Reliving the best individual performances in the El Clasico

#1 Lionel Messi

Messi swished his magical left foot to cast a spell at Bernabeu

Messi is one of those players who has a countless number of individual brilliance in the Clasico. He put on a masterclass in Barcelona’s 4-3 win at Bernabeu, he put on another masterclass in the Champions League semifinals in 2011 and another one in the 3-0 victory last year.

However, we are going back in time to when Barcelona visited the Bernabeu at their weakest. Barcelona already suffered a 3-0 loss against Juventus away from home, in the quarterfinals of Champions League. They were struggling to keep up with Madrid in the league and all of a sudden their next fixture was El Clasico.

Barcelona’s front three would miss Neymar due to suspension and had to be completed by Paco. Lionel Messi had all the burden on him, with Suarez completely off colour. Messi came in guns blazing, dribbling his merry way past the Madrid midfield and being challenged continuously by Modric and Casemiro.

However, Barca’s hearts broke when they saw Lionel Messi on the ground, with blood coming out from his nose and mouth. He was caught by an unintentional elbow from Marcelo. He came back on the pitch with a tissue in his mouth.

Trailing by a goal, Messi passed to Busquets and moved towards the box. He got the pass from Rakitic and he followed it up with a brilliant solo effort. He went past Modric in a jiffy and turned away from the Carvajal’s attempted tackle with a brilliant body swivel. Nacho could only stand and watch Lionel score goal #499 for Barcelona.

Messi had a chance to hit his 500th goal thanks to a miscue from Madrid but he missed the pass into the open net, off Rakitic’s corner. Messi had a chance to run into the open field in the counter-attack but he was brought to rest by a reckless Ramos challenge. Messi attempted shots at Navas but he was too good to be beaten on the night.

Barcelona left it late till the 92nd minute to hit a counter-attack in search of the winning goal. Sergi Roberto started the counter from right back spot and picked out Andre Gomes. Gomes passed to Alba on the overlap who slid the ball into the box. Messi popped into the box out of nowhere and catapulted the ball past the brilliant Keylor Navas.

He took his shirt off and held it high to the Real Madrid fans to celebrate his 500th goal. Messi let the Madrid fans know who at their very home. A black eye, missing teeth perhaps and a mouthful of blood, Lionel Messi decided the outcome of the El Clasico on his own.

Rob Palmer reduced the little man as “The best there is, the best that ever has been and probably the best that ever will be”. According to Jerry Armstrong, it was “ Yet another story in the incredible chapter of the little man”.