El Clasico turned out to be better than Barcelona fans could have expected and worse for Real Madrid – the two dominant teams in our weekend winners and losers
WINNERS
Barcelona
Five goals scored against Real Madrid, like Pep Guardiola against Jose Mourinho. A dominance from beginning to end, with sublime quality in midfield, deadly strikers, and some of the best football you’ll see this season.
It’s Barcelona, after all. But to think they provided such a high level of football, on a night without Lionel Messi makes it even better. Fantastic work by Luis Suarez and all the others, for an amazing victory at the Camp Nou.
[fve]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8jMLaLNAPE[/fve]
Chelsea
Four goals scored, an all-round performance, the clean sheet and a happy Maurizio Sarri. Chelsea continue to march on in the Premier League, and did so by beating Burnley away, with another goal by Ross Barkley, and another by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, demonstrating the amazingly good work the Italian manager has done on the two English midfielders, as well as overall on the whole Blues’ side.
Cristiano Ronaldo
A brace in one of the toughest games so far for Juventus, making it seven Serie A goals in 10 games, but more importantly he finally scored a proper CR7-esque goal: not just a penalty, not just a tap-in, but a monstrous rocket in the top corner.
Juve were sloppy against Empoli, but found in Cristiano Ronaldo the right man to save the day for the Bianconeri. In the same weekend in which Real Madrid would have so needed his charisma, as well as his goals.
[fve]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwY0bRvjAZg[/fve]
Paris Saint-Germain
What more can you want? PSG struggled on Wednesday against Napoli in the Champions League, but it is a different matter domestically: 11 wins in 11 games, eight points clear at the top, and the win in Marseille’s home courtesy of goals from Kylian Mbappe and Julian Draxler.
LOSERS
Real Madrid
Julen Lopetegui is on the way out, and it couldn’t be anything else, after Real Madrid absolutely crashed at the Camp Nou, never giving the impression they could at least compete against Barcelona, with the defenders not up for the game, the midfielders overwhelmed, and the strikers unable to create much danger. Losing five to one is a disgrace in El Clasico, and Madrid need to change their coach.
Marseille
The Velodrome on their side, the chance to stop PSG, the possibility to react to the defeat in the Europa League. None of this happened, as Marseille lost once again at home this week. More is expected by a team built in the summer to challenge for the title.
[fve]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WM4cHg0KAk[/fve]
Arsenal
Another good performance by the Gunners overall, but a result that means the winning streak is over and the three-point haul lost. A more solid side would have taken the victory after managing to make it all the way to the final 10 minutes of the game with a goal lead. Sloppy in the end for Arsenal.
Schalke 04
Once again, no goals scored, meaning a goalless draw. Not good enough, to put it simply. Schalke continue to drop down in the table, and are currently 15th, having scored the miserly sum of five goals so far this season.
