Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid: Clásico 2018

Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid: match report

We were promised a Clásico of little consequence. They said the league was over and there was nothing left to play for. But what transpired at the Camp Nou on Sunday night had a little bit of everything. Early goals and red cards. Two comebacks from the visiting side. A clear penalty decision that wasn't given and plenty more debatable refereeing to go with it.

Andres Iniesta said goodbye and Sergi Roberto said hello to the line after a half-baked punch on Marcelo in the first half. It was the perfect game to keep Real Madrid on their toes with Liverpool in their sights and Bale scored on his dress rehearsal for that game too.

Luis Suarez opened the scoring after Sergi Roberto found him at the back post. He rifled home and the scoring had begun. Just four minutes later, another cross, which was sent in by Kroos, was headed down by Benzema and Ronaldo poked home. It came at the expense of the Portuguese's full health as he turned his ankle and would be replaced at half-time.

After such a lively start, it seemed to have settled into some form of pattern. It looked like we were looking at an uneventful end to the half too. But it was just the calm before the storm. As we approached the break, both Ramos and Suarez were booked for getting into it after the Uruguayan accused the Spaniard of a late elbow. Lionel Messi was booked for a late challenge on Ramos just moments later and Bale raked his studs down Umtiti's calf and was lucky not to be sent off. 

There was to be more, however, as Sergi Roberto threw a punch in Marcelo's general vicinity and was sent off before the referee got the chance to blow for half-time and all of a sudden despite nothing being on the line, all of a sudden it mattered like a Clásico should.

Being down to 10 men did not deter Barcelona as they retook the lead through Lionel Messi after a very clear foul on Raphael Varane, which he admitted himself in the interview after the game. That was before Gareth Bale landed just his second Clásico goal in 10 attempts to tie things level.

Marcelo was fouled for what looked like a definite penalty, which wasn't given and Keylor Navas stopped Messi a couple of times before it was all over. 

In the end, a game that mean little in real life took on a life of its own and for anyone suggesting any Clásico that ever happens in the future means nothing, you can point them in the direction of the game that took place on Sunday at the Camp Nou. 

Barcelona vs Real Madrid live: minute-by-minute

Barcelona vs Real Madrid live: preview

Barcelona have already won the league but there is one last clásico to be played before the season ends with a few matters to be cleared up. Real Madrid travel to the Camp Nou on Sunday 6 May 2018 to play Barcelona as Andres Iniesta says goodbye to the great rivalry...for now, at least. Meanwhile, Zinedine Zidane will have one eye on the Champions League and we aren't quite sure how many eyes Barcelona will have on their unbeaten league campaign and how desperately they will defend it.

Ernesto Valverde says "it will be a decaffinated" game because Barcelona have already won the league but nothing can be taken for face value when it comes to the clásico. Barcelona, who won the league last week with a 2-4 win over Depor, have been told they won't be getting a guard of honour for their achievement and while it won't matter a whole bunch, it surely wrankles enough to give this game some extra flavour. Barcelona are without Lucas Digne, André Gomes, Aleix Vidal and Yerry Mina but has a full squad aside from those technical omissions.

Real Madrid have the biggest game of their season on the horizon. They play Liverpool in the Champions League final on May 26 in Kiev and avoiding injuries is of paramount importance. Isco is already out of the clásico and Dani Carvajal is too. Raphael Varane, who has been battling injury since the Bayern Munich game, is in the squad but Zidane has never been known to needlessly risk players. His team selection will prove to us how badly Real Madrid want to ruin the invincible run Barca have been on. After humiliation at the Santiago Bernabeu in December in the reverse fixture, Zidane will surely want to exact some sort of revenge but it's just a matter of how much he is willing to see his side suffer in pursuit of it.