Real Madrid Win El Clasico

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo slots home a penalty in the first half.

Real Madrid took the clasico honours as they beat Barcelona 3-1 in the first meeting of the two Spanish giants this season.

With Luis Suarez handed a starting berth for the first time, Neymar opened the scoring for Barca inside five minutes with a wonderful curling effort as he picked up the ball and slotted it coolly past Iker Casillas.

Madrid got level before the half-time break as Marcelo broke free down the left and crossed low, only for Gerard Pique to handle and concede a penalty. Claudio Bravo in the Barcelona goal had not conceded in the league all season, but Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up and continued his incredible scoring run by netting the spot-kick.

Then Madrid took over in the second half. Pepe leaped highest to head home from a corner five minutes after the break and Karim Benzema doubled the lead when he capitalised on a counter-attack to score with a low shot that went in off the post on 61.

Suarez, who was quiet throughout the game, went off on 69 minutes and Barcelona were unable to get back into the game as their lead at the top of La Liga was cut to a single point.

Athletic Bilbao won for the first time in La Liga since August as Xabier Etxeita’s goal ensured a 1-0 win in a low-quality clash at Almeria.

Etxeita drove home low 12 minutes into the second half to give the visitors some reason for cheer in a campaign which has so far brought precious little cause for optimism.

The win was only Athletic’s second in the league this season and ended a nine-match winless run in all competitions. It moved them a point behind their opponents, who themselves have only two league wins to their name this term.