Barcelona v Real Madrid: La Liga – live | La Liga

Key eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this feature17 min Vinicius beats Araujo with ease and curls an early, inswinging cross that is a couple of yards in front of Benzema. We’ve seen him put those on Benzema’s head in the past.14 min A fierce shot from Benzema smacks Kounde straight in the face, with his head snapping backwards. He says he’s fine to continue. If there was a medical check, it was a cursory one.12 min Balde surges down the left and is challenged by Carvajal. The runs into the area towards Lewandowski, who shifts the ball away from Rudiger and is about to shoot when Carvajal comes on the blind side to make a crucial block tackle. That was a brilliant recovery from Carvajal.Updated at 20.17 GMT11 min We know Vinicius v Araujo would be a key battle, but I don’t think anybody anticipated a goal like that. Araujo was essentially blameless; he was very close to Vinicius and couldn’t get out of the way.Camavinga made a good run into the area on the left, then gave the ball to Vinicius. He danced round the houses, away from goal, and lifted a cross that hit the head of Araujo, wrongfooted ter Stegen and drifted miserably into the net!GOAL! Barcelona 0-1 Real Madrid (Araujo og 9)Madrid take the lead out of nothing!Updated at 20.12 GMT7 min Vinicius tries to run Araujo, who matches him for pace and then eases him out of play. Good defending. That will be a fascinating battle.6 min: Excellent save from Courtois! Busquets guided a terrific angled cross towards the unmarked Raphinha at the far post. He powers a header back across goal, and Courtois dives to his right to make a fine one-handed save. Moments later, Sergi Roberto swishes just over the bar from 20 yards.5 min Lots of early possession for Barcelona. Real Madrid don’t seem too perturbed, mind you; they have a helluva collective poker face.3 min: Good save by Courtois! Lewandowski rolls Kroos, 25 yards from goal, and pings a shot that is pushed away to his right by the diving Courtois. It’s been a cracking start to the game.1 min Benzema forces ter Stegen to make a save after 23 seconds. It was comfortable enough, low to his right, after Benzema hit one from just outside the area with his left foot.1 min Karim Benzema gets the game under way, and why not.Karim Benzema in action. Photograph: Ángel Martínez/Getty ImagesUpdated at 20.13 GMTHere come the players. There’s a cracking atmosphere, and no wonder: Barcelona could effectively win the league tonight.“I genuinely think if Real win this game, they have every chance of coming back and winning the league,” writes Arhaan Sayed. “I definitely hope that is NOT the case, as we Barca fans have not tasted the league title since 2019. Visca el Barca!”The teams in formationBarcelona (4-3-3) ter Stegen; Araujo, Kounde, Christensen, Balde; Roberto, Busquets, De Jong; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Gavi.Substitutes: Fati, Torres, Sotorres, Alonso, Alba, Kessie, Garcia, Torre, Tenas, Galiot.Real Madrid (4-3-3) Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Nacho; Modric, Camavinga, Kroos; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius Jr.Substitutes: Vallejo, Hazard, Asensio, Lunin, Odriozola, Vazquez, Tchouameni, Ceballos, Rodrygo, Mendy, Diaz, Lopez.Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea.Updated at 19.45 GMT“Evening Rob, evening everyone,” says Adam Griffiths. “I have no horse in the race so am just hoping for lots of scenes that apparently noone wants to see, and maybe some quality football. But mostly those scenes.”How the table looksThirteen games, nine points. You’d think, realistically, that Real need to win today. And they sure as flip can’t afford to lose.Team newsXavi makes one change for last weekend’s win in Bilbao. Ronald Araujo replaces Ferran Torres, so Sergi Roberto moves into midfield and Gavi replaces Torres as the left-sided attacker.Real Madrid are unchanged from their 1-0 victory over Liverpool in midweek.Updated at 19.42 GMTPreambleIt’s el clasico, Madrid need to win to keep the title race alive, and a scandal’s a-brewin. There’s your preamble!