First-leg victory puts Barca's dreams of a double on track.
This Clasico, the first of three in 34 days, was a chance for league leaders Barcelona to improve their chances of a domestic double, and for Real Madrid to inspire their own confidence in a stunning late-season comeback. The teams are scheduled to meet in LaLiga on March 19 before the Copa return leg at Camp Nou on April 5. Despite having the smallest of leads, Barca's 1-0 victory puts them in a strong position to advance to the final, especially as they will host the second leg.
Photo Credit: FC Barcelona official FB Page
On Thursday, Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 1-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal at the Santiago Bernabeu thanks to an own goal by Eder Militao.
When Barca took the lead in the 26th minute, Karim Benzema had a goal disallowed for stepping offside to receive a cross from Vinicius Junior. Ferran Torres set up midfielder Franck Kessie, and after Thibaut Courtois stopped his attempt, the ball rebounded off of defender Militao and into the goal.
Before halftime, Dani Carvajal missed a great opportunity to tie the score by volleying over the bar. After the break, Vinicius saw a shot deflected wide, and later, Barca was unlucky not to add a second when substitute Ansu Fati blocked Kessie's goal-bound shot.
The unpredictability and resounding victories for both teams in recent Clasicos have drawn attention, but they haven't always been indicative of the greater picture. Last season, Xavi's Barca won 4-0 at the Bernabeu as Madrid advanced to the league title. Then, in October, Madrid secured a convincing 3-1 victory here, and in January, Barca won the Spanish Supercopa by the same score.
As Madrid's possession domination clashed with Barcelona's defensive resiliency, the game was considerably tighter and tense with few clear chances. Given the absence of Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, and Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona's victory, however it was attained, is a further boost to their confidence and a missed chance for Madrid.
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