Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as Barcelona ran out 5-1 winners over arch-rivals Real Madrid at the Nou Camp.
Philippe Coutinho and Arturo Vidal were also on the mark for Barca with Marcelo replying for a Real side whose coach Julen Lopetegui looks to be on borrowed time.
Here Press Association Sport takes a look at five things we learned from El Clasico:
BARCELONA CAN WIN WITHOUT MESSI
The players are arriving at the stadium! 🙌
And Leo #Messi, one Barça Fan more supporting the team! 💙❤#ElClásico pic.twitter.com/LocxDTGT2i
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 28, 2018
Of course they did so just a few days ago in the Champions League, but victory in El Clasico simply reinforced the greater number of options Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has at his disposal. Ivan Rakitic, Jordi Alba, Philippe Coutinho, and Luis Suarez were all superb against Madrid, while Ousmane Dembele set up fellow substitute Arturo Vidal for the final goal.
REPLACING CRISTIANO RONALDO IS IMPOSSIBLE
It is stating the obvious perhaps, but the first El Clasico without either Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo since 2007 proved just how important the latter has been to Madrid over the years. Ronaldo holds the record for goals scored in consecutive El Clasico matches, finding the net in all six matches between the teams in 2012, and his total of 18 goals against Barcelona in all competitions matches the club record of the great Alfredo Di Stefano.
JULEN LOPETEGUI IS ON BORROWED TIME
The manager ultimately always carries the can for the performances of his players, but it was hard not to feel a little sympathy for the embattled Madrid boss on Sunday’s showing. A woeful first-half performance brought about an influential substitution and a goal for Marcelo, which was then followed by Luka Modric hitting the post and Karim Benzema heading over from six yards following a great cross from that substitute Lucas Vazquez. Barcelona were definitely vulnerable at that point, but Suarez then showed Benzema how it was done with a brilliant header to put the result beyond doubt.
VAR IS VITAL
The final result was a rout for the home side, but given Madrid’s improved performance early in the second half, who knows what might have happened if they were not already 2-0 down. Referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez had initially turned down appeals for a penalty in the 27th minute after Suarez had been brought down by Raphael Varane, but correctly changed his mind after consulting the VAR and Suarez duly converted from the penalty spot.
GARETH BALE MIGHT NOT BE UNHAPPY TO SEE A CHANGE AT THE HELM
Bale was a peripheral figure for virtually the entire contest, with his early cross to set up a half-chance for Benzema his most noticeable creative contribution. The Wales star was booked early in the second half and substituted 13 minutes from time, after which he did not appear to exchange a single word with Lopetegui as he left the pitch.
