Barcelona 5-1 Real Madrid: Luis Suarez hat-trick surely draws curtain on Julen Lopetegui's tragic reign
Relive all the action from the Nou Camp
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Your support makes all the difference.Luis Suarez scored a thrilling hat-trick to surely draw the curtain on Julen Lopetegui's tragic reign as Barcelona ran rampant against Real Madrid at the Nou Camp.
It was initially set to be somewhat of an anti-climactic encounter between the two sides with Lionel Messi out injured and Real Madrid still struggling in the post-Ronaldo era yet it proved anything but.
Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring for the home side after just twelve minutes when Jordi Alba cut in behind the laboured Nacho and his pull back alowed the former Liverpool midfielder to guide it into a near-empty net.
Moments later Suarez broke free in the box only to be bundled over by Raphael Varane and although the referee initially waved away the Uruguayan's penalty claim, upon reviewing the screen at pitchside under instruction from VAR officials, the penalty was awarded. Thibaut Courtois guessed correctly but Suarez's strike nestled right in the side netting and Barcelona were two goals up with just 30 mins played.
An increasingly despondent looking Lopetegui switched his system at half time to a three-at-the-back which initially bamboozled Barcelona's front men and after spurning a number of opportunities the ball broke to Marcelo on the edge of the box who chested it onto his weaker right foot before scything home.
Suddenly Madrid were haranguing Barcelona's defence as the Nou Camp became subdued and Luka Modric drilled a low shot against the outside of the post.
Yet, completely against the run of play, Ousmane Dembele dribbled at the Real Madrid defence before laying off to Sergi Roberto whose rifled cross was brilliantly glanced home by Suarez from near to the edge of the box.
From there on out things only became embarrassing for Lopetegui's side. Sergio Ramos fumbled the ball in his own-half leaving Suarez in acres of space to run at goal before deftly dinking it over Courtois. Substitute Arturo Vidal then added the fifth and final wound with a header from just six-yards after some fine trickery from Dembele.
The question is not so much as whether Julen Lopetegui will be sacked in the morning, but whether it may happen ever soooner?
Barcelona 2-0 Real Madrid
Goal 29' Suarez: Courtois goes the right way but the Suarez nestles it low and right into the bottom-right corner. Great penalty and Julen Lopetegui looks lost on the touchline
Barcelona 2-0 Real Madrid
36': Real Madrid are showing no signs of a comeback, in fact, they look as though they're already in danger of waving a flag to match their strip. Again Alba gets in too easily down the left and crosses across the face of goal and it's only just turned away.
Barcelona 2-0 Real Madrid
38': The first yellow card of the match, unsurprisingly, is administered to Nacho who's been terrorised at right back. This time he's upended Coutinho. Lopetegui surely has to try and alter his tactics now.
Barcelona 2-0 Real Madrid
42': Barcelona break again and Pique has stormed into the box and has a completely free header but Suarez's cross is slightly behind him and he can't redirect it.
HT: Barcelona 2-0 Real Madrid
And that's half-time. A truly woeful first half from Julen Lopetegui whose career at Real Madrid, at this point, looks well and truly over. If Barcelona allow them back in the game, they will lament the number of missed opportunites they've had on the breakaway, but for now it will be all smiles for Valverde's men.
There were 30 passes in the build-up to Phillipe Coutinho's goal which broke the deadlock - the most in a classicofor 13 years.
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