11/04/2021
11/04/2021
MADRID, April 11, (AP): Keeping Lionel Messi in check again in what could turn out to be his last Spanish league clásico, Real Madrid continued the impressive run which has put it at the heart of the title race. Four days after beating Liverpool in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, Madrid defeated Barcelona 2-1. Barcelona, which had been unbeaten in 19 straight league games, are one point behind Madrid.
The 33-year-old Messi, who reached seven straight clásicos without a goal, has his contract with Barcelona ending this season. The Argentina star expressed his desire to leave the Catalan club last year but had the request denied. Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos scored first-half goals to give Madrid their sixth straight win in all competitions. The defending league champions were coming off a 3-1 win over Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Barcelona got on the board in the second half with a goal by Óscar Mingueza. They nearly equalized with a shot from young substitute Ilaix Moriba that struck the crossbar in the final play of the match. The result ended Barcelona’s sixmatch winning streak in the league. They had won nine away matches in a row in the competition. It was an even start at the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium in Madrid’s training center, but the hosts opened the scoring in the 13th minute with Benzema’s superb fl icked shot from close range after a low cross by Lucas Vázquez.
The French striker, who has scored 10 goals in his last nine matches, got in front of Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo and flicked the ball toward the net with his back foot. He hadn’t scored against Barcelona in nine consecutive clásicos. The Catalan club complained of a foul by Vázquez on Messi just moments before the opening goal. Kroos added to the lead in the 28th from a free kick following a foul on Vinícius Júnior, who was coming off an outstanding performance in Madrid’s win over Liverpool. Kroos shot from just outside the area and the ball was deflected by American defender Sergiño Dest before going into the net.
Madrid almost added to the lead in the 34th when Federico Valverde hit the post after a breakaway led by Vinícius Júnior, who also hit the post in the second half. That was after Barcelona pulled one back in the 60th with a shot from inside the area by Mingueza after a low cross by Jordi Alba. Madrid played the final minutes a man down after Casemiro was sent off with a second yellow card. One of Messi’s best chances was with a corner kick that curled across the area and hit Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’ far post in first-half stoppage time. Messi’s free kick in second-half stoppage time was easily stopped by Courtois.