Real Madrid – Barcelona

It's already the fourth Clasico of the season as Real Madrid and Barcelona meet at the Bernabeu. Join us live for commentary.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2011/1210/realwoe,barcaceleb20111210_275x155.jpg"> <br>Cristiano cuts a frustrated figure as Barcelona beat Real Madrid in the Bernabeu in December.

Here's the Real Madrid team: Casillas, Altintop, Ramos, Carvalho, Coentra, Xabi Alonso, Pepe, Diarra, Ronaldo, Benzema, Higuaín.

A bit of a shock in defence from Jose as Altintop makes only his third start for Real while Ricardo Carvalho appears for the first time since September following a series of injuries.

And the Barcelona team: Pinto, Dani Alves, Pique, Puyol, Abidal, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Sanchez, Fabregas, Messi.

No surprises from Barcelona though. As expected, Pinto comes in between the sticks in place of Valdes.

Subs are as follows. <b>Real Madrid: </b>Adan, Marcelo, Albiol, Kaka, Ozil, Granero, Callejon. <b>Barcelona: </b>Valdes, Mascherano, Thiago, Adriano, Sergi Roberto, Dos Santos, Cuenca.

You join me as I tuck into a Caribbean chili beef meal. Surely fit for any footballer as a pre-match meal.

Unfortunately as we are not able to offer GameCast coverage for this game you will need to use the old archaic page self-refresh.

The first El Clasico this season came in the form of the two-legged Supercopa. The first game at the Bernabeu was 2-2 before Barca won the second leg at the Nou Camp thanks to Lionel Messi's 88th minute goal.

And in La Liga last month, Real scored in the first minute through Karim Benzema but Barca came back to win 3-1.

The players are coming out of the tunnel now and onto the pitch for the first leg of this tie.

A quick note that you can follow me on Twitter: @dalejohnsonESPN

We're ready to go. Barcelona kick-off.

Jose and Guardiola had a shake of hands before the kick-off, much more cordial after last season's madness.

It will be interesting to see how Pepe performs in midfield. He can't defend, after all.

Barcelona start the better, looking to put early pressure on Real.

Great tackle from Ronaldo to get back on Alves as he burst down the right wing.

Real struggling to get a touch.

Iniesta tries to find Fabregas in the box with a ball in from the left, too much on it and it finds Casillas.

Real finally get a touch with good work from Ronaldo, but his pass was to the offside Higuain.

This is better from Real, Ronaldo is really up for this. Finally the home team settles.

Free-kick to Barca near the half way line as Coentrao fells Sanchez.

In the last eight games between these teams there have been nine red cards and 58 yellow cards. Amazing.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Cristiano Ronaldo

Great pass from Benzema to put Ronaldo running at the defence, he leaves Pique and fired past Pinto. Awful keeping - straight through him.

Now that puts the cat among the pigeons.

That was a regulation save for Pinto, fired low but straight at him. Can only raise questions should Valdes ever pick up an injury.

Barca break and Iniesta has their first shot, Casillas gets down low to his right to push it behind.

The corner comes in from the left, and Pepe is able to head clear unchallenged.

So close for Alexis Sanchez!

Fabregas with the ball over the top, and an intelligent header from Sanchez as his cushioned header leaves Casillas helpless, and it comes back off the woodwork before being cleared.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> No surprise as Pepe's challenge on Busquets earns him the first card of the night.

Just your regulation, boring start to the Clasico then.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Pepe goes to ground clutching his face after going up for the ball with Pique, the Barca players are furious but the ref shows the yellow card to Pique.

Ronaldo is working like a trojan tonight, swapping covering for Coentrao when he makes a forward advance.

Apologies once again that you have to manually refresh the page tonight.

I bet the bookies are giving no value whatsoever on there being a red card in this game tonight.

Neat play from Barca almost sees Fabregas get through on Casillas, but he is thwarted.

Real break with speed and Ronaldo almost gets Benzema through on goal - inches away from perfection but there was an interception.

Casillas forced into action again and finally Messi comes into the action. A thunderous drive on the angle is kept out well by the keeper low to his right.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2012/0118/cristianoronaldocelebvbarca_576x324.jpg"><br>Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates putting Real in front.

Barcelona getting better, Iniesta tries to square it across the box to Fabregas but Ramos makes a good clearance for a corner.

In it comes from the left, and it's a definite foul on Coentrao by Messi.

Brilliant from Barcelona. Sanchez lays it off for Iniesta who has to score, but he blazes over.

Barcelona really getting on top now, Real cracking.

Real win a corner, but it's dealt with easily by the Barca defence.

Now Sanchez sends Pepe to the deck. It's a definite foul, but Pepe produces his best Platoon impression.

Teasing ball across the box which finds its way to Messi at the far post but he can only hit the side-netting.

Real Madrid have only had one shot. And one goal.

That said, most would perhaps expect a Jose Mourinho team to look to soak up the pressure. This is not much different to the La Liga game, when Real scored early and sat back.

Not a great challenge from Diarra on Busquets - no doubt that was a foul.

Real struggling to keep hold of the ball, not using it intelligently and giving possession away cheaply.

The second leg of this tie at the Nou Camp is next Wednesday, January 25.

Oooh! Sanchez breaks through on goal but the flag goes up for offside. It was a shocking decision.

Messi goes on a run and Carvalho shakes off the cobwebs to make a fine challenge in the box.

Real break again - and again the ball is handed back to Guardiola's side.

The offside flag goes up against Sanchez again as he runs into space - Ramos was playing him yards onside. Awful call again.

Xavi tries to thread a ball through the centre but Pepe is wise to it.

Fabregas shoots from 25 yards and it keeps on rising well over the crossbar.

Sanchez brings down Diarra in the centre circle.

One minute to be added on.

