Lesson learned for Carlo in Clasico masterclass

No tactical tinkering this time from Ancelotti as Real blasts Barca

Carlo Ancelotti learned his lesson, and Real Madrid won the "Clasico" on Sunday.

After an embarrassing 4-0 loss at home to Barcelona last season, the Madrid coach made sure he didn't try anything different with his team this time as Madrid won 3-1 to take the lead of the Spanish league.

It also handed Barcelona another painful blow four days after the Catalan club's hopes of advancing in the Champions League all but ended.

Ancelotti had used midfielder Luka Modric in the "false nine "position in attack last season and Barcelona took advantage to rout Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

"I thought about what happened last season, when I tried something different," Ancelotti said.

"For this match, I didn't try to come up with anything, I left the players in their positions and Modric played a spectacular match in midfield."

Karim Benzema and Federico Valverde scored first-half goals, and Rodrygo added another in second-half stoppage time as the defending champion won the first Clasico of the season to move three points ahead of Barca in the league standings. The rivals had entered the match tied on points, with Barca ahead on goal difference.

It was Madrid's sixth win in the last seven editions of the Clasico, with the only setback the 4-0 result last season.

Sunday's defeat was another frustrating result for Barcelona after it was held 3-3 by Inter Milan at home on Wednesday to be virtually eliminated from the Champions League with two rounds left in its group stage.

The Catalans also saw their seven-game win streak in the domestic league end.

Barca, who spent heavily in the summer to try and catch up with its rival, had conceded just one league goal in eight games before the Clasico but shipped double that tally in the first half, leaving Madrid as the division's only unbeaten side.

"We had our chances, but we are going through a bad moment and nothing goes our way," Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said. "We need to change this dynamic as soon as possible."

"The feeling I have right now is that we're in a negative dynamic where nothing is going for us," Xavi added. "I can't be happy with anything, losing in the Bernabeu 3-1 is very bad."

Barcelona didn't advance to the knockout stage of the Champions League last season — its first European campaign after the departure of superstar Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain. However, elimination this time would be extra disappointing considering the club went on a spending spree to boost its squad with players such as Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha.

Lewandowski, the league's leading scorer who arrived from Bayern Munich, wasted his greatest chance in the first half, missing high from near the goal line.

Barcelona dominated possession and created scoring chances, but it was Madrid that capitalized on its opportunities and took advantage of Barcelona's defensive struggles.

"We knew there would come a time in the game where we had to suffer, because they move the ball well, and that's when each of us had to give more, defend well, and we did it," Madrid midfielder Modric told DAZN.

"In attack we were convincing, we scored three goals and I'm very happy for our performance. I think we had a great game."

Benzema opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a shot from inside the area, off the rebound from a save by goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen in a one-on-one situation with Vinicius Jr. It was Benzema's first goal in six matches. He also had a goal disallowed for offside in the second half.

Valverde added to the lead with a low shot from just outside the area in the 35th, with Ferran Torres getting a goal back for the visitor in the 83rd.

Substitute Rodrygo sealed the victory for Madrid by converting a penalty in stoppage time after being brought down inside the area.

"We are very disappointed," Barcelona defender Jules Kounde said. "We didn't play a bad match but we made mistakes in transition in the first half and they took advantage.

"I think that for the first goal we should have committed a foul to stop the counterattack, and the second is quite similar.

"That's the strength of their team. Sometimes they don't have the ball, are suffering and then they score two goals."

Madrid was still without injured goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, while Barcelona was also hit by injuries and Xavi had to improvise Kounde as a centerback.

It was Madrid's eighth win in nine league matches, with its only setback a 1-1 draw at home against Mallorca in the seventh round.

Barcelona, whose only draw had come in the first round against Rayo Vallecano at home, entered the match having conceded only once in eight league matches.

Real Betis moved fourth with a 3-1 win over Almeria with William Carvalho netting a brace. Real Sociedad's 2-1 win at Celta Vigo sent it to fifth spot, and Espanyol earned a 1-0 victory over Real Valladolid.

Agencies