El Clasico: Barca beats Real for second time in four days to go ahead on all-time list

Still smarting from the 3-0 reverse Wednesday in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal, Real was unable to salvage pride in the La Liga clash.

Barca has gone 10 points clear of Atletico Madrid, which plays Sunday, and 12 clear of Real in what is turning into a one-team title race in Spain.

Real Madrid's season on the brink after 3-0 Barcelona defeat

Victory also completed the league double for Barca over Real, with a 5-1 thumping in the earlier fixture leading to the sacking of Los Blancos boss Julen Lopetegui after a sorry start to the current campaign.

Form has improved under Santiago Solari, but the only realistic chance of silverware for Real is another successful defense of the Champions League crown, languishing a distant third in the La Liga standings.

Both sides had chances before Ivan Rakitic put the visitor ahead in the 26th minute, playing a one-two with Sergi Roberto before lifting the ball over the onrushing Thibaut Courtois for a delightful opener.

Ivan Rakitic chips the ball over the despairing Thibaut Courtois in the Real Madrid goal to score the opening goal of El Clasico.

It turned out to be the only goal of the game, an effort worthy of teammate Lionel Messi and the Argentine maestro went close to adding a second, while Real's Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric headed over from close range.

Real's frustration boiled over just before the break as captain Sergio Ramos appeared to deliberately elbow Messi, the two squaring up head-to-head with Barca players appealing to the referee to take firmer action against a player shown five previous red cards in El Clasico.

Lionel Messi reacts angrily to a challenge by Sergio Ramos as tempers flared in El Clasico.

Ramos did go into the book in a second half in which his side was unable to put sustained pressure on Barcelona, which easily held on for its fourth consecutive league win in the Bernebeu.

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It has also taken Barcelona ahead by 96-95 in the all-time El Clasico head-to-head as the balance of power shifts to the Catalans.

Missing the striking prowess of the departed Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale was substituted in the second half after an anonymous display, Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane went close towards the end but Real could not force an equalizer.

Ernesto Valverde's Barca is closing in on a fourth La Liga title in five years and with hopes of a treble still alive, in the final of the Copa del Rey and set for for the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

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