Barcelona: Real Madrid gained a measure of redemption at the Camp Nou by holding Barcelona to a 1-1 draw here Wednesday and taking the upper-hand in the semifinal of Copa del Rey.
Neither Lionel Messi nor Gareth Bale were named in the starting line-ups for this first leg but their replacements filled the void as Malcom’s curling shot cancelled out an early opener from Lucas Vazquez of Real Madrid.
After an impressive opening 20 minutes, Real Madrid were largely second best in a compelling, if unspectacular, Clasico but the result leaves them well-placed heading into the second leg February 27 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
For Santiago Solari’s side, a resilient, gutsy display will also help erase the memory of their humiliation here in October, when they were thrashed 1-5, a result that caused Julen Lopetegui to be sacked the following day. “Comparisons are unhelpful,” said Solari. “But this result shows how hard the team is working.”
Messi, who had been struggling with a thigh problem, and Bale, who faces a fight for place after recovering from a calf injury, both came on after the hour but neither could inspire a winner.
Instead, it was Vazquez, and two youthful Brazilians that took centre stage. Vazquez scored but Vinicius (Jr), the youngest Real Madrid player to feature in a Clasico this century, was his team’s greatest threat until the 18-year-old departed in the second half.
“I’m not surprised by how he plays because I’ve known him since he arrived,” said Solari. “But an 18-year-old boy playing and developing in this way, that is a surprise.”
Malcom was just as unpredictable and in the end, it was the 21-year-old’s intervention that kept Barca on level terms.
“The tie is in the balance,” said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde. “A draw is a fair reflection,” said Sergio Busquets.
Vinicius led the way from the start. He was fearless, full of imperfections and erratic decisions but delivering moments of clarity too when Madrid were at their most threatening.
He jinked inside Nelson Semedo and teed up Toni Kroos before producing the cross that created the goal, an arching ball over the head of Jordi Alba, which Karim Benzema tucked back for Vazquez to poke in.
Barca had been just as frantic, with Luis Suarez even tripping over his own feet. But they improved and after half an hour, were in the ascendancy.
Malcom missed a one-on-one and then became their best player for a period, crossing for Ivan Rakitic to head against the bar and teeing up Suarez to sting the hands of Keylor Navas.
Barca were a little fortunate with the equaliser. Navas rushed out to block Alba before Suarez curled a brilliant shot that beat the diving Sergio Ramos but not the post. It spilled to Malcom and he still had work to do, 20 yards out with white shirts in front. He found a gap to hit the net.
AFP