time has not been an issue.
However, he has had to perform a different role to the one he played at Ajax and has struggled somewhat, as Barcelona blogger Kevin Williams and football writer Zach Lowy have observed:
You expect players who cost €60 million to be able to do it all. But football isn’t that simple.
You’re asking a player who’s spent his entire role specializing in certain plays, who’s focused on certain training practices, to learn a completely different role that takes time.
De Jong served as Ajax's deep-lying playmaker and excelled in that role, but Sergio Busquets' presence in the side has necessitated he be used further forward so they don't occupy the same space, per football writer Graham Ruthven.
The midfielder is only 22, though, and he signed a five-year deal at the Camp Nou when he joined the club.
Busquets has been a vital player for Barca over the years, but he'll be 32 this summer. Therefore, De Jong should receive more opportunities to play in his preferred role as the team transitions away from Busquets in the coming seasons.
Roberto Martinez Says Eden Hazard Will Play for Real Madrid Again Before Belgium
Mar 4, 2020
VALENCIA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 22: Eden Hazard of Real Madrid warms up prior to the La Liga match between Levante UD and Real Madrid CF at Ciutat de Valencia on February 22, 2020 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Belgium boss Roberto Martinez said Eden Hazard will play for Real Madrid again before the national team, and he expects the winger to be at UEFA Euro 2020.
Martinez had previously put Hazard's recovery from a fractured ankle at three months, but he is confident Hazard will feature again for Los Blancos.
"The recovery deadlines are impossible to determine because you have to see the operation and determine the deadlines from there.
"The first two weeks are important, but knowing Eden and how he's worked on other small injuries he has had, we are sure that we will have him with us [at Euro 2020].
"We'll see him in Real Madrid's shirt before the national team's shirt."
Hazard will undergo surgery on the injury in Dallas on Thursday, and Martinez said he is "very calm and very positive" ahead of the procedure.
HLN's Kristof Terreur gave further insight into Real's decision to send him to the U.S. for an operation:
Real Madrid also got in touch with the medical staff of Chelsea before they made a final decision over Eden Hazard’s ankle. #cfc
In total, he has made just 15 appearances in his debut season for Real Madrid. In that time, he has scored once and assisted five goals.
Reflecting on Real's 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester City in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie, Spanish football commentator Eduardo Alvarez noted their struggles in the final third in Hazard's absence:
Offensively this team is very limited, even more with Hazard injured again. It’s weird to say this, but if Real Madrid have anything to say this season, it will be through their defense
If he's to feature again for Real in La Liga this season, he'll need to return before their final fixture on May 24. The Champions League final is on May 30, but making it there doesn't look likely after their clash with City.
As for Belgium, only Jan Vertonghen has more caps than Hazard's 106 and only Romelu Lukaku has more than his 32 goals.
Rivaldo Says Lionel Messi 'Is the Only Barcelona Player Taking Responsibility'
Mar 3, 2020
Former FC Barcelona player Rivaldo runs during a friendly soccer match between FC Barcelona legends and Manchester United legends at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, June, 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Lionel Messi's performances for Barcelona have been defended by club legend Rivaldo, who believes the attacking talisman is being left to do it all himself this season.
Messi endured a tough night when Barca lost 2-0 against bitter rivals Real Madrid in Sunday's Clasico. The result knocked the Blaugrana off the top spot in La Liga and highlighted the problems facing Messi while Barca are beset by key injuries up front.
Despite Messi's struggles, which include failing to score away from home in the division since December 1, Rivaldo, who won a pair of La Liga titles at the Camp Nou before joining AC Milan in 2002, told Betfair (h/t Goal's Chris Burton):
"As usual, Lionel Messi had little space to play in.
"He is Barca's match winner and if he is well defended their chances of being threatening in attack are severely reduced.
"At the moment, he is the only Barcelona player taking responsibility with the ball, shooting from outside the box and trying to unbalance opposing defenders.
"No one else in the team seems capable of helping him in that department."
Messi is alone in trying to provide inspiration in the final third while fellow striker Luis Suarez is on the shelf after undergoing knee surgery. The Uruguayan is out until May, and Rivaldo believes Messi is missing having the versatile No. 9 next to him:
"Without Luis Suarez, Barcelona loses a lot because, apart from Messi, they have no other player who can surprise opponents. The Uruguayan works hard, is fearless and puts opposing defences to the sword very often. Barca are missing Suarez and, in his absence, they're putting all the responsibility on Messi. When they lose, everyone starts asking what happened to Messi. He is always the target of fans' frustration when things don't go so well for the team but that's unfair."
