Photo by Maria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images

WHAT A NIGHT!!!!!!!!! Barcelona will finish Matchday 11 with a six-point lead at the top of the La Liga standings thanks to a spectacular 4-0 victory over Real Madrid in El Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday night in the Spanish capital. After struggling in the first half the Catalans came alive and absolutely dominated the final period, and took all three points to finish the biggest week of their season so far in emphatic fashion.
FIRST HALF
The opening period did not feature the most aesthetically pleasing football we?ve ever seen, with both sides struggling to play through midfield and mostly resorting to long balls from back to front to try and create chances. Madrid looked to get the ball to Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Jr. as quickly as possible, bypassing Barça?s high press with long passes from the back and diagonal balls from one side to another to try and catch the Catalans? backline out of position.
Because of Real?s gameplan the story of the half became Barça?s offside trap: the Blaugrana had one near scare after another at the back, with Vinicius, Mbappé and Jude Bellingham all having ?almost? big chances that were denied by either the offside flag or, in the case of a nice Mbappé finish that went into the net, the semi-automated VAR system.
Despite the good work of their defensive high line Barça were not at their best when they had the ball, starting with Iñaki Peñ...