FC Barcelona moved 12 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga after securing a 2-1 win at the Camp Nou on Sunday night.
LaLiga
Result: Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid
Date: 19 March 2023
Venue: Camp Nou
Barca made only one change from their win against Athletic Bilbao, as Ronald Araujo returned from suspension and Ferran Torres was sacrificed upfront, with Robert Lewandowski flanked by Gavi and Raphinha.
Madrid, meanwhile, were unchanged after edging Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League last 16 second-leg, as Karim Benzema shrugged off an injury to start alongside Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde up top.
The Catalan giants were on the front foot in the opening exchanges but all their dominance did not count, as Los Blancos took the lead on nine minutes thanks to a cross by Vinicius Junior that was deflected into own goal by Araujo.
Xavi's charges kept their intensity going forward and Andreas Christensen came close to levelling matters on 23 minutes with a header in the box that dragged just wide after a cross by Raphinha.
Carlo Ancelotti's men had a better resistance, keeping the ball for much longer periods, however, Blaugrana's persistence paid off on the stroke of haltime after Sergi Roberto got the equaliser with a low strike from a scramble in the box.
Barcelona had the upper hand in the early stages of the second stanza but they only came close to going ahead just before the hour-mark after Lewandowski fired a first-time low strike on a turn that was deflected just wide.
Los Blancos changed their shape of attack after that as Rodrygo replaced Toni Kroos and the substitute had a big chance to restore the lead for the visitors moments later after he went through on goal from a high press but he fired his shot wide.
Ancelotti was more aggressive from the bench as Marco Asensio was introduced for fresh legs with 13 minutes to go, which nearly paid off after the Spanish midfielder found the back of the net five minutes later with a side-footed shot, but the goal was chalked off by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for offside.
The game stretched from end to end in the dying minutes, but Ivory Coast international Franck Kessie snatched the winner in stoppage time with a side-footed shot after a cut-back by Alejandro Balde.
As a result, Blaugrana pulled 12 points clear of second-placed Madrid at the top of the log with 12 matches to go.
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