El Clasico: Why Barcelona Is Still the World's Best Team After 3-1 Win

In the end, Barcelona won comfortably, and with some style.

In the end, the only question—apart from who might get sent off had another flashpoint bubbled up to the surface in the closing seconds—was whether Barcelona could nick a fourth.

In the end, it wasn’t the five-goal thrashing that Barcelona handed out last season at the Nou Camp. But considering what happened at the beginning, Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu had to feel just that teeny, tiny bit better for Barcelona.

It was a rousing beginning, no doubt. 

23 seconds in, Karim Benzema fired Real Madrid into the lead. And all it took was a moment of boneheaded madness on the part of Barcelona portero loco Victor Valdes.

A bad clearance pass, a bit of high-stakes pinball around the box, a boot slicing through the air—suddenly Barcelona were behind.

It didn’t last. And looking back now, it seems pretty clear that it couldn’t have. Barcelona, even on the road, even in the home stadium of their biggest rivals, were just too good.

For now, forget Real’s extra game in hand. They’ll probably win to restore their three-point advantage over Barcelona, and they’ll probably maintain that lead for at least a few more weeks.

But in the end, Barcelona is still the best team in the world. And here are six reasons why.

Ric Flair Is the Man

You could almost take Ric Flair, freeze dry him, ship him across the Atlantic and reprogram all his words into Spanish.

He could be Lionel Messi and Barcelona. Ricky Steamboat could be Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid. Life's just full of perfect analogies sometimes.

Steamboat, let me go on record as telling the whole world you are the greatest wrestler on the face of this earth!

But, pal, today! Right here! You gotta beat Ric Flair one more time!

Remember, Steamboat—and pal, I'll kiss your boots if you can do it—but to be the man, you gotta beat the man!

And I'm saying—woo!—right here, in Nashville, Tennessee, pal, I'm! The! Man!

Yep, Barcelona is the man. Champions of Spain. Champions of Europe. Ric Flair in his prime.

Real Madrid? Keep on trying. Nashville's a tough town, kid.

It Still Didn't Work

Real Madrid didn't sit back and let Barcelona play their game.

Real Madrid didn't pack the box and let Barcelona string together 37 consecutive passes.

Real Madrid took the game to Barcelona. They didn’t allow Barca too much space, and they didn’t let them pass like usual.

Real Madrid kept their shape, and they pressured Barcelona.

Heading into this game, it was all about Real Madrid.

But Barcelona still won. On the road. After going a goal down.

What else can Real Madrid do?

Real Didn't Actually Create Much

For all of Real Madrid's strong play early in the match, they didn't actually create many chances.

Remember, Real's only goal was more than a little fluky. Victor Valdes melted down in the opening 30 seconds, and Karim Benzema made him pay.

Other than that, Real created fewer than a handful of real, actual chances.

Granted, one of Barca's goals was also fluky. But the other two weren't, at all.

Speaking of which…

The New Guys

Alexis Sanchez, he who falls over far too easily, scored a goal, and a lovely one at that.

So did Cesc Fabregas, on an excellently taken header, seconds after Cristiano Ronaldo missed a free header of his own.

What does it mean?

It means that, while Barcelona were already the best team in the world, their two big summer signings made them even better. Their two big summer signings added two more world-class talents to a squad already overflowing with them.

Much like when they added David Villa in 2010, Barcelona just keep on getting better.

Where's Cristiano?

Ronaldo missed two big, big chances

The first came in first half, with the ball at his feet just inside the box. You'd normally expect Ronaldo to at least put his shot on target, but instead blasted it way high and way wide.

The second came in the second second half, on that free header in middle of box, eight yards out.

And he just missed it.

In big games, Real Madrid need their biggest star to make big-time plays. He didn't, and that's just another reason Barca won the game.

Really, Though, Messi Is the Man

Messi is still the best. And he plays for Barcelona.

The Argentinean wizard didn't score on Saturday, but he did create Sanchez's equalizer with a nimble dribble and gorgeous ball, al hueco, through the defense.

With that moment of genius alone, Messi proved his value.

And with Messi on Barcelona's roster, they've always got a chance to conjure the sublime.

That's why they're the best in the world.