Rivaldo's assertion about the importance of Suarez makes sense. The 33-year-old is capable of moments of magic thanks to his quick feet, flair and natural improvisational skills:
Defences can't zero in on Messi when Suarez is fully fit. The striker's absence has been compounded since Ousmane Dembele is out for the season with a hamstring problem. The mercurial winger's pace and eye for a pass would also help ease the burden on Messi.
Without Suarez and Dembele, the onus has increased on Antoine Griezmann to get up to speed. The former Atletico Madrid forward has struggled for consistency since arriving from Atletico Madrid last summer in a deal worth €120 million.
Showing his talent only in sporadic patches, Griezmann has still helped himself to 14 goals and a quartet of assists in all competitions.
The first big chance of the match falls to @AntoGriezmann! 💥
While there have been glimpses of improvement from the France international, Griezmann is a different type of player to Messi and Suarez. The latter pair can unlock a defence with individual trickery, but Griezmann thrives thanks to the speed and timing of his runs.
Griezmann is a player reliant on the vision and technique of others to bring out the best in his game. Messi embodies those qualities, but he no longer enjoys the support he used to get from midfield when maestros Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta played for the club.
Artistry no longer defines a Barcelona engine room now underpinned by the industry and brawn of Arturo Vidal and Frenkie de Jong. It means Messi has been lumbered with the dual responsibility of being his team's primary goalscorer and chief creator.
The workload would be too much for most good players, and It's even beginning to weigh down arguably the greatest talent of his generation.
Martin Odegaard Says He Plans to See out 2-Year Loan Spell at Real Sociedad
Mar 3, 2020
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 28: Martin Odegaard of Real Sociedad reacts during the Liga match between Real Sociedad and Real Valladolid CF at Estadio Anoeta on February 28, 2020 in San Sebastian, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Martin Odegaard has confirmed he still plans to stay at Real Sociedad for the duration of his two-year loan spell rather than return to Real Madrid early.
The 21-year-old moved to La Real last July and has been superb in the 2019-20 campaign, netting four goals and providing five assists in La Liga:
Early last month he opened the scoring as his current side dumped his parent club out of the Copa del Rey at the quarter-final stage, and he scored again when La Real beat second-tier Mirandes 2-1 in the first leg of their semi-final tie. The second leg takes place on Wednesday.
As well as being in line to win a first piece of major silverware since 1987, La Real are in the running to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League:
As a result of Odegaard's fine form, there has been some talk of him returning to the Santiago Bernabeu earlier than planned, but he has now said he wants to stay at the Anoeta Stadium for the duration of his loan spell and help the club reach their goals, per El Diairo Vasco(h/t Goal's Josh Heycock):
"When people ask if I will be here to play in the Champions League, I always say that I'm very happy here and that the plan is to play for La Real for two years. Playing against the best teams in the world is something that is great for a player and it's a dream for me.
"However, there are some very good teams in the fight, like Getafe, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and Valencia. Two things make me very excited, as we want to win the Copa del Rey and qualify for the Champions League."
Odegaard signed for Real just over five years ago after being linked with numerous other top European clubs.
He has made only one La Liga appearance for the Madrid giants, but loan spells at Heerenveen, Vitesse Arnhem and now La Real have indicated the Norway international could soon be a key part of the Los Blancos first team.
He is still remarkably young and likely only going to improve further as he gets more experience.
Odegaard has relished being La Real's key playmaker this term, an indication he will be able to handle the pressure when he finally returns to the Santiago Bernabeu:
Real Madrid have a wealth of talent out on loan, and Martin Odegaard is the pick of the bunch | @stighefootball
After his latest comments, it seems that will not be until after the 2020-21 season.
Spanish Press React to Bernabeu Going 'A Bit Crazy' After 2-0 Clasico Win
Mar 2, 2020
On a cold, blustery Sunday night—and despite it being the first Clasico to be visited by rain in a decade—Real Madrid's fans were in ecstasy at the final whistle, with many in the upper tiers of the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium happily discarding their white waterproof ponchos so they could launch them on to the pitch below.
Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-0—thanks to a pair of goals that found their purchase more by chance than skill—to secure a first home win against their eternal rivals since 2014. It was a match high on drama but low on quality, played by two clubs that, as Ramon Besa in El Paisdescribed, are "prisoners of veteran teams."
Marca,Spain's biggest-selling sports newspaper, splashed a photo of a maniacal-looking Sergio Ramos, hair tossed and climbing on to the shoulders of Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior—after the Brazilian had opened the scoring midway through the second half—on its cover page with the heading: "And the Bernabeu goes a bit crazy."
Nineteen-year-old Vinicius Junior—who overtook Lionel Messi as the youngest scorer in the Clasico this century—was singled out for his performance by the press. He was the only player, for example, to receive nine stars in Diario Sport's player ratings.
It was thrilling for him—his "greatest night as a Madridista," he announced—and vindication. He so often walks a tightrope between "genius and ridicule," as Francisco Cabezas wrote in El Mundo. Last night's goal was only his fourth in 36 league games for Real Madrid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOyEr0rC4DQ
More than the goal, however, Vinicius Junior was applauded for his energy, his fearlessness, his infectious spirit and, above all, for not being Gareth Bale. The Welsh star, who was once the most expensive footballer in history, spent the night as an unused substitute and was dismissed byDiario AS's Luis Nietoas a "hologram player."
Vinicius Junior's goal—which took a fortuitous deflection from Gerard Pique, who was roundly whistled at whenever he touched the ball, as is customary during his appearances at the Bernabeu—came after a dozen minutes of sustained Real Madrid pressure.
The white wave of attacks on Marc-Andre ter Stegen's goal began close to the hour mark when the German goalkeeper was forced into parrying a curling shot from Isco—who marked his 300th official appearance for Real Madrid with a fine performance—just around the post.
Thibaut Courtois, Ter Stegen's counterpart, has endured renewed criticism over the past week for some soft goals he let in during defeats to Levante and Manchester City. However, the former Chelsea keeper was immense. He and Vinicius Junior were the only two players to receive four-star ratings from Mundo Deportivo, which said Courtois "closed the shutters" on several Barcelona attacks.
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane can also feel a measure of redemption. After a pre-match run of three games without a win, he has been lambasted for his tinkering, especially for dropping Toni Kroos for the 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
This time Zidane got it right, returning Kroos to the team's midfield, choosing Vinicius Junior over Bale and riskily bringing back Marcelo into the starting XI for strategic reasons. The aging wing-back has been a liability in defence over the last couple of seasons, but he chipped in with a last-ditch tackle to prevent Lionel Messi from scoring late in the second half and celebrated as if he'd scored a goal himself.
"Zidane redoubled the dose of pepper on Real Madrid's left side with the inclusion of Marcelo instead of Ferland Mendy, a more defensive alternative," wrote Orfeo Suarez in El Mundo. "He wanted to provoke chaos on the left with two unclassifiable players."
Zidane also made an unlikely hero out of Mariano, a striker who has been in the wilderness. Zidane surprisingly preferred him to Luka Jovic—who, at this rate, will go down as one of the most expensive mistakes in Real Madrid's history—in the matchday squad.
Forced to give over his No 7 jersey to Eden Hazard at the start of the season, the Dominican-Spanish striker has yet to start a game this season. Before he entered the fray against Barcelona in injury time, he'd only played 44 minutes of football. (Incidentally, Hazard missed the game because of an ankle injury that will be operated on in Dallas on Thursday, as Marca's Hugo Cerezo and Jose Felix Diaz reported.)
On Sunday, Mariano made every second count. Like Cinderella's late, decisive arrival at the ball, as alluded to by Nieto in his Diario AS match report, Mariano showed great ambition in bearing down on goal from a difficult angle with his first touch on the ball, and he profited from a miscued shot that caught Ter Stegen unawares at his front post to round off the night's scoring.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who wore the No. 7 jersey with unrivalled distinction at the club, was a surprise visitor to the Bernabeu—his first visit back to the stadium since he left for Turin in the summer of 2018.
Taking advantage of the suspended Juventus vs. Inter Milan game, which was called off because of coronavirus fears, his presence in a private box was commented upon widely by the press. It provoked "an outbreak of longing and melancholy" in Diario AS columnist Elias Israel, who added: "A Clasico without CR isn't what it used to be...Real Madrid doesn't have a player [anymore] to fill the stage".
