El Clásico: Aubameyang brace – Barça tear Real apart at the Bernabeu

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A good laugh: double goal scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Photo: Sergio Perez/EPA

FC Barcelona celebrated a prestigious success in the Spanish Primera División: In the »Clásico« against archrival Real Madrid, the Catalans, who were financially and in the first half of the season also sporty, played well and won 4-0 (2-0).

Winter signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the lead (29th minute), defender Ronald Araújo increased before the break with a header from a corner (38th).

After a fantastic move, Ferran Torres made everything clear (47'), Aubameyang lobbed (53').

However, Barça will no longer be able to intervene in the title fight after the botched start of the season, the gap to leaders Real is still twelve points.

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti had to cope with a significant weakening of his team: top scorer Karim Benzema, who has already scored 22 goals in 25 league games this season, was absent due to a calf injury.

Instead of using another centre-forward, Ancelotti relied on the Brazilian winger duo of Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, with central midfielders Federico Valverde and Luka Modrić filling the middle.

Valverde also had the first good end of the game, which Marc-André ter Stegen easily parried in the Barça goal (6th).

The guests then took command: Aubameyang first failed from eight meters out at the strong reaction of Thibaut Courtois, who also defused Ousmane Dembélé's follow-up shot (12').

A flick from Torres just missed the far post (18').

After an artfully lobbed pass by Pedris, Torres came to the end again, Casemiro blocked with a determined tackle (24th).

Dembélé: Five games, seven assists

Then Dembélé showed his top form: the Frenchman, who was almost ruled out in Barcelona due to his injury proneness, left Nacho Fernández on the right wing and delivered a precise cross for Aubameyang in the centre, who headed the lead (29').

Courtois then saved against Aubameyang (35'), Vinicius Junior received a rebuff from Barça defense chief Gerard Piqué with a swallow on the other end, and then it was Dembélé's turn again: this time he served a corner kick for Araújo, who also headed to 2 :0 increased (38th).

For Dembélé, it's been assists six and seven in their last five league games.

The second half started with the next moment of shock in Madrid.

Sent down by Aubameyang, Torres ran alone to Courtois, aimed for the bottom right corner - and put the ball just wide 20 seconds after the restart.

Torres scored shortly after, finishing a superb play: Frenkie de Jong had chipped Aubameyang in and crossed Aubameyang with a back-heel.

Torres went for a flick again, this time with success (47th).

Four minutes later, Torres put it on Aubameyang, who lobbed Courtois (51').

The Real defenders complained about the linesman's flag being raised early on, but referee Juan Martínez Munuera did not interrupt the game.

The video evidence then identified the scene as a regular hit.

As a result, Barcelona were closer to 5-0 than Real to the consolation goal, Courtois prevented worse.