Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice yesterday in the humiliating 4-0 defeat on rivals Real Madrid on their own home ground.
Real Madrid have been on their best Clasico run in years, having won the last five meetings in all competitions and 15 points clear of Barcelona. This was cut short by a rejuvenated and revitalized Barca, who ripped them apart and dominated almost the entire game under the command of new coach Xavi Hernandez.
Barca opened the scoring sheet in the 29th minute with an Aubameyang header from a Dembele cross following a faulty defensive leak by defenders Ousmane Dembele and Ferran Torres. The former Arsenal striker Aubameyang had already been denied from close range by Thibaut Courtois on the 13th minute.
Real Madrid looked lost without Karim Benzema, who was missing through a calf injury, and it was no surprise that defender Ronald Araujo headed in from a Dembele corner exposing the faulty Real Madrid defensive woos.
Carlo Ancelotti changed the shape and the formation of the game at the break by making two substitutions which did not change the trajectory of the game as Barca scored in the first minute of the second half when Torres spanked home a fine finish following a fine flicked Aubameyang assist
Aubameyang netted his second goal on the 51nd minute from an assist by former Manchester City forward Torres. His fine finish had originally been disallowed for Torres being offside in the build-up but VAR overturned the decision in favor of Xavi’s men.
Barca had several opportunities to extend their lead, but Courtois avoided any further humiliation by his superb performance in the course of the game.
Real Madrid remain on top of the table with 66 points, nine points clear from the second place Sevilla while Barcelona are third in the standings with 54 points and three points behind Sevilla and a game in hand.
