EL CLASICO: Barça Stun Madrid 3 - 1...To Go Top Of La Liga

So, all the talk before the 216th El Clasico game about how rampant Real Madrid might potentially open up a six point gap in the title race with a game in hand, has whittled into thin air after 90minutes of soccer fiesta. Initially, it didn't look good for Barcelona when they went behind after 22 seconds.

But the Catalans responded in the manner of true champions.

They came from behind to stun their arch-rivals in the 216th Clasico and replace their rivals at the top of La Liga; and it's back to the drawing-board for José Mourinho.

It was the anticipation of many that the two best football teams in the stratosphere will collide in an explosive extravaganza of sporting brilliance.

It was a very interesting game though, perhaps not quite the quality of football some expected. In the first half, Real Madrid seem somehow fitter and quicker than last season, and were harrying Barça all over the pitch.

Xavi's deflected strike put Barça ahead before Cesc Fabregas completed the triumph with a diving header.

The result sees Pep Guardiola's men go level on points with Real, but the Catalans have a superior goal difference.

Real still have that game in hand but pre-match talk of the tide turning at the summit of Spanish football appears misguided.

Barça are now unbeaten in six visits to the Santiago Bernabeu in all competitions and seven matches against Real.

The Catalans looked out of sorts and were obviously delighted to come in on level terms.

Hosts Real arrived three points ahead of Barça with a game in hand and took the lead inside 23 seconds through Karim Benzema's close-range finish.

Goalkeeper Victor Valdes was at fault but his blushes were spared by Alexis Sanchez's drilled equaliser.

Menacing

Barcelona were quick to respond and Messi seized upon Sergio Ramos' slip to run menacingly at the Real defence before seeing a low shot superbly pushed away by Iker Casillas.

The Real keeper then punched away a Xavi free-kick before Ronaldo wasted a golden chance to increase the hosts' lead on 25 minutes.

Clever play from Benzema saw the France international's reverse pass find Ronaldo in space on the edge of the box, but he side-footed horribly wide when he should have hit the target.

The reigning champions were level on the half-hour mark after another penetrating run from Messi, who released Sanchez into space and the Chilean produced a crisp low finish beyond Casillas.

But before half-time, the Bernabeu faithful were baying for Messi's dismissal when he escaped a second yellow card following a foul on Xabi Alonso near the halfway line.

Fortunate

Valdes, who was enduring a shaky evening with the ball at his feet, comfortably saved a Ronaldo free-kick on 50 minutes before Barca took the lead in fortunate circumstances on 53 minutes.

The ball broke to Xavi 25 yards from goal and his well-struck volley appeared to be covered by Casillas only to take a wicked deflection off Marcelo and bounce into the net off the post.

Jose Mourinho introduced Kaka and Sami Khedira, but Barca came closest to another goal when Messi fired a low shot narrowly wide.

Ronaldo should have drawn his team level on 65 minutes when he was picked out unmarked by Xabi Alonso's cross, but the world's most expensive player could only steer his header wide of the goal.

And Ronaldo was made to pay for that miss just a minute later when Barca surged upfield and Dani Alves delivered a wonderful cross to the far post where Fabregas was racing in to head beyond Casillas.

Mourinho then threw on Gonzalo Higuain for fellow Argentina international Angel Di Maria, but Real were starting to cause problems for themselves and almost gifted Barca a fourth goal with four minutes to go.

Pepe's misplaced pass allowed Messi to slip in Iniesta, but his low shot from an angle was saved by Casillas and the Real keeper eventually gathered the ball after a scramble on the edge of the six-yard box.

Source: Peacefmonline.com with additional files from BBC/Sky