Barcelona moved to within a point of Real Madrid at the top of La
Liga as they twice came from behind thanks to a Lionel Messi hat-trick
to edge a thrilling El Clasico 4-3 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The
sides went in level 2-2 at half-time as a record 19th goal against
Madrid from Messi cancelled out Karim Benzema’s double after Andres
Iniesta had put Barca in front.
Cristiano Ronaldo then put Madrid
back in front from the penalty spot, but the hosts were reduced to
10-men when Sergio Ramos pulled down Neymar inside the box 10 minutes
later and Messi levelled once more from the spot.
And the Argentine won the game with another penalty seven minutes from time after Iniesta had been felled by Xabi Alonso.
A
first defeat for Real in 32 games means Atletico Madrid remain top of
the table thanks to their better head-to-head record against Los Blancos
with Barca still in third.
“The league starts a new now,” said Barca boss Gerardo Martino.
“More
than the mathematical distance we were behind, the impression was
people wrote us off. Atletico Madrid were always in the fight and I
think that after this result we are too.
“We knew if we didn’t win
tonight it was over for us. We still don’t have matters in our own
hands, but we’ll now fight till the end.”
Real coach Carlo
Ancelotti, meanwhile, lamented Ramos’ game-changing red card when Madrid
had just gotten themselves back in front.
“I haven’t seen it again and it is difficult for me to comment on the decisions of the referee because there were many.
“However,
it was the key moment. We were winning 3-2 and controlling the game
well, but it is much more difficult to control the game with a player
less.”
The game got off to a blistering start as after Neymar and
Benzema had early efforts easily saved, Barca opened the scoring when
Messi played in Iniesta behind the Real defence and the Spanish
international smashed the ball in off the underside of the bar.
Benzema
had a great chance to equalise five minutes later when he spooned Angel
Di Maria’s cut-back over after a great a jinking run from the Argentine
had taken him past three Barca defenders.
Messi could then have
made it 2-0 when he fired wide with the type of opening he is normally
deadly with as he raced onto Cesc Fabregas’ fine through ball.
Benzema
made amends for his earlier miss 20 minutes in when Victor Valdes just
failed to keep out his header from Di Maria’s cross.
The Frenchman
then completed a rapid turnaround for the hosts as Javier Mascherano
misjudged another Di Maria centre from the left and Benzema took a touch
before firing past the helpless Valdes.
Gerard Pique had to make a vital clearance off the line to prevent a hat-trick of Di Maria assists for Benzema.
- Controversial penalty award -
Barca
responded before half-time and were level when Messi controlled a loose
ball inside the area and slotted home at Diego Lopez’s near post.
Benzema
could still have put Madrid in front at the break as his looping header
from Dani Carvajal’s cross crept inches past the post.
The first
opportunity of the second period also fell to Benzema after a terrific
run and pass from Gareth Bale, but this time Valdes managed to make the
save low to his right.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men did retake the lead
on 55 minutes when referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco controversially
awarded a penalty for a trip on Ronaldo by Alves despite the contact
appearing to take place outside the area.
Ronaldo was unmoved, though, as he got up to take hammer the resulting spot-kick low past Valdes’ outstretched right hand.
However, the game turned again 25 minutes from time when Messi released Neymar and he was brought down by Ramos.
Real’s
captain for the evening was shown his 19th red card for Los Blancos for
denying a clear goalscoring opportunity and Messi converted from the
spot to make it 3-3.
Alves then struck the inside of the post from
25 yards as Barca went in search of the goal that would salvage their
title chances.
And they got it when Mallenco awarded a third
penalty of the evening as Iniesta tumbled inside the area and Messi
again dispatched it perfectly high past Lopez.
Source: AFP
Home
»
»Unlabelled
» Messi treble sees Barca past Real in seven-goal thriller
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment