Real Madrid v Barcelona Live Commentary & Result, 24/07/2022, Club Friendlies

That concludes our commentary of the pre-season match between Real Madrid and Barcelona! We hope you’ve enjoyed it!

Real Madrid are back in action again on Tuesday, when they play Club America. Barcelona continue their warm-ups on the same day against Juventus.

An entertaining pre-season El Clasico in Las Vegas comes to a close with Barcelona emerging victorious 1-0, thanks to Raphinha’s lone strike from outside the penalty area after 27 minutes. The first half was played with great intensity and spirit but the heat, in combination with the 21 total substitutions made for a stop-start second half. Asensio had Madrid’s best chance of the second half but his failure to hit the target from close range characterised Ancelotti’s side in attack tonight in their first warm-up fixture of the calendar.

90' + 2' FULL-TIME: REAL MADRID 0-1 BARCELONA.

90' The fourth official indicates two minutes of time will be added to the end of the game for stoppages.

88' Modric floats a lovely pass out to the right wing for Odriozola but the full-back is forced to turn backwards and play the ball into midfield as Barcelona tighten their ranks to secure the win with two minutes left.

86' Kessie is again allowed to charge forward undisturbed through midfield before laying a pass off to Dembele inside the penalty area. The France international hits a powerful effort with his right boot but Courtois is equal to the effort, palming it behind.

84' Barcelona have not beaten Real Madrid twice in a row in any competition since El Clasico wins in the Copa del Rey and League in February and March of 2019.

82' Casemiro looks to curl a speculative effort towards goal from 30 yards out but Nico strides forward and lifts a leg to block the shot effectively.

80' Real Madrid will need to produce something special in the final 10 minutes if they wish to pull themselves back level. Asensio’s chance was the best of the half from the Merengues but they’ve failed to hit the target in the entirety of the game.

78' Mariano drives forward down the left, beating Dest in the process but his cross to the far side of the penalty area is cut out well by Balde.

76' The last time Real Madrid and Barcelona met in a pre-season fixture was the International Champions Cup in Miami; won 3-2 by Barcelona thanks to Pique’s winning goal 10 minutes before the hour.

F. Kessié

Yellow Card

74' Kessie is shown a yellow card 30 minutes after coming on for a clumsy challenge in midfield.

73' GREAT SAVE! Barcelona open up Real Madrid’s midfield with ease as Roberto strides forward and plays an inch-perfect pass into the penalty area for Kessie. The midfielder takes a touch and looks to slot it home from six yards out but Courtois gets down quickly to make the point-blank parry.

Odriozola

Lucas Vázquez

71' Naturally a right-back, Odriozola comes on to relieve Vazquez with 19 minutes left to go after a loan spell at Fiorentina last season.

Dani Ceballos

Rodrygo

70' A midfielder comes on for a winger as Ceballos is introduced for Rodrygo.

M. Díaz

Vinícius Júnior

70' Vinicius fails to find the back of the net in Real Madrid's first preseason match as he's taken off for Mariano.

69' De Jong takes up a position just outside Real Madrid’s penalty area and looks to slip a pass into Depay but he hits it with too much power - sending it behind for a goal-kick.

67' Depay takes the free-kick short to Dembele, who takes a touch before firing a shot that’s blocked before it reaches Courtois.

Lucas Vázquez

Yellow Card

65' Vazquez takes a poor touch just outside his penalty area, which allows Depay to cut across and win possession. Without an alternative, the Real Madrid full-back bundles over his opponent and earns a yellow card in the process.

Sergi Roberto

Pedri

62' Roberto is tasked with playing in midfield as he replaces Pedri.

Piqué

Eric García

62' In comes Pique, who will partner De Jong at the back instead of Garcia.

M. Depay

Raphinha

62' Raphinha's second appearance for Barcelona in pre-season ends with a second goal and it's his strike that's the difference so far. He is replaced by Depay with 27 minutes remaining.

S. Dest

R. Araujo

62' A change at right-back sees Dest come on for Araujo.