Both of Catalonia's sports newspapers, Diario Sport and Mundo Deportivo, ran with editorial lines that argued "Barca deserved more," to quote the headline on Santi Nolla's lead article in Mundo Deportivo, chiefly because they squandered several goal-scoring chances in the first half before being overrun in the second period.
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 01: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 1, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo
Diario Sport even scored Barcelona's players better than Real Madrid's, 68 points to 62. The Madrid-based Marca saw things the other way around, scoring it 25 to 10 for the starting XIs in Real Madrid's favour, which was fair enough given Los Blancos' dominance was reflected in stats like corner kicks (8 to 2) and shots on goal (13 to 9).
Besa lamented the torpor that is bedevilling this Barcelona team: "They have no wings to dribble or disorientate [the opposition], full-backs that are flaky and their football is like a spin cycle, waiting to jell with Messi or synchronise with the [aimlessly floating Antoine] Griezmann.
The performance of Griezmann—whose inability to dribble is at odds with the type of tiki-taka football his coach Quique Setien is trying to evangelise—was savaged: neither Diario AS nor Marca gave him a star in its player ratings. Marca's pen portrait made fun of him for ballooning a first-half goal chance "into the clouds."
Messi—who had previously scored 15 goals in 21 games at the Bernabeu, which the Spanish media had been calling "Messi's garden" over the weekend—put in a quiet shift. He was labouring "half-injured," which caused him to uncharacteristically cough up two chances when put clean through on goal.
Barcelona's team is noticeably ageing. They look jaded, which was epitomised by the sight of a half-fit Jordi Alba—who was once famed for his speed—being outrun by Real Madrid's Fede Valverde. Five of Barca's starting XI against Real Madrid are in their thirties, excluding Ivan Rakitic—who came on as a second-half substitute—and the injured Luis Suarez.
They are worryingly fragile away from the Camp Nou, too, as they've now dropped more points than they've won on the road—18 collected from a possible 39 points. It's advantage Real Madrid. Their win pulls them a point clear of Barca (and crucially with a better head-to-head record) at the top of the table.
There is a way to go yet, though, with more twists and turns to come. With 12 games remaining, and neither side convincing, both sides will inevitably drop more points in a contest that former Real Madrid player and manager Jorde Valdano accurately described on Onda Cero as "a race between two lame men."
Gerard Pique Slams Real Madrid's El Clasico Performance; Sergio Ramos Hits Back
Mar 2, 2020
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 01: Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona reacts during the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 01, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Gerard Pique bemoaned Barcelona's failure to capitalise on Real Madrid's first-half performance in El Clasico on Sunday after Los Blancos ran out 2-0 winners at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real won the match courtesy of second-half goals from Vinicius Jr. and Mariano Diaz, but Barca had enjoyed much better chances in the opening period.
Per MailOnline's Matt Porter, Pique said: "That was one of the worst Real Madrid displays that I've come across at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first half."
The defender felt Barcelona "controlled the game" prior to the break and rued their missed opportunities:
"If only we'd made the most of the game in the first half. I'm not saying it as a criticism [of Madrid]. Each team has their problems. We're hardly very good.
"We were able to stamp our authority. If we'd made the most of our chances in the first half, they would've had a mountain to climb."
Pique's comments were put to Real counterpart Sergio Ramos, who responded: "I would sign now to win every Clasico if it meant playing as badly in the first half as he thinks we played."
Thibaut Courtois had to make three saves in the first half, denying Lionel Messi twice either side of a strong stop to keep out Arthur. He also made an important save from Martin Braithwaite in the second half before Vinicius' opener:
Barcelona failed to maintain their level of performance after the break:
in the first-half Barcelona slowed the tempo down when Madrid were getting hot. second-half they just failed completely to do that. Vidal was on for far too long.
Unlike Barca, Real capitalised while they were on top in the game, giving them their first La Liga win over the Catalan giants at the Bernabeu since 2014.
One of Barcelona's biggest problems is their over-reliance on Messi. The 32-year-old is good enough to get them through most matches, but they often struggle if he's not at his best.
Sunday's match was one to forget for the Argentinian:
Messi isn't getting any younger—he will turn 33 in June—so the problem is only going to get worse until the club can give him more support on the pitch.
