Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid: Five things learned as El Clasico new boys steal the show

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Barcelona and Real Madrid couldn’t be separated in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final at Camp Nou.

The visitors broke the deadlock early on through Lucas Vazquez after fine work from Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema, but Malcom levelled things up for Barcelona after the break.

Lionel Messi, who started the match on the bench, was eventually introduced but couldn’t swing the tie in the hosts’ favour.

Here are five things we learned from a lively Clasico.

1. Barcelona miss Messi, water is wet

There was a Barcelona before Messi and there will be a Barcelona after him. But while he is still at the club, it will continue to be a dispiriting experience watching Barcelona when their talisman isn’t in the team.

Every break, ever slick move, every set-piece; it’s impossible to watch without wondering how Messi would make every moment even better, such is the ability he has. Alas, the after-effects of a thigh injury meant the Argentinian was forced to sit on the bench for an hour, chewing a plastic bottle through nerves until he was finally introduced.

Just the sight of him stripping down to his kit was enough to change the entire atmosphere inside Camp Nou. But while Messi drove at the Madrid defence whenever possible after his arrival, he couldn’t quite make the breakthrough and add to Malcom’s equaliser.

We are left to wonder if Barcelona would have made a better start had Messi featured from the beginning. At least we know his thigh problem is not serious and he should start in the second leg.

2. Clasico new boys steal the show

Real Madrid have been heavily linked with Eden Hazard once again this week, but could be it be that the European champions already possess a player who could one day eclipse Hazard?

Vinicius Junior, the young Brazilian sensation playing in his first Clasico, will certainly hope that’s the case. The 18-year-old had has been involved in eight goals – more than any other La Liga player – in the Copa del Rey this season going into the game, scoring two goals and providing six assists.

In an electric first half display, he attempted more shots (4) than all of Barcelona’s players combined and was involved in opener, playing an inch-perfect ball to Benzema on the other side of the penalty area – the Frenchman squared the ball for Vazquez who made no mistake from close range.

After the break he struggled to have a similar influence and was substituted with half an hour to go. Another Brazilian who shone in the first half was Barcelona’s Malcom, who took his momentum into the second period and scored a well-taken equaliser.

There have already been suggestions Malcom’s Barcelona future is in doubt, but he’ll have earned plenty of good will here. What’s more, he appears to have struck up a promising partnership with a teammate…

3. Barcelona’s right side shows promise

Most of Barcelona’s best attacking work, particularly in the first half, came down the right. Malcom and right-back Nelson Semedo looked eager to impress from the very start, giving Jordi Alba all sorts of problems.

In the opening 45 minutes, both Malcom and Semedo completed more take-ons (four each) than the entire Real Madrid team. Semedo repeatedly showcased his excellent footwork, getting out of trouble and avoiding the fierce Madrid press, while Malcom looked the most likely goalscorer for Barcelona.

And course, that proved to be the case. The duo will know one impressive performance against Real Madrid won’t guarantee either of them a regular place in the team. But both players will know they have done their chances of starting ahead of other squad members a world of good.

The Malcom-Semedo combination was arguably hindered by Messi’s arrival as Barcelona attempted, understandably, to get the ball to their talisman as often as possible, sometimes bypassing Malcom in the process.

4. Clasico stalwarts produce a mixed bag

Just a glance of the pitch during a present-day Clasico is both a familiar and jarring experiences. There are plenty of recognisable faces, yet at the same time there is a feeling we have entered the autumn of a Clasico era.

Xavi, Andreas Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo are gone, and multiple stalwarts have entered their 30s, soon to make way for a new era of stars, the likes of Vinicius Junior and Barcelona substitute Carles Alena.

So how did the older heads perform here? Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos still resemble brick walls, Karim Benzema provided an assist, and Sergio Busquets was the definition of cool in central midfield. Others are showing signs of rust; Luiz Suarez has lost a yard of pace, Luka Modric didn’t quite demonstrate the control we’ve come to expect, and a relatively ineffective Ivan Rakitic was substituted with 30 minutes left.

A new wave is always ready to come through, especially at clubs as gigantic as Barcelona and Real Madrid, but it will be a sad day when some of the names mentioned above are no longer lining up in the Clasico.

5. Second leg perfectly poised

First legs are often closely fought contests with neither side wanting to take too many risks. While there was plenty of quality on show at Camp Nou, there was a degree of anxiety from both sides, particularly with Messi’s ‘will he/won’t he’ presence hanging over the occasion.

Thankfully, there is another leg to come and it should be a cracker. Madrid will have gained confidence from holding Barcelona in front of their own fans; they needed that after the 5-1 Clasico defeat in La Liga last time out.

Ernesto Valverde will regret his side’s inability to kill the tie off at home, but having Messi fit for the second leg could strengthen Barcelona’s favourites tag.

The post Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid: Five things learned as El Clasico new boys steal the show appeared first on Squawka News.



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