Real Madrid vs Barcelona. Spanish La Liga.
Santiago BernabeuAttendance78,237.
Zidane records first Clasico win as Real boss at the Bernabeu
Monday 2 March 2020 08:06, UK
Second-half goals from Vinicius Junior and Mariano Diaz saw Real Madrid overcome Barcelona 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu, a result that lifts Zinedine Zidane's side back on top of La Liga.
After a scoreless first half in the Spanish capital, the hosts made the breakthrough with just 19 minutes left to play thanks to Vinicius' deflected strike, before Mariano's injury-time effort sealed the win.
As a result, Real have leapfrogged the champions to go a point clear at the top of the table with 12 games left to play this season.
Real entered the fixture having lost the previous four Clasicos at the Bernabeu, while they also tasted defeat to Man City in the Spanish capital in midweek, making this a must-win clash as far as Zidane was concerned.
However, it was Barca who looked the more threatening in the first half and it needed an excellent close-range save from Thibaut Courtois to prevent Arthur from opening the scoring just past the half-hour mark.
The hosts came out a changed team after the break, though, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen soon called into action to get fingertips to divert Isco's delightful curler behind for a corner and it was the visitors' German 'keeper who was an increasingly busy figure in the second period.
Real's playmaker was then denied a rare headed goal by Gerard Pique's goal-line clearance, forcing the visitors to change things up by introducing Martin Braithwaite with 20 minutes left.
The substitute very nearly scored with his first touch in El Clasico, only for Raphael Varane to make another goal-line clearance, before the breakthrough finally came.
Toni Kroos's clever pass released Vinicius and from an acute angle in the box, the Brazilian's shot was deflected past Ter Stegen at his near post by Pique's outstretched leg.
The result was confirmed in the second minute of stoppage time when Mariano showed Samuel Umtiti a clean pair of heels down the right wing, before powering into the area and again beating Ter Stegen at his near post with a cheeky finish.
Madrid take on Real Betis at the Benito Villamarin Stadium a week on Sunday (8pm), while Barca face Real Sociedad at the Nou Camp on Saturday afternoon (5.30pm)
