Lionel Messi’s last minute goal helps Barcelona to 3-2 win over Real Madrid: Match highlights

0208 hrs IST: That was almost the final kick of the ball. Barcelona beat Real Madrid at the Bernabeu 3-2. 

0204 hrs IST: GOAL!!!! Messi the messiah for Barca. Sergi Roberto started it with a piercing run down the middle and the extra man started biting for Real, He pushes all the way forward, passes it to Alba who gets it to Messi. He takes the shot from nearly 15 yards and it goes past Navas and Messi holds his shirt in front of the the Barca fans.

0200 hrs IST: El Clasico is what they call this match. Now you know why. Asenjio drives at Pique, finds space in the box on the left side of goal and goes for the near post provoking a brilliant save from Ter Stegen.

0157 hrs IST: GOAL!! James catches Barca in deep slumber. Marcelo puts a simple cross into the box and Barcelona don’t notice James coming across to take it and directs it into the net. The 10 men are level with the 11.

0155 hrs IST: Marcelo brings down Rakitic, he is already on a yellow but referee only gives a free kick near the touchline deep into the Real half. It comes to nothing and Ronaldo gallops on the counter but it comes to nothing for Real.

0151 hrs IST: Barca on to Real like a rash, Gomes passes the ball in field and finds Pique of all people inside the box, he takes a shot but it is saved against all odds by Navas. 

0148 hrs IST: Lionel Messi taken down at the half-way mark by Sergio Ramos and the Real captain is sent-off!

0144 hrs IST: GOAL!! A screamer, a golazzo from Rakitic. Rakitic takes possesion about 20 yards from goal, cuts inside and unleashes a curler. Navas has made save after brilliant save but this time, he is powerless to keep it out,

0140 hrs IST: Keylor Navas makes another blinder of a save. It was a dream of a pass from Iniesta from the left to Suarez at the far post, he takes the shot but Navas saw it all the way and saves it.  

0139 hrs IST: What a miss and Ronaldo is the man. Asenji makes a run down the right again, Ter Stegen commites but he passes it to Ronaldo who now has to just tap it in but it is well over.

0138 hrs IST: Asenji charges down the right and puts in a cross, Ronaldo makes an acrobatic attempt and misses.  

0135 hrs IST: Modric swings the ball into the box from midfield trying to find Ronaldo, Ter Stegen first to it.

0130 hrs IST: Corner for Barca and Rakitic swings it in, Pique makes the perfect connection and Navas makes an absolutely brilliant save. 

0128 hrs IST: Barca starting to get into their stride yet again. Messi finds Suarez upfield but the Uruguayan’s first touch is too heavy and is straight into the hands of Navas.

0127 hrs IST: What a chance for Barca! Alba puts in a lovely ball onto Rakitic who pokes it to Alcacer who is clear on goal, has only Navas to beat. But his shot is too close to the keeper.

0124 hrs IST: Kroos passes it to Marcelo who pushes down the right and whips in a cross, Benzema connects and a brilliant reflex save from Ter Stegen. The resulting corner is cleared but Carvajal attempts from far out that is just over the bar.

0120 hrs IST: Real take a corner and it is cleared only as far as Kroos. He takes a shot from outside the box and Ter Stegen dives to save it. All out attack from Real in the first few minutes of this second half.

0118 hrs IST: Second half kicked off by Barcelona. And Real Madrid have taken the ball away from them, Asenjio bursts down the right and tries to find Benzema, unable to do so 

0102 hrs IST: Half Time!! It’s all square at the Bernabeu. There was a chance for Barca just before the referee blew the whistle at the halfway mark as Rakitic’s corner came to Lionel Messi near the far post, he put the ball back in but the danger was cleared. The match seemed to be following the expected script when Casemiro scored the goal that gave Real the lead. But Lionel Messi, battered and bruised, turned on the magic, as he left Carvajal for dead before putting the ball past the helpless Keylor Navas. He has since been on fire. Neymar’s absence would have hurt Barca but if Messi plays like this for the rest of the match, there is little Real Madrid can do about it.

0100 hrs IST: Casemiro, already on a yellow, takes down Messi and the Barca players hound the referee for a second yellow. It will only be a free-kick.

