Real Madrid Beat Barca for Second Time in a Week

Real Madrid beat Barcelona for the second time in five days with a 2-1 win in La Liga play, this victory should boost Jose Mourinho’s team for its Champions League trip to Manchester United.  Madrid even managed without Ronaldo for much of the match, as Mourinho rested the Portuguese winger until the final half hour with the game against United on Tuesday in mind.

While Madrid remains 13 points behind Barcelona in the league, this result could allow second-place Atletico Madrid to cut the deficit to nine points on Sunday at Malaga. Lionel Messi extended his Spanish league scoring record to 16 straight games when he equalized in the 18th minute to cancel out Karim Benzema’s sixth-minute opener. Sergio Ramos netted the winner in the 82nd minute when he headed in Luka Modric’s corner to give Madrid its first home league victory over Barcelona since 2008.

Midfielders Xabi Alonso and Mesut Oezil were also given a rest, along with forward Angel Di Maria.  Even with several reserved players on the pitch, Madrid picked up where it left off at Camp Nou when a ball intercepted in midfield led to a swift goal in two passes, as Barcelona’s defense conceded a goal for the 13th game in a row. However, Messi made sure Barcelona hit back when he beat Madrid’s offside trap to reach Dani Alves’ thru ball, cut back and fired with a sharp left-footed effort.  Mourinho sent on Ronaldo in the 57th and he was able to hit the woodwork with a free kick, in limited playing time. 

Copa de Rey El Classico at the Camp Nou

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid overcame its fierce rival Barcelona 3-1 at the Camp Nou and 4-2 on aggregate to secure their place in the Copa del Rey final. Lionel Messi was inches away from opening the scoring with only 90 seconds on the clock as his instant control and shot on the turn from Pedro's cross flashed across Diego Lopez's goal and narrowly wide.

 

But it was Real who took the lead in the 13th minute when Ronaldo was sent down the wing by Gonzalo Higuain's, and with the Portugal ace drawing a foul from Gerard Pique in the box. While both Pique and Barcelona were infuriated with the call referee Undiano Mallenco's decision was absolutely correct. Ronaldo drilled the ball into the bottom corner and sent goaltender Jose Pinto the wrong way for his sixth successive Classico goal at Camp Nou.

 

Supports at the Camp Nou thought Barcelona had equalized approaching half-time as Messi rippled the outside of the net with a low free-kick. Real made it 2-0 on another counter-attack as a long ball out of defense was chased down by Angel Di Maria, who turned Carles Puyol inside and out and took a shot that was saved by the feet of Pinto, but the ball rebounded to the waiting Ronaldo to control and convert in the 57th minute for his 2nd of the match.Any hopes Barcelona had of mounting an improbable comeback were outdone when Raphael Varane, produced a towering header from a corner.

El Classico - Copa de Rey Semifinal at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium

Real Madrid and its fierce rival Barcelona played out to an electrifying 1-1 draw in their Copa del Rey semifinal. While Barcelona enjoyed the majority of the ball possession, the match grew in intensity with both teams counterattacking another at a rapid pace.  With Captain Madrid Iker Casillas injured with a broken hand, Jose Mourinho named team star Cristiano Ronaldo as captain.  The scoring opened with none other than Barcelona’s Lionel Messi intercepting a clearance and setting up Cesc Fabregas in the 50th minute. 19-year-old Raphael Varane closed an excellent game; heading an equalizer in the 81st. Madrid was able to suffocate Messi ending his prolific scoring streak in which he had found the back of the net in his previous 16 starts.

Madrid began the match attacking, and Gerard Pique fouled a charging Ronaldo in the first minute to concede a free kick. Barcelona then began to come into the game and its first chance came from a pass by Andres Iniesta that Joredi Alba ran onto, beating the offside trap, but he shot wide of the far post. Followed by Xavi Hernandez striking a free kick that hit the crossbar in the 21st.  The second half also began with Madrid attacking, but Karim Benzema shot was too high.  Madrid coach Jose Mourinho trying to revitalize his midfield brought on Luka Modric for Jose Callejon and his attack with Gonzalo Higuain substituting Benzema.  Madrid's were able to sustain pressure towards the end of the match as they were trying for a game winning goal but there attack was stopped when Dani Alves stopped Mesut Oezil's ball reaching Ronaldo in the 84th.

The second leg will be at the Camp Nou on Feb. 27.