23 October 2006, by Sean Gillen

Real Madrid send Barcelona tumbling to second straight defeat

Real Madrid 2-0 Barcelona

Barcelona lost their second game in a week as they went down 2-0 at arch rivals Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. Goals from Raul and Ruud van Nistelrooy gave Los Merengues the win, and opened up the La Liga title race in the process.

Portuguese midfielder Deco started the game in midfield for Barca, but the former Porto playmaker was badly off-form for the champions, as was current FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho.

The hosts got off to the perfect start when captain Raul gave them the lead in the 3rd minute of Spain’s biggest domestic fixture. Young international right-back Sergio Ramos crossed brilliantly to the back post, where Spain’s record goalscorer nodded in from close range.

A confident Real almost made it two after fifteen minutes, but were denied by the woodwork. Robinho’s trickery on the left beat Gianluca Zambrotta before his cross found Raul, whose finish took a deflection of Lillian Thuram before striking the bar. Shortly afterwards, the brilliant young Brazilian drifted infield before hitting a curling shot to bring a good save out of Valdes.

If Robinho was the dangerman for the home side, Barca’s very own young superstar was looking the biggest threat for the visitors. Lionel Messi beat two Real defenders before setting up Eidur Gudjohnsen inside the penalty area, but the Icelandic striker somehow missed the target.

As the half progressed, Barca began to take control, and the champions went close several times before the break. Their best opportunity to draw level fell to the impressive Messi, who failed to test Casillas when afforded time and space inside the box.

Messi was then denied by Casillas, only to pick up the rebound and feed Deco from 10 metres out, but the Portuguese blazed over. Ronaldinho went close with a free-kick shortly after as Real rode their luck to go in ahead at the interval.

The home side emerged from half time a much more solid unit, looking to catch their opponents on the break. Dutch striker van Nistelrooy forced Valdes into a comfortable save from outside the area, before Gudjohnsen again should have done better for Barca.

Madrid got the all-important second goal on 51 minutes, and it was a result of a perfectly executed counter-attack. Guti found the pacey Robinho, and the 22-year-old clipped a ball across to van Nistelrooy, who beat the onrushing Valdes to the ball and poked home.

Van Nistelrooy then hit the bar with a lob and Messi smashed into the side netting when put through as the match began to develop into an end-to-end encounter. Van Nistelrooy had another chance to put Madrid out of sight, but was foiled by Valdes when one-on-one with the Barca ‘keeper.

Although Barca’s enthusiasm began to fade, they continued to create chances, with substitute Saviola dragging a shot wide and Ronaldinho’s free-kick well-saved by Casillas in the closing stages.

The champions may feel that they had enough of the game and created enough chances to leave with a point, but the result means that the Spanish title race has become a more interesting proposition. Barca have missed injured star striker Samuel Eto’o both recent matches against Chelsea and Real, highlighted by their inability to score in either game.

The Catalans remain top, however, and will be looking to get back on the winning trail at the Nou Camp next Sunday against Recreativo, before again entertaining Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea in the Champions League.

Match Reaction:

Fabio Capello (Real Madrid manager):
“The three points are very important because we are now closer to Barcelona and they are a psychological boost. I said since the first day I arrived here that we would be very competitive. Then, you play and you can win or lose. Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, all these teams can get to the end of this campaign in the same situation as us, with chances of winning the League.”

Frank Rijkaard (Barcelona manager):
“The goal came too soon, but we showed that we were able to come back with some creative football. We just needed to take some of our chances. We dominated the game in a tough ground to play on. We accept the defeat, though we’re not happy about it, and well just keep on working hard now. We have to put it into context though – we’ve lost a game, not the league, losing here doesn’t mean we lose sight of our overall objective, that’s what we are working for.”

Guti (Real Madrid):
“It was a very important game after last year’s defeat. We played well and pressurised intensely in midfield. We capitalised on the opportunities we created... and had we been a better shot tonight, we could have scored quite a few more goals. It wasn’t that we wanted to get even just because of last year. It was a great coup for us. Few people trusted our chances and capacity, but we’re at the top of the League.”

Deco (Barcelona):
“We created the opportunities to score, but unfortunately, we just couldn’t put them away. I think there was a foul in the build up to Real Madrid’s first goal, but that's football and we can’t fall back on it as an excuse.”

Ronaldinho (Barcelona):
“Conceding a goal so early on isn’t good as it means you have to change a lot of your tactics. I thought both teams played well, the difference was we didn’t put our chances away. Of course we miss Eto’o, but we’ve lost two games that you would always say we might have been expected. Now we have to talk things over and make sure we out right our errors.”

Lionel Messi (Barcelona):
“It’s a pity, because we created lots of chances, but we just couldn’t put them away. We have a great team though and mustn’t let that go - we always knew Real Madrid had a strong team with great players and they showed that tonight. It was certainly a tough game for us.”

Real Madrid:
Casillas, Ramos, Roberto Carlos, Cannavaro, Ivan Helguera, Emerson, Diarra, Guti (Beckham, 83), Raul, Robinho, van Nistelrooy (Reyes, 80)
Yellow Cards: Emerson (21), van Nistelrooy (56), Guti (70), Beckham (86)

Barcelona:
Valdes, Zambrotta, Silvinho, Thuram, Puyol, Iniesta, Deco (Giuly, 55), Xavi, Messi, Ronaldinho, Gudjohnsen (Saviola, 66)
Yellow Cards: Zambrotta (54), Ronaldinho (82)

Goals:
[1-0] Raul, 3
[2-0] van Nistelrooy, 51