0056 hrs IST: Barcelona getting into their element now and Lionel Messi is threatening to dribble his way into goal every time he has the ball at his feet.

0054 hrs IST: Messi tries to find Suarez upfield but a Real shirt intercepts only for the ball to fall back into the path of Messi who dashes into the box, finds space and takes a shot, Navas saves.

0052 hrs IST: Change for Real Madrid, Gareth Bale taken off for Marco Asenjio. 

0051 hrs IST: Modric takes a shot from far out and it Ter Stegen dives to save it. Meanwhile Gareth Bale hobbles off the pitch. The Welsh wizard’s season simply fails to take off.

0046 hrs IST: GOAL!! Messi equalises for Barca. Rakitic receives a ball at the edge of the box from midfield and puts it into the path of Messi first time. Messi gets inside the box, gets past Carvajal as if he doesn’t exist and almost passes it to the far post. Bloodied face? Doesn’t matter.

0042 hrs IST: GOAL!! Casemiro puts Real in front! Right at the half hour mark, Real strike. Barca clear a corner only as far as Marcelo on the other side, he puts in a cross to the far post that Ramos takes a jab at. Ter Stegen tries to get it but it goes through his hands and hits the post. The ball then falls to Casemiro who only has an empty net to turn it into an open net.

0041 hrs IST: 

Time for #ElClasico very rare to see two of the worlds best together! Electric atmosphere at Bernabeu #HalaMadrid

— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) 23 April 2017

0037 hrs IST: Real Madrid hoick the ball upfield and it is taken by Gareth Bale who makes dismal shot at goal. Bale has been looking way out of touch in this match. He has fumbled a few crosses before this.

0034 hrs IST: Lionel Messi down on the ground with blood pouring from his mouth. He is taken off the field. Replays show that Marcelo’s elbow collided with Messi’s face. Nothing intentional it seems like and the referee only asks Messi to be taken off the field.

0032 hrs IST: Modric puts a pass straight down the middle, finds Benzema upfield who goes for goal and is unable to keep it away from Ter Stegen

0030 hrs IST: Ronaldo puts a ball down the path of Karim Benzema but Pique gets a foot to it and clears the danger. Messi gains possession at the half way line and slices through the heart of the Real defence, and lays it off for Rakitic who ran into the space created in Messi’s wake. The pass has a bit too much on it and it rolls out for a goal kick.

0026 hrs IST: Barcelona showing that this will not be a stroll in the park for their arch-rivals despite the dip in their fortunes in recent weeks. It is to remembered that Clasicos tend to have results that are contrary to the form that the two teams have enjoyed for the remainder of that season.

0022 hrs IST: Suarez receives the ball from Alcalcer at the edge of the box and takes a shot. It misses the post by the whiskers. The first real opportunity for Barca.

0018 hrs IST: Real Madrid dominating the proceedings in the early minutes. Barca have a moment with the ball but Real come away with the ball. Ronaldo charges down the ground and is near the Barca box in no time. Pique the only man to defend and Ronaldo flicks inside and takes the shot, it’s straight at Ter Stegen

0010 hrs IST: Bale puts a ball in from the right to Ronaldo who goes down in the box. Referee is not interested.

2350 hrs IST: If we have to draw any inferences from the teams, it’s advantage Real Madrid at the moment. Neymar has been a driving force for Barcelona in recent games and his absence will be a big blow. How effective Gareth Bale will be in the match is something that remains to be seen but at the moment, the momentum is with Real.

2320 hrs IST: So Bale does play after returning to the training only on Thursday. Paco Alcacer meanwhile comes in for Neymar who was suspended. Despite all the hullabaloo, Barca named the squad without him.

2315 hrs IST: TEAMS ARE IN!

Real Madrid: Keylor Navas, Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Nacho, Marcelo, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo y Benzema.

Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Umtiti, Jordi Alba, Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta, Luis Suárez, Messi & Paco Alcácer. 

2300 hrs IST: Hello and welcome to our coverage of El Clasico. The second encounter of the season with Real holding the advantage over the visiting Barcelona. Barca need a win if they are to keep their title hopes alive. Zidane, however, maintains this game doesn’t hold as much significance as made out to be. We’ll see how he reacts at the end then.