And that's half-time. Real have offered virtually nothing. Virtually, as they have the only goal of the game.

Real surely cannot hold out against Barca if they keep playing this way. They must start holding on to possession.

Well be back for the second half in 15 minutes (around 10.05pm GMT). In the meantime you can follow me on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/dalejohnsonESPN" target="_blank">@dalejohnsonESPN</a>

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2012/0118/cristianoronaldoscoresvbarca_576x324.jpg"><br>Cristiano Ronaldo scores the opening goal.

If you're in the UK, the FA Cup tie between Conference side Wrexham and Brighton has gone to penalties - the perfect Clasico half-time entertainment live on ESPN.

The players are back out for the second half.

Real Madrid kick-off in the second half.

Let me start by apologising again for the need to manually refresh on the game tonight. We don't have the usual Gamecast match feed.

Fabregas does well, getting to the byline and crossing back into the box - Ramos is positioned well to make the block.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Carles Puyol

Barcelona won their seventh corner of the match, Pepe fell asleep and left Puyol with the free header which was buried into the corner.

So, Real's hopes of holding out without giving away an away goal are over.

Stupid foul by Ramos on Sanchez, no chance of winning the football. Late and cynical.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Ramos was booked for that foul.

Pepe leans into Messi and wins the free-kick. No card waving from the Argentine like his team-mates.

Barcelona hit the post!

Fabregas lofts the ball over the top wonderfully for Iniesta, he looks to find the far corner and it comes off the toe of Ramos and onto the outside of the post. Inexplicably the ref gives a goal-kick.

If you want something to read later, make sure you check out my article on <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/1009797/dale-johnson:-time-running-out-for-darlington?cc=5739" target="_blank">the plight of Darlington FC</a>

Benzema hits the post now!

Altintop left Abidal for dead, and crossed to far post to Benzema whose header hit the outside of the post and went behind. Pinto nowhere.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Coentrao late on Messi

Barcelona, for a change, enjoying a bit of keep-ball.

Sanchez thinks he's won a corner off Ramos, but the Real defender tracked him well and ball bounced back off the Barca man.

Poor, poor challenge from Sanchez, in on Coentrao from the side.

Pinto has yet to make a save in this game, amazing considering how woeful he was for Ronaldo's goal.

The whistles go around the Bernabeu as Barcelona keep the ball in play with Pepe needing treatment.

Unbelievable. What is it about Pepe? He went down clutching his face after challenging with Fabregas. Pepe maybe got the tip of a finger brushing across his cheek.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Lassana Diarra is replaced my Mesut Ozil - an attacking change.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> And Jose Callejon, the man who is in superb form with nine goals in his last seven starts, is on for Gonzalo Higuain.

You can follow me on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/dalejohnsonESPN" target="_blank">@dalejohnsonESPN</a>

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Callejon, the man with Jedward hair, is booked before he's even touched the ball for a bad foul on Messi.

Pepe stands on Messi's hand when he's on the turf. I'm saying that was deliberate. Pepe is a disgrace.

What a miss from Busquets!

A sublime free-kick played in from the left by Xavi, and the unmarked Busquets lives up to his reputation as a rare goalscorer by somehow heading onto the roof of the net.

A reminder to any latecomers that tonight you have to manually refresh for the latest updates. Apologies for that.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Just to clarify Busquets was booked earlier in the game and is on dangerous ground.

Sanchez is just inches offside when he looked to have broke through on goal.

This is the most frantic commentary I've ever done for a two-goal match.

Carvalho and Puyol clash, corner to Barca yet again

Those accusing me of being a Barcelona fan, I don't support any team in Spain. I'm calling it like it is.

Now Callejon trips Sanchez, not sure he's used the ball yet.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Eric Abidal!

Who? Yes, Eric Abidal! Messi chips the unmarked Abidal, played onside by Carvalho, in and he finishes past Casillas with the outside of his left. Simple.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Too much chatter lands Puyol in the book.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Pepe's night of theatrics ends as he is replaced by Granero. Would not be surprised to Pepe charged for standing on Messi's hand deliberately.

Callejon has been getting involved with the Barca players all the time since coming on. He clashes with Alves and waves the imaginary yellow card. Pathetic.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> It's the end of the night for Sanchez as Adriano is introduced.

Shot from Benzema, Pinto can watch it roll harmlessly past the post and take the goal-kick.

Shot from Ronaldo, blocked by Pique. At last Real are showing some attacking drive. Far too late.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2012/0118/carlespuyolcelebvrealmadrid_576x324.jpg"> <br>Joy for Carles Puyol after he scored the leveller.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Thiago comes on for the final few minutes, Xavi takes a rest.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Carvalho deliberately takes down Messi from behind as Barca break. Only one decision possible.

Another foul, this time by Alonso on Fabrehas.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> And that is Fabregas' final action as the young 20-year-old Isaac Cuenca enters.

Three mintes to be added on.

Alonso goes through Iniesta to win the ball, free-kick.

Coentrao and Messi end up in a heap, and it's Coentrao who pushes down Messi's head when everyone had turned away. Needless.

Carvalho is very, very lucky not to get a second yellow for a bad challenge on Adriano.

And that's it, full time at the Bernabeu and Barcelona win 2-1.

It's an uphill task for Real next Wednesday, they have to win at the Camp Nou and score at least twice as Barca have those two away goals. And that's only good enough if Barca do not score.

Remember that Barcelona had not conceded a single goal at home in La Liga until their 4-2 win over Betis last Sunday. Real have make sure that it happens two games in a row for Barca.

That's it for tonight, remember you can join me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/dalejohnsonESPN" target="_blank">@dalejohnsonESPN</a>. More live coverage comes across the weekend from the Premier League here on <i>ESPNsoccernet</i>.