The defeat has handed the initiative back to Los Blancos in the title race too. Defeat to Levante and a draw with Celta Vigo in their previous two matches had seen Real slip behind Barcelona, but they are now a point ahead with 12 matches remaining.
Given the two played out a 0-0 draw at the Camp Nou in the reverse fixture, Real have a superior head-to-head record this season, so their lead over Barca is effectively two points.
Toni Kroos, Thibaut Courtois and La Liga Team of the Week After Matchday 26
Mar 2, 2020
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 1: (L-R) Isco of Real Madrid, Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid, Dani Carvajal of Real Madrid, Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates goal 1-0 during the La Liga Santander match between Real Madrid v FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 1, 2020 in Madrid Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Real Madrid regained the lead in La Liga's title race on Sunday as they beat Barcelona 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu to leapfrog them atop the table.
Wins for Sevilla and Getafe saw them overtake Atletico Madrid in the standings after Los Rojiblancos were held to a 1-1 draw by Espanyol.
Eibar claimed a vital 3-0 victory over Levante, while Valencia and Athletic Bilbao beat Real Betis and Villarreal, respectively.
Real Madrid had Thibaut Courtois to thank for keeping things level in El Clasico before Vinicius Jr. and Mariano Diaz fired them to victory late in the second half.
The Belgian made four saves in the match, including vital stops against Arthur, Lionel Messi and Martin Braithwaite:
Football writer and broadcaster Lee Roden singled him out for praise:
Huge credit to Courtois tonight. Had a rough evening last weekend but stopped Barça from leading going into the break then his save from Braithwaite is a massive moment that sets up what happens a few minutes later. When he's switched on still among the best.
Dani Carvajal was an enormous presence for Los Blancos on the right flank against Barcelona.
He assisted Diaz's goal with one of the three chances he created on Sunday, and he made four tackles, including a vital challenge on Messi in the penalty area.
DEF: Jose Antonio Martinez, Granada
Jose Antonio Martinez put in a fine defensive display as Granada drew 0-0 with Celta Vigo on Saturday.
The centre-back won six aerial duels and two tackles, as well as making five clearances and three interceptions to keep out the visitors.
DEF: Jules Kounde, Sevilla
Kounde made two tackles and four clearances in Sevilla's 3-2 win over Osasuna, but it was his attacking contribution that made him stand out this weekend.
The Frenchman created two chances for his side, including a headed assist for Youssef En-Nesyri's 92nd-minute winner.
DEF: Pervis Estupinan, Osasuna
Pervis Estupinan was unfortunate to be on the losing side in Osasuna's clash with Sevilla.
The left-back was a monster in defence, making seven tackles, three clearances and two interceptions, while going forward he completed three take-ons and created three chances.
MID: Adnan Januzaj, Real Sociedad
Adnan Januzaj headed home the decisive goal in Real Sociedad's 1-0 win over Real Valladolid on Friday:
👀 Adnan Januzaj scores for the second consecutive week!
The German was instrumental in Los Blancos breaking the deadlock, slipping through Vinicius for their opener.
MID: Saul Niguez, Atletico Madrid
Saul Niguez notched one of the goals of the weekend for Atletico Madrid when he cancelled out Stefan Savic's own goal to level proceedings against Espanyol:
HIGHLIGHTS | @saulniguez scored a peach of a volley, but it wasn't enough for victory at Espanyol. 🍑
He set up Charles' opener with his head and rounded out the scoring with a low finish from eight yards.
FWD: Charles, Eibar
Charles scored twice for Eibar on Saturday, reaching a milestone in the process:
25 - Eibar's Charles Dias is the second player to reach 25+ goals for the club in the top-flight, after their all-time top-scorer in the competition Sergi Enrich (31). Milestone. pic.twitter.com/9MbhMt8Das
He poked home Orellana's header from close range before heading home a cross from strike partner Sergi Enrich. He should have had a hat-trick after Levante were penalised for a handball, but his spot-kick was saved.
FWD: Youssef En-Nesyri, Sevilla
En-Nesyri scored his first goals at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan for Sevilla since his move from Leganes in January:
He opened the scoring early on after being slipped in by Oliver Torres, and he later notched a dramatic injury-time winner from close range after his side had let slip a two-goal lead to 10-man Osasuna.
