Barcelona v Real Madrid: La Liga – live! – The Guardian, Theguardian.com

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (minAnsu Fati wins a corner for Barcelona. He takes it himself, driving it beyond the far post, where the under-pressure Suarez heads well wide. The last goalless draw between these sides, since you asked, was days ago.

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********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** minBale is fine. Lenglet looks a bit groggier but is going to continue.

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There’s a break in play after a clash of heads between Lenglet and Bale. While they are being treated, the 20 – year-old Ansu Fati replaces Antoine Griezmann.

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**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** minA double change for Real Madrid. : Rodrygo and Luka Modric replace Isco and Fede Valverde. Both were excellent but have looked tired in the last 12 – (minutes).

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**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** minSergio Ramos gets his mandatoryclasicobooking, either for dissent or a foul on Messi.

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****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** min“I can happily confirm that people in other countries than England read the Guardian MBM and are interested inel clasico, ”says Clare Lawrence. “Especially since this MBM is on the front page of Guardian Australia.”

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******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** minisco is booked for a lunge at Griezmann. Just as Barcelona’s three yellow cards told the story of the first half, so Real’s three tell the story of the last (minutes).

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Real Madridwere so dominant for so long, but it is starting to feel like they are hanging on for a point. Barcelona have been so much better since the introduction of Arturo Vidal.

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after a frantic counter-attack from Barcelona, Suarez whacks a curler high and wide from the left side of the area.

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NO GOAL!

Yes, the offside decision stands.

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They are checking the offside

but I am pretty sure Mendy was offside.

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********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** min: BALE HAS A GOAL DISALLOWED FOR OFFSIDE!It’s the right decision, just about. Mendy was a fraction offside when he ran onto a crossfield pass and cushioned a volley across goal for Bale to score from close range.

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(********************************************************************************************************************** (***************************************************(****************************************************(**************************************** (********************************************************************************************(************************************** (******************************************************Bale reacts to an offside decision. Photograph: Josep Lago / AFP via Getty Images (**********************************************

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A neat lay-off from Suarez finds de Jong, who surges forward and hits a low drive from 23 ya rds that is comfortably saved by Courtois.

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********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) “Thanks for throwing the rule book in my face, Rob,” says Colin Chamberlain. “You do invite musings to be emailed to you, remember?”

Musings, aye.

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********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) Bale is booked for a late tackle on Griezmann.

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ min: Good chance for Bale!Valverde slalomed infield from the right, all the way to the edge of the box. After his first attempted pass was blocked, Valverde poked the loose ball through to Bale in space on the left side of the area. He allowed the ball to run across his body and lashed a rising drive that rippled the side netting at the near post. He should have done better.

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(********************************************************************************************************************** (***************************************************(************************************ (****************************************************** (*************************************************** () (************************************** (****************************************************** (******************************************************Bale goes close. Photograph: Quality Sport Images / Getty Images (**********************************************

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ (min) “You HAD to link to that a Ronaldo header, didn’t you?” Says Matt Dony. “I’m still scarred by a similarly towering header he put away a few summers ago. Still, on a vaguely related note, very happy to see Bale playing for Madrid. Should he score the winner, I’m sure many things will be forgiven. ”

Based on your emails during the MBM, I’m surprised you can remember anything about that night.

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** minCasemiro is booked for a foul on Suarez. Barcelonaare having their best attacking spell of the game.

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) A very deep cross from the right is headed off the outside of the near post by Benzema. It’s not as dramatic as it sounds: ter Stegen had it covered and watched it all the way.

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**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** minGriezmann has a snapshot blocked and Madrid break dangerously, only for Benzema to play a poor ball to Valverde.

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**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) A couple of points on that double chance. Had Messi scored, it might have been disallowed for an accidental handball by Griezmann in the build-up; and I think Suarez had miskicked before Ramos challenged him, though it’s hard to be sure.

It was in the same attack as the Messi miss, so presumably the Griezmann handball would still have been a factor. I’ll level with you: I haven’t a clue about the laws these days.

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**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** min: Lionel Messi turns into a pub player!What a miss that was. He was found by Griezmann’s low cross, eight yards from goal, but he miskicked the ball completely. A few seconds later, Sergio Ramos made a desperate last-ditch tackle to deny Luis Suarez. At first look I thought it was a penalty; the referee did not.

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******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) “So if it’s on tele why do people follow it on the computer?” Sniffs Colin Chamberlain. “A barca is a boat in Spanish. FC Barcelona’s nickname is Barça in Catalan. ”

Okay.

