Barcelona: Toothless Catalans Lacked Necessary Bite to Triumph in El Clasico

Real Madrid hosted eternal rivals Barcelona for the 229th edition of El Clasico and while it didn't quite live up to all of the pre-match hype, there were enough talking points to keep everyone happy.

The first of those came even before the whistle had blown with the news that Luis Suarez would start the game. His presence in the line up wasn't a surprise but given fitness concerns, utilising the Uruguayan as an impact substitution may have been a preferable option.

As it was, his impact was limited on debut thanks to the collective and individual efforts of the Real players.

Marcelo allowed Suarez to escape the shackles as early as the third minute, to supply Neymar with a pass of pinpoint accuracy which led to the opener. Thereafter, however, Suarez was restricted to feeding on scraps and never really found his mojo in the game.

Per BBC Sport, the player himself noted that his debut was "bittersweet" in an interview with Canal Plus:

"

It was a big relief. I'm very happy with the minutes I had.

I have a bittersweet sensation because of the result but this team has picked itself up before many times.

I felt really good. I have been training for a long time with this game in mind and so when the coach made the decision I was in the right shape to play.

"

With the supply line from the right side almost redundant, Barca needed alternatives. Lionel Messi can normally be relied upon as the "go to" man in these fixtures but he too had one of his worst games in a long time.

The level of expectation to beat Telmo Zarra's La Liga mark here perhaps weighed a little too heavily on his shoulders.

Paul White/Associated Press

In any event, Carlo Ancelotti got his tactics spot on and outdid his Barca counterpart Luis Enrique in all respects. His formation and choice of personnel allowed the team to be expressive in possession, strong at the back and dynamic going forward, and the Catalans just couldn't cope.

Per BBC Sport, Enrique noted his disappointment with Barca's defence:

"

I don't regret that he [Suarez] started, he did more than I expected him to do, and I substituted him for fitness reasons.

I was expecting a different type of game, not one in which we would be so unconvincing in defence.

We have to correct that because if we don't we will really struggle - like we did today.

"

Never a truer word spoken. Madrid were excellent going forward and in truth three goals flattered Barca. Yet a more stoic and robust defensive performance from the Blaugrana might have seen a different outcome.

After another pathetic showing on the biggest stage, Gerard Pique will surely be fearing for his starting spot once again. With Marc Bartra waiting in the wings and Thomas Vermaelen almost ready to finally begin his Blaugrana career, Barca certainly have options in this area. 

The visitors did show in patches, certainly in the first period, that the quick passing game for which they are renowned can still trouble even the meanest back lines when executed correctly.

Who knows, had Messi's chance in the 20th minute beaten Iker Casillas, we might well have seen the game take on a different complexion.

A midfield trio of Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Xavi Hernandez was the same three as had played against Madrid in 2010, therefore the question of evolution of team, style of play and tactics rightly rears its ugly head again when performances of this nature come to pass.

The omission of Ivan Rakitic was perhaps the biggest surprise, given just how well the Croat has adapted to life at Camp Nou.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

His dynamism was sorely lacking in a midfield content to pass the ball with ease, but not a lot else. Rather than looking at Barca's shortcomings and however much it pains cules to do so, today is the time to acknowledge that they were well beaten on the day.

As the Madridistas rose in unison to acclaim Ronaldinho in 2005 at the same venue, so Barcelonistas should return the compliment.

Sporting excellence must always be given appropriate kudos but the Catalans must set about putting the record straight within the week, starting at Celta Vigo.

We go again.