Nico González

Sergio Busquets

62' Nico is the latest entrant with captain Busquets earning a rest.

Iñaki Peña

M. ter Stegen

62' Xavi swaps his goalkeeper as Pena takes up Ter Stegen's spot between the posts.

Vallejo

Éder Militão

62' Militao makes way just after the hour, seemingly still feeling the effects of Alba’s tackle. Vallejo comes on in his place.

61' De Jong does well on the ball inside his own penalty area, dribbing this way and then that to evade the press of Rodrygo and Asensio before playing a pass out to the left for Balde, who is unable to control the ball - allowing it to go out for a throw.

59' HOW HAS HE MISSED?! Asensio combines wonderfully with Vazquez, playing a pass out to the wing before receiving it again in a central position. With the time and space needed to pick his spot the forward looks to beat Ter Stegen at the far post but he drags his shot wide!

57' There doesn’t appear to be any tactical changes from Xavi in the aftermath of his half-time changes, as De Jong appears to be playing an orthodox centre-back between Araujo and Garcia. Xavi is definitely looking for the Netherlands international to dictate play and step out of the back whenever possible to orchestrate the attack from deep.

55' The Busquets tackle has prompted another shoving match in midfield, with Casemiro giving Kessie a difficult time.

Sergio Busquets

Yellow Card

54' Busquets steps across Modric late and with a raised boot to get to the loose, bouncing ball - sending the Croatia international to the ground in a heap. No stranger to a booking, the Barcelona captain is shown a yellow card.

53' Kroos is tasked with taking the set-piece but he sends his effort high and wide of the far post.

52' Vinicius is pushed to the ground during an attempt to play a one-two pass with Rodrygo on the edge of the penalty area - giving Real Madrid a free-kick in an enticing position.

51' Another cross is put into the area from the wing - this time from Raphinha - but again it’s too easy for Courtois to claim in the air.

49' Dembele swings a cross into the penalty area looking for the run of Aubameyang but Courtois deals with the danger - stepping off his line to catch the ball confidently.

47' Raphinha brings the ball down from the sky with lovely skill on the left touchline but his incisive pass for Pedri is intercepted by Militao.

46' Barcelona get the match restarted from the kick-off!

F. Kessié

Gavi

46' Former Milan midfielder Kessie comes on for his second Barcelona appearance - relieving Gavi.

Nacho

D. Alaba

46' Nacho gets another appearance for Real Madrid, this time as a half-time substitute for Alaba.

Asensio

E. Hazard

46' Hazard's experiment at centre-forward comes to an end with Asensio on in his stead.

F. de Jong

A. Christensen

46' Christensen is protected by Xavi after his earlier booking, with De Jong getting a chance to impress.

F. Mendy

A. Rüdiger

46' Natural left-back Mendy is tasked with replacing Rudiger in defence.

L. Modrić

F. Valverde

46' Modric also comes on for Valverde as Real Madrid completely change their midfield.

Casemiro

E. Camavinga

46' Brazil international midfielder Casemiro comes on for Camavinga with Ancelotti making a raft of alterations at the interval.

T. Kroos

A. Tchouaméni

46' Tchouameni's debut lasts a half as Kroos is sent on for the second period.

Álex Balde

Jordi Alba

46' Balde comes in for Alba at left-back.

O. Dembélé

Ansu Fati

46' Fati is replaced by Dembele at the break.

P. Aubameyang

R. Lewandowski

46' Lewandowski's debut ends without a goal as he's taken off for Aubameyang at the half.

Real Madrid will need to link their midfield and attack with more success if they wish to trouble Barcelona in the second half - no surprise considering Ancelotti effectively started the match with his second-choice trio. Hazard will need to feature more prominently as well in order to assist Vinicius and Rodrygo, both of whom have looked lively in short bursts. Barcelona will continue to hit on the counter and could prove even more effective as the match wears on and substitutes are introduced, with Dembele and Depay eager to get involved.

