The latest iteration of two historic derbies took place in Spain and Italy. Barcelona beat El Clasico rivals, and La Liga table-toppers, Real Madrid 4-0, while Roma claimed bragging rights over Lazio in Derby della Capitale.
Karim Benzema’s absence hurt Real Madrid – Los Blancos suffered without their talisman in attack, who often also acts as the outlet out of pressure – but not more than their rivals’ brilliance. The Blaugrana humiliated the league leaders 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu, sending warning signs across Europe over the potential of the side under Xavi Hernandez.
Federico Valverde played as a False 9 in the absence of Benzema, and it was he who drew the first save of the match out of Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the seventh minute. At the opposite end, Thibaut Courtois denied Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from close range in the 12th minute, but he could do nothing about the forward’s near-post flick in the 29th from an Ousmane Dembele cross – 1-0 Barcelona led.
Vinicius Jr squandered a great one-on-one opportunity to level the score in the 38th minute, and just minutes later, Ronald Araujo made him pay by heading in Barcelona’s second from a corner.
Ferran Torres latched onto a backheel flick from Aubameyang to add in a third, seconds after the interval, and he returned the favor by setting up the Gabon international for his second – and Barcelona’s fourth and final goal – in the 51st minute.
Over in Rome, Tammy Abraham etched his name in history books by overtaking Vincenzo Montella and Gabriel Batistuta’s joint-tally of 21 goals in their debut season for AS Roma.
The Englishman scored his 22nd of the season in the first minute of the Rome derby against Lazio, tapping the ball in from close range after it had bounced off the bar and fallen in front of him from a corner.
Full of confidence, Abraham completed his brace in the 22nd minute, volleying in a cross from Rick Karsdrop after the latter had drawn several of Lazio’s players to himself, freeing the space for the Englishman. Roma went into the break 3-0 ahead, thanks to captain Lorenzo Pellegrini’s sensational free-kick – a lead which they held onto for the remainder of the match.
The win allowed Jose Mourinho’s side to overtake their rivals in the table; they are currently level on points with fifth-placed Atalanta, albeit having played a game more.
