It may only be thanks to their head-to-head record with Atletico Madrid, with both teams on 66 points, but this was a huge win for Los Blancos. Shorn of key centre-backs Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, there was a lot of pressure on a makeshift defence, but they stood firm despite the dismissal of battle-axe Casemiro late on. Teenage Barcelona substitute Ilaix Moriba came within millimetres of levelling in the last minute of stoppage time, but his strike crashed back off Thibaut Courtois’s crossbar, leaving the visitors devastated, but the hosts jubilant. This was the most important Clasico in years, with both teams in form and fighting for the chance to usurp Atletico, who place Betis on Sunday, at the summit of the standings.