Barcelona 5-1 Real Madrid: Luis Suarez scores a hat-trick in Nou Camp thrashing

Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as Barcelona outclassed Real Madrid to seal a stylish El Clasico victory that further damages their bitter rivals and Madrid's stricken manager Julen Lopetegui.

The former Spain boss now seems certain to lose his job in the wake of a humiliating defeat in a match crucial to his chances of survival.

His side conjured something of a revival in the second half but ultimately they were sunk by an irresistible Barca performance, and it now appears only a question of when he will be fired.

Philippe Coutinho slotted in and Suarez converted a penalty, awarded by a video assistant referee decision for Raphael Varane's foul on the Uruguayan, for Barca's half-time advantage.

Marcelo chested down and finished to give Real hope, but Suarez's header and chipped finish, followed by Arturo Vidal's header, completed the rout.

The visitors had begun the day within four points of Barca, but now trail them by seven and find themselves ninth in the table after 10 matches.

Ernesto Valverde's side, winners of seven league titles from the past 10, are top of the league, leading Atletico Madrid by two points.

A Real man on the brink

European champions Real began the post-Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo era impressively under former Spain boss Lopetegui, but since then the mood has shifted dramatically.

Before Sunday's match, everyone, except those with any official connection to Real Madrid that is, was saying the same thing: Lopetegui was set for the sack and only a handsome win in El Clasico could save him.

Even then the consensus seemed to be that only a wide victory margin - a 5-1, for example - would do the job.

In the second half, his side might easily have drawn themselves level on more than one occasion but luck did not run their way.

Winners of the past three Champions Leagues, they were looking desperately short on confidence, but emerged from the break transformed and almost dragged themselves level in a 10-minute spell of clear superiority.

First Marcelo poked home from close range after good work by Isco and substitute Lucas Vazquez down the right, before Luka Modric clipped the inside of the post and Karim Benzema missed with a header.

That period of dominance was reminiscent of the 1-0 defeat at CSKA Moscow in the Champions League where they had 23 shots at goal and hit the post twice, and last weekend's 2-1 home defeat by Levante, where they had 33 shots, hit the woodwork three times and had a goal ruled out by the video assistant referee.

But ultimately, none of this will count in Lopetegui's favour. Madrid have now failed to win in their past five La Liga games, drawing once and losing four, their worst run since May 2009 under Juande Ramos, who lost six in a row at the end of the 2008-09 season.

Suarez outshines Barca's big signings

In the absence of Lionel Messi, the question was who would be Barca's talisman? Ousmane Dembele, the £135.5m France international forward? Or Coutinho, signed for £142m?

In the end it was Suarez who stole the show and defined this classic Clasico encounter in the Argentine's absence.

His second goal was perhaps the most vital to his side, as it restored a two-goal cushion following significant Real Madrid pressure, but his third, Barcelona's fourth of the night, was by far the most stylish.

The former Liverpool striker dinked a wonderful chip over Thibaut Courtois with Real Madrid ragged at the back.

It seemed to mark the point of humiliation that Barca's fans behind Courtois' goal had been dreaming of, and the reaction in the stands matched that of the players on the pitch: sheer glee as they watched their rivals suffer.

Late substitute Vidal's header provided the final painful blow, and Dembele even came close to adding a sixth in injury time. The European champions had simply crumbled. And who, now, can suggest Lopetegui is the man to rebuild them?

Man of the match - Luis Suarez

Match stats - Suarez follows Romario and Ronaldinho

Excluding Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez is the first Barcelona player to score a hat-trick in El Clasico in La Liga since Romario in 1994.
Also not counting Messi, Suarez is the first Barcelona player to score a penalty in El Clasico since Ronaldinho in April 2006.
There were 30 passes in the build-up to Philippe Coutinho's goal for Barcelona against Real Madrid, the most of any goal in El Clasico in La Liga since at least 2005-06.
Real Madrid have conceded five goals in a competitive game for the first time since November 2010 against Barcelona in La Liga (5-0).
Barcelona are unbeaten in each of their past 42 league games at the Nou Camp in (W34 D8), their longest such run since February 1977 (67).
Barcelona's Luis Suarez has scored nine league goals against Real Madrid since his debut in the competition during 2014-15, more than any other player in that time.
Barcelona have scored in each of their past 22 league games against Real Madrid in La Liga (53 goals total), equalling the best scoring record in El Clasico history in the competition - Real Madrid (22 games between 1959 and 1969).
Real Madrid have failed to win in their past five La Liga games (D1 L4), their worst run in the competition since May 2009 under Juande Ramos (five defeats).
Marcelo has scored in three consecutive games for Real Madrid for the first time ever in all competitions.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has conceded 19 goals against Barcelona in La Liga, more than against any other side in the competition.