The first half at Allegiant Stadium comes to a close with Barcelona leading Real Madrid in the pre-season El Clasico, thanks to Raphinha’s blasted finish following a Militao giveaway after 27 minutes. Xavi’s side were certainly in the ascendancy in the first half, controlling the pace and tempo of the match and fashioning a number of half-chances, though it was Madrid that looked likeliest to open the scoring with Valverde’s shot from distance that ultimately struck the woodwork. Lewandowski has looked lively as has Rudiger, with both high-profile new arrivals looking comfortable in their new kits.

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: REAL MADRID 0-1 BARCELONA.

45' + 1' Alaba drives the free-kick with his left foot but he fails to trouble Ter Stegen at his near post with the centre-back sending his effort high and wide.

45' A bit of a brawl has broken out following the yellow card, with several players required to separate Rudiger and Araujo. Even Courtois has made it all the way over to Ter Stegen’s penalty area to help avoid a melee as tempers flare at the end of the first half.

Jordi Alba

Yellow Card

43' Militao drives through midfield on an adventurous run, evading Busquets’ tackle before he’s eventually brought down cynically by a sliding Alba 25 yards from Ter Stegen’s goal.

42' Each of the last five meetings between Barcelona and Real Madrid has seen at least three goals, with the last 0-0 coming in LaLiga in December 2019.

40' Raphinha cuts inside from the right and whips a cross to the far post in search of Lewandowski but Courtois takes a step off his line and reaches for the ball, making a clean catch at the first time of asking.

38' Vinicius slaloms into the penalty area beating Araujo in the process but Christensen comes across smartly to block the eventual shot from the winger.

36' Rudiger is bowled over by Gavi, who has had quite the physical first half. It’s a free-kick for Real Madrid, who once again get the chance to breathe a sigh of relief and clear their lines from a set-piece.

A. Christensen

Yellow Card

34' Christensen cynically drags his former Chelsea team-mate Hazard to the ground right in front of the referee - forcing the match official to show the defender a yellow card.

33' Raphinha’s corner from the left wing is hit in search of Lewandowski but Rudiger is in the right position to clear the set-piece effectively.

31' Alba plays a feathered pass forward into the penalty area from left-back but Fati is unable to beat the charging Courtois to the loose ball.

29' It’s one to forget for Militao, who slipped as he attempted a risky pass from the right wing to the left, only for his international team-mate, Raphinha, to capitalise.

Raphinha

Goal

27' WHAT A STRIKE! ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL! 1-0 Barcelona! It's two goals in two matches for Raphinha, who is in the right place at the right time to intercept Militao's poor pass across the edge of the 18-yard box. The Brazil international takes a touch to set himself and blasts a left-footed effort high into the goal - leaving Courtois no chance!

27' CLOSE! Rudiger strides forward from his position at left-back and has a strike at goal, sending Ter Stegen flying to his left to cover his far corner - only to see the ball fly wide of the target.

26' Raphinha swings the free-kick into the penalty area looking for Lewandowski but Tchouameni gets there first to clear the danger with a powerful header.

24' Rudiger comes back to help Camavinga deal with Lewandowski near the right corner-flag but he’s a bit too physical, giving away a free-kick in a good position.

22' Hazard gets involved in play for the first time tonight but he’s promptly brought down in midfield by a retreating Raphinha, who bundles over the Belgium international.

20' A CHANCE FOR BARCA GOES BEGGING! Camavinga is guilty of overplaying in his own penalty area, losing possession to Pedri, who immediately centres the ball for Fati. After taking a touch to draw Courtois off his line the winger looks to tuck his finish away at the far post but he drags his shot just wide!

18' OFF THE POST! INCREDIBLE! Valverde latches onto the ball after Alba’s weak clearance and smashes a volley from 25 yards out that beats Ter Stegen for power and pace but fails to find the back of the net thanks to the goalkeeper’s right-hand post!

16' Barcelona’s organised press looks to frustrate the Real Madrid midfield inside their own half but an overzealous challenge from Gavi on Camavinga - followed by a shove - gives Ancelotti’s side a free-kick.

