Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona: 3 key factors that cost Los Blancos the match | LaLiga 2018-19

#3 Midfield loop-holes and an unlikely scorer

Ivan Rakitic

There were quite a few errors made by the midfield players right through the game. They were not just due to the poor play of their players themselves, but because of the quality of opposition too.

On the other hand, the Real players were so focused on keeping the likes of Messi and Suarez quiet, that Rakitic found some free space to score the goal that mattered.

Though the Croatian star is known to score goals at times, this was a really costly goal for the hosts to concede and it could have been avoided. The goal was created from nothing, as Sergi Roberto played a simple one-two with Rakitic.

It could have been totally avoided and had that been the case, Solari’s men could have taken back more from the game. It was a neck-to-neck encounter and a must win for Real, where a simple moment of magic proved to make all the difference.