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

1ter Stegen
20Roberto
3Piqué
15Lenglet
18Alba
4RakiticBooked at 38mins
5Busquets
8ArthurSubstituted forVidalat 84'minutes
12RafinhaSubstituted forNélson Semedoat 69'minutes
9SuárezBooked at 77mins
7CoutinhoSubstituted forDembéléat 74'minutes

Substitutes

2Nélson Semedo
11Dembélé
13Cillessen
14Malcom
19El Haddadi
22Vidal
36Brandáriz

Real Madrid

Formation 4-3-3

25Courtois
6NachoBooked at 39mins
5VaraneSubstituted forVázquezat 45'minutes
4Ramos
12MarceloSubstituted forMarianoat 82'minutes
10Modric
14Casemiro
8Kroos
11BaleBooked at 53minsSubstituted forAsensioat 77'minutes
9Benzema
22Isco

Substitutes

1Navas
7Mariano
15Valverde
17Vázquez
19Odriozola
20Asensio
24Ceballos

Referee:: José María Sánchez Martínez
Attendance:: 93,265

Match Stats

Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamReal Madrid

Possession: Home53%; Away47%

Shots: Home13; Away15

Shots on Target: Home8; Away4

Corners: Home4; Away2

Fouls: Home17; Away14

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, Barcelona 5, Real Madrid 1.
90'+2'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 5, Real Madrid 1.

90'+1'
Post update
Attempt missed. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Mariano with a through ball.
90'
Post update
Offside, Barcelona. Gerard Piqué tries a through ball, but Nélson Semedo is caught offside.
90'
Post update
Attempt saved. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sergi Roberto.
87'
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 5, Real Madrid 1. Arturo Vidal (Barcelona) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ousmane Dembélé with a cross.
85'
Post update
Foul by Sergi Roberto (Barcelona).
85'
Post update
Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84'
Post update
Nélson Semedo (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
84'
Post update
Foul by Isco (Real Madrid).
84'
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Arturo Vidal replaces Arthur.
83'
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 4, Real Madrid 1. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sergi Roberto.
82'
Post update
Attempt missed. Marco Asensio (Real Madrid) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Karim Benzema.
82'
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Mariano replaces Marcelo because of an injury.
80'
Post update
Attempt saved. Sergi Roberto (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Luis Suárez.
79'
Post update
Foul by Jordi Alba (Barcelona).
79'
Post update
Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing.
77'
Substitution
Substitution, Real Madrid. Marco Asensio replaces Gareth Bale.
77'
Booking
Luis Suárez (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
77'
Post update
Foul by Luis Suárez (Barcelona).

As It Stood

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Barcelona	10	6	3	1	28	12	16	21
2	Alavés	10	6	2	2	14	9	5	20
3	Sevilla	10	6	1	3	22	13	9	19
4	Atl Madrid	10	5	4	1	12	5	7	19

5	Espanyol	10	5	3	2	14	8	6	18
6	Real Valladolid	10	4	4	2	9	7	2	16

7	Levante	10	5	1	4	16	15	1	16
8	Getafe	10	4	3	3	10	8	2	15
9	Real Madrid	10	4	2	4	14	14	0	14
10	Celta Vigo	10	3	4	3	17	13	4	13
11	Girona	10	3	4	3	12	14	-2	13
12	Real Sociedad	10	3	3	4	12	13	-1	12
13	Real Betis	10	3	3	4	5	9	-4	12
14	Valencia	10	1	8	1	7	8	-1	11
15	Eibar	10	3	2	5	10	17	-7	11
16	Ath Bilbao	10	1	7	2	11	15	-4	10
17	Villarreal	10	2	3	5	8	10	-2	9