1. As you’ll doubtless know if you’ve read the Guardian football website at any point in the past years, we don’t do MBMs of games unless they are on TV.

2. As you’ll doubtless know if you’ve read the Guardian football website at any point in the last years, the Guardian style guide says we should not use diacritical markings in MBMs.

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********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) Arturo Vidal replaces Nelson Semedo forBarcelona, which means Sergi Roberto will move to right-back.

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********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) Valverde has far too much time to tee up another sweet long-range strike that deflects wide off poor old pique. Barcelonaare being battered 0-0.

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ (min) ***************** (I’m ****************) interested in this game, if that helps, ”says Mac Millings, although quite why the Guardian thinks people are interested in Colin Chamberlain’s opinion is beyond me. I’m calling that personal attack a ‘tactical foul’ by the way, but only to annoy Stephen Carr. ”

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********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (min) Another long spell of possession from Real. It’s been a while since they’ve dominated like this at the Camp Nou.

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**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** minMessi skedaddles thrillingly from center to left before driving a low cross that is cleared a split-second before reaching Griezmann.

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minBale is flattened by Lenglet, a clear foul that the referee can’t be bothered to give. That was a bit odd. Apparently Arturo Vidal is warming up for (Barcelona) , which is no surprise given the way Real dominated the midfield in the first half.

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minThe impressive Isco wins an early corner for Madrid. It’s headed away by Pique, who has been Barcelona’s rock so far.

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Pique and Ramos jump for the ball. Photograph: Lluís Gené / AFP via Getty Images (**********************************************

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minPeep peep! Barcelonabegin the second half.

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“The amount of spacethat Barca’s pressing leaves is a cause for concern, ”says Hrishabh Narayan. “Roberto playing RM but finding it hard to cast off the right-back in him. Needs to be forward more and a little more center. For he has always made a difference with those diagonal through runs. ”

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“Why do The Guardian think people are interested in this,”

says Colin Chamberlain. “Everton are playing Leicester City in the League Cup 1/4 final. By the way, in Spain they are known as Madrid, not Real. ”

Well, the Everton game isn’t on TV, so there’s that. There’s also a developing – if controversial – school of thought that people in all countries are interested in the most glamorous fixture in world football.

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“I’m petitioning Uefa

to introduce mandatory yellow cards for use of the term ‘tactical foul’, ”says Stephen Carr.

This one will run and run. Until somebody stops it with a tactical foul.

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“I’m late to the play,”says Charles Antaki. “Just settling into my seat for the end of Act I of the Panto, and it seems that Sergio Ramos is still on the pitch. Theater just isn’t what it used to be. ”

He’s setting a new record forclasicoappearances tonight. I suppose we all hoped he would behave accordingly, but he hasn’t tried to maim anyone yet.

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Half time: Barcelona 0-0 Real Madrid

Peep peep! Both teams had attempts cleared off the line in a relatively subdued first half. Madrid have been the better team and should probably be ahead, with Barcelona struggling to get control of the midfield. For once, the story of the half can be told in the number of bookings:Barcelona3-0 Madrid. See you in minutes for the second half.

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minLenglet is booked for a cynical foul on the breaking Isco. Just before that, Suarez’s cushioned volley across the six-yard box took a vital deflection off Mendy, with Messi waiting behind him to score.

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minAnother sweetly struck long-range volley from Valverde is well saved by ter Stegen, falling to his right.

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min“Hey Rob,” says Neil McGwyre. “Just watching that video of Ronaldo nutting that header home made me think that he might have a future in Aussie rules when he decides there are no more worlds to conquer on the association football scene. The ability to get up like that and take a mark is a much-revered talent and would have him on manyan end-of-season highlights reel. If he’d like to a grow a mullet and get many more tattoos then he can only increase his chances. I’m quite sure he’d also be fond of the very short shorts and the sleeveless tops to show off his guns. ”

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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ min: Jordi Alba misses a great chance!Messi played an exquisite chip over the defense, right into the path of Alba’s run, but his sidefooted volley from eight yards bobbled just wide of the far post.

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minSuarez reminds everyone he’s on the field by giving the assistant referee an unmerited bollocking and then, seconds later, getting himself booked for a foul on Casemiro.

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Kroos, given far too much spaceyards from goal, shoots well wide. Barcelona look really vulnerable in midfield; Sergio Busquets is having a marvelous game.

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******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** minBarcelona are having plenty of possession now, but Real still look the more dangerous side.

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