Barcelona vs. Real Madrid: Disastrous First Half Will Doom Real Madrid

Real Madrid came into today's rendition of El Clasico knowing they needed at least two goals against Barcelona to keep their hopes of advancing in the Copa del Rey alive.

The match has just gone to the half, and now Real Madrid needs a miracle. Barcelona is leading 2-0.

Things were quiet for much of the first half, but Barca absolutely exploded in the final minutes. Lionel Messi worked his wizardry to sneak a pass to Pedro, and he blasted the ball into the back of the net to give Barca a 1-0 lead in the 43rd minute. 

Things got even worse for Real Madrid a few minutes later, as a yellow card against Iker Casillas set Barca up for a free kick. Xavi's kick was deflected, but Dani Alves was there to send it home with a brilliant strike to give Barca their 2-0 lead.

Real Madrid definitely had chances in this match. They nearly scored in the first and the third minute of the match, but Gonzalo Higuain's shot went wide and Jose Manuel Pinto was able to make a brilliant save a few minutes later. Two very good chances to get on the board ended in nothing.

Real Madrid had a couple other golden opportunities throughout the course of the first half, but they couldn't break through. Once those opportunities were missed, Barca grabbed control of the pace of the game, slowing things down to their liking and keeping Real Madrid from causing any further trouble.

It wasn't until the final minutes that Barca was able to break through, but even they probably didn't expect to come up with two goals to put Real Madrid in such a deep hole.

Real Madrid could get the miracle they need, but we may as well be honest with each other. They had their chances to take control of this match, and they missed them. They did well to keep Barca under wraps for most of the first half, but their lines simply broke at the very end. 

One goal would have been bad enough. Two goals is a disaster.

It would take a collapse beyond reckoning for Barcelona to blow this game, and we all know that Barca is simply too good to let that happen.

This match is theirs now, and they're not going to let it go.

And no, Real Madrid is not going to take it from them.