18	Leganés	10	2	2	6	8	15	-7	8
19	Rayo Vallecano	10	1	3	6	10	20	-10	6
20	Huesca	10	1	2	7	8	22	-14	5

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270 comments

Comment posted by Bozo and the Sheeple, at 17:18 28 Oct 2018
Can only smile when Ramos is on the end of a drubbing.
Comment posted by BlueIsTheColour, at 17:35 28 Oct 2018
How is Courtois getting on?
Comment posted by MGM, at 10:22 28 Oct 2018
Getting his just deserts for the shameful way he dropped the national side.
As for Moaninho at Real, why? Hes a tactical dinosaur. Would Real seriously
want him?
Comment posted by Cardigan McBardigan, at 17:18 28 Oct 2018
Shows how good Ronaldo was for them. Benzema as a replacement? He'd struggle to get in Crystal Palace's team.
Comment posted by justincfc, at 17:44 28 Oct 2018
Real Madrid smashed. Would of been a whole lot messier if messi had been playing.
Comment posted by User0888795663, at 17:17 28 Oct 2018
So when Barça do this kind of result to a Scottish team the Scottish team is a pub team 🤔
Anyway so glad it was Real that was on the wrong end , nice one Barça 😎
Comment posted by thefruitbat, at 18:23 28 Oct 2018
Anyone feeling sorry for courtois?

I know I'm not, and I'm certainly not a blue.
Comment posted by JD, at 09:54 28 Oct 2018
@4 What’s wrong with covering other leagues in the world?! There could be people from Spain living in this country who like to catch up on their native football, the bbc are providing a service!

40 years?! You poor soul, have you got a charity appeal going? 😂😂 how long will that last 😂
Comment posted by Unionjack606, at 18:38 28 Oct 2018
Pick that out the back of the net Ramos, you cheat 😂😂😂
Comment posted by Hope in my Heart, at 18:14 28 Oct 2018
76 - I don’t know how much you know about football - but as the Ramos fan you seem to be - did you know that he has been sent off 24 times - the third highest record of all time - the incident in the ECL final is far from clear - my dislike of Ramos is based on his record and watching him - and Pepe - kicking lumps out of Messi and others in El Classico - he is a thug isn’t he?
Comment posted by U17187432, at 09:54 28 Oct 2018
@1 Sister club? You mean where all fed up Liverpool legends go to win things? Completely obsessed lol...... STILL
Comment posted by low profile, at 17:35 28 Oct 2018
JayRM. Still applauding Messi's broken arm? 5-1. Good riddance pal.
Comment posted by Matthew, at 18:39 28 Oct 2018
Suarez is such a good player and I really feel should be considered the 3rd best before the likes of Hazard, Dr Bruyne and Salah.
Comment posted by User0642132446, at 17:30 28 Oct 2018
Lopetegui, Ramos, Real M board...

couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch. Gutted for them ;)
Comment posted by cmac, at 18:36 28 Oct 2018
Always enjoyable to watch Real Madrid getting a pasting. Especially Ramos, and Marcelo, absolute parasites. Nice to see Barca play such a brand of football as well. No doubt the RM manager will get his marching orders soon enough. Great, great club bit some horrible players. Their demise seems to be mirrored by Man Utd double the pleasure.
Comment posted by pablito, at 18:13 28 Oct 2018
All the plastic Real Madrid fans will probably start supporting Getafe now!
Comment posted by User0513098535, at 17:15 28 Oct 2018
Must have been hard for JayRM to write that comment with tears streaming from his eyes.
Comment posted by Shaibal, at 17:50 28 Oct 2018
Zidene knew he could not build a team around Bale to last the entire season and that Ronaldo would have found it difficult to do the same for another long season, so he bowed out when transfer requests were not granted.
Comment posted by TheUEFA_BlueBadgesElite, at 18:13 28 Oct 2018
81. Posted by Another User

JayRM has never been to see Real Madrid and wouldn't recognise a Spanish word from a Chinese one.
Comment posted by Socks, at 17:27 28 Oct 2018
Since the CL final everything gone down hill haha karma. I'm loving cheating Madrids demise.