Tracking Performances of Real Madrid, Barcelona Stars After Weekend of Nov. 1
Jornada 10 in La Liga saw a change at the top of the table, with Real Madrid the new league leaders in Spain after they racked up a seventh straight victory in their primary domestic competition, while Barcelona slumped to a second straight loss.
We continue our weekly look at the two clubs' biggest attacking stars, charting their progress after every game and aiding a quick-look comparison over the season as a whole as we go. Five of our six stars were in action this weekend, so let's see how they fared.
Real's Streak Continues
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Seven in the league, but it's 11 straight wins in all competitions now for Real Madrid, inarguably the most in-form side in Europe right now. Real Madrid played away to Granada on Saturday and picked up a 4-0 victory, gaining a fourth clean sheet in their last six in the process.
Gareth Bale remained sidelined through injury, though manager Carlo Ancelotti has stated, per BBC Sport, it is just a "small" problem, despite the Welshman missing several games of late.
In his absence, Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez continue to impress and tear up La Liga.
It took the former just 99 seconds to get on the scoresheet at Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes, sweeping home a low, right-footed shot following a Karim Benzema cut-back—and the two would combine again later on, this time with Ronaldo being the supplier with a smart backheel, playing in the Frenchman to score.
In truth the first 45 minutes was enormously one-sided as the far greater players in Real Madrid black showed their composure, quality and confidence, and Ronaldo was a big part of that. His performance as a second striker continues to improve week on week, as does his partnership with Benzema, and he made a lot more off-the-ball running along the defensive line than he would usually make from the wing.
Plenty of occasions saw him link up around the box with a quick pass or simply helping the ball on, opening up the Granada defence almost at will.
Chances created, defenders beaten and tricks coming off, it was as complete and impressive a first hour or so as you are likely to see, and he (and the team) could have had more if they had not taken their foot off the gas thereafter, with bigger challenges yet ahead.
James, meanwhile, provided a spectacular sideshow to the game—his first goal was a thing of beauty.
"Was James Rodriguez's ridiculous volley the goal of the day? https://t.co/M0JqYIBxP8
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) November 1, 2014"
Like Ronaldo, he was involved in build-up play throughout the game, teasing defenders with his movement infield off the right side, allowing Dani Carvajal to overlap and raid down the flank, and linking well with his front two team-mates.
The Colombian has been in scintillating form over the last month and his end product in the final third has soared accordingly.
He both started and finished the move for the fourth and final Real goal, bundling over the line from a yard out after initially taking possession midway inside the half, laying the ball off and following the move in with his impressive attacking instinct.
Ratings: Cristiano Ronaldo, 9/10. James Rodriguez, 9/10. Gareth Bale, n/a.
Barca Suffer Second Defeat
Following on from their defeat last week in El Clasico, Barcelona would have been desperate to get back to winning ways with a home match against Celta Vigo, boss Luis Enrique's former club, but instead they fell to another loss, 1-0 this time.
Barca dominated and had enough chances to win three matches, but despite possessing and playing one of the most potentially awesome attacks around—our focus stars, Leo Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar—they simply couldn't find the back of the net.
All three forwards came exceedingly close to finding the breakthrough at 0-0, while Suarez and Neymar also came close to equalising goals later in the match.
Messi played as the most central of the three as always, slightly more withdrawn to find the ball in space and run at the Celta defence, but they were both well-organised and compact, making it hard for the Argentine to find space. Any time he was able to dribble into the box to get a shot away invariably came as he circumnavigated the penalty area to go the long way around, shooting on the angle.
Then, he was denied by the woodwork, the goalkeeper or sprawling, last-ditch defenders—or some combination of all three.
"Brilliant goal-line clearance denies Messi. Live updates: http://t.co/ENJnan0auk https://t.co/hWTPwlu31r
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) November 1, 2014"
He missed a headed effort from close range in the first half, too, and saw a shot destined for the top corner tipped over by the 'keeper, great occasions both to equal La Liga's goalscoring record, but it will have to wait for now.
Neymar, meanwhile, played from the left and had probably the two best chances when coming in to more central areas from that side, tucking one effort to the left of the 'keeper, which was saved, and heading a great chance, unmarked from eight yards out, straight down into the ground.
The Brazilian's finest shot was a wicked, curling effort from 25 yards which beat the 'keeper—but not the crossbar. Later in the game he struck the woodwork once more.
He was involved in build-up play throughout the game as Barcelona had so much of the ball, but there was rarely any spark of individualism or skill from Neymar to try to open up the Celta back line. In truth this shouldn't have been a problem as the chances were there, just the finishing was missing from he and his team-mates.
A second successive start for Luis Suarez saw him once again play from the right and this time feature for the full 90 minutes, but his industry and impressive early partnerships with the other two still didn't see a breakthrough. Once or twice his passes went astray in the final third, but he also crafted some of the clearer chances for Messi and Neymar, including Messi's first-half headed effort over the bar.
Suarez himself could have taken on more shots than he eventually did, but he was thwarted once by a routine save in the first half and, late in the game, by a magnificent full-length dive by Sergio.
It wasn't a case of "there were signs the trio could work together"—they did work, and well...again, it was simply a matter of no chance being put away. Another day, they each might have easily grabbed a brace apiece, instead of finishing on the losing side.
Ratings: Lionel Messi, 7/10. Neymar, 6/10. Luis Suarez, 7/10.
Matchday Stats Comparison
| James | 90 | 62 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Ronaldo | 90 | 56 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Suarez | 90 | 75 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Messi | 90 | 67 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Neymar | 90 | 64 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Season Stats Comparison
| Messi | 10 | 7 | 129 | 7 | 3.3 | 4.7 | 4.1 |
| Suarez | 2 | 0 | n/a | 1 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Neymar | 7 (2) | 9 | 67 | 1 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 1.9 |
| Ronaldo | 9 | 17 | 48 | 3 | 2.8 | 6.3 | 1.8 |
| Bale | 7 | 4 | 151 | 3 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 0.9 |
| James | 10 | 4 | 215 | 4 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 0.8 |