14' Alaba launches a long pass over the top of Barcelona’s defence for Rodrygo but Ter Stegen comes off his line intelligently and gets to the delivery before his opponent.

12' Vazquez has the ball taken away from him after a suspect clearance from Courtois but Lewandowski’s cross into the area fails to find a team-mate, sparing the goalkeeper’s blushes.

10' Raphinha looks to cut inside from the right and dribble past Rudiger with good technique but the defender commands the situation and puts himself between the winger and the ball - allowing it to roll behind for a goal-kick.

9' A poor pass out of defence from Alaba sets Fati away towards the penalty area but Vazquez and Valverde combine well to dispossess the dynamic winger.

7' Despite playing primarily as a centre-back for both Roma and Chelsea, it appears as though Ancelotti would rather test his new signing at left-back, with Alaba maintaining his partnership with Militao in the middle of the defence.

5' Fati dribbles coolly past Rodrygo and squares a pass to the penalty spot for Lewandowski but a backtracking Valverde manages to poke the ball away from his 18-yard box.

3' With fitness the primary concern and temperatures in Las Vegas rising as high as 40 degrees celsius, the match will likely not be played at breakneck speed. The key will be which side can can execute in front of goal and take their chances clinically.

1' Real Madrid get the match underway from the kick-off!

Barcelona make five changes to the XI that beat Inter Miami 6-0. Araujo and Alba start at full-back, replacing Dest and Balde, while Gavi and Busquets get the nod ahead of Kessie and Nico in midfield. The final change is a big one, with Aubameyang making way for star striker and Poland international Lewandowski.

Real Madrid start their pre-season with two debutants and old faces in new roles as Ancelotti lines his side up in a 4-3-3. Courtois starts in goal with Rudiger and Vazquez playing either side of centre-backs Alaba and Militao. Valverde and Camavinga are joined in midfield by former Monaco player Tchouameni, while the attack sees Hazard in a central position with Vinicius and Rodrygo either side of him.

BARCELONA SUBS: Sergino Dest, Gerard Pique, Ousmane Dembele, Memphis Depay, Inaki Pena, Nico, Miralem Pjanic, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Franck Kessie, Sergi Roberto, Frenkie De Jong, Alex Collado, Arnau Tenas, Pablo Torre, Abde Ezzalzouli, Balde Casado.

BARCELONA XI (4-3-3): Marc-Andre Ter Stegen; Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Eric Garcia, Jordi Alba; Pedri, Sergio Busquets, Gavi; Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Ansu Fati.

REAL MADRID SUBS: Andriy Lunin, Luis Lopez, Lucas Canizares, Jesus Vallejo, Nacho, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Marco Asensio, Casemiro, Alvaro Odriozola, Dani Ceballos, Ferland Mendy, Mariano, Tobias, Juan Latasa.

REAL MADRID XI (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, Eder Militao, Lucas Vazquez; Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelian Tchouameni, Federico Valverde; Vinicius Junior, Eden Hazard, Rodrygo. A

With 15 minutes to go before kick-off, let’s take a look at the team news - starting with Real Madrid!

Barcelona have already played three matches in pre-season, beating the A-League All Stars and drawing UE Olot before thrashing Inter Miami 6-0 last time out. Both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Memphis Depay contributed goals against the MLS club but it’s another striker who is receiving all the headlines as Robert Lewandowski could make his debut in Blaugrana tonight.

Real Madrid kick off their pre-season schedule in Las Vegas against Barcelona; a friendly in name only. Carlo Ancelotti’s side will be looking to gain form and fitness as well as cohesion ahead of a season which will see them defend both the LaLiga title and the Champion’s League trophy - with newcomers like Aurelian Tchouameni and Antonio Rudiger tasked with elevating to those heights in new surroundings.

Hello and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the pre-season fixture between Real Madrid and Barcelona!

Real Madrid v Barcelona Live Commentary, 24/07/2022

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