SIX things we learned from Real Madrid vs Barcelona
It was a case of ‘do not adjust your sets’ on Sunday night. Real Madrid really were playing in aqua-marine and they really were comfortably superior to Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the first Clasico of the season.
Barca’s spirit kept them in the game but if referee Ricardo De Burgos had spotted Luis Suarez’s dive then the score would have been even more emphatic.
The Camp Nou was heavily populated with tourists – one spectator even wore a half-and-half Barça-Madrid shirt with ‘Menaldo’ on the back, presumably a combination of Messi and Ronaldo.
Lost a bet? A visitor to the Nou Camp sports a Barca-Real half-and-half shirt at the Clasico tie
Real Madrid players celebrate after their 3-1 win over Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Sunday
With season tickets not applicable and prices high, many Barca fans stayed away and so the holidaymakers – many of them cheering Ronaldo’s goal – made for something of a carnival atmosphere. In front of a more partisan crowd the reaction to the defeat might have been more severe.
So what conclusion can be drawn from the game? Was Real Madrid’s new third kit really the worst thing on display or were there other things to take away from Real Madrid’s comfortable win over Barcelona?
It was the first Clasico of the season and it did not go well for the home side but how much did it teach us about what’s coming this season?
Three things we learned about Real Madrid
Madrid currently possess the best squad in world football by a considerable margin
Los Blancos are by far the world's best
They currently have the best squad in world football by some margin. We expect there to be a gap between them and La Liga’s minnows but this was Barcelona and they could not compete.
The gulf in overall quality was never more plain than when on the hour both sides made their first substitutions. Barcelona brought on Denis Suarez and Real Madrid brought on Cristiano Ronaldo.
Marco Asensio is destined for greatness
Marco Asensio is going to become Spain’s best player over the next ten years. They have mourned the loss of Xavi and Xabi Alonso and David Villa.
This 21-year-old from Mallorca is not a replacement for any of those players but he does have the look of world class about him.
Zidane doesn’t like picking out individuals but it was hard not to on Sunday night after that stunning late goal.
Madrid substitute Marco Asensio scored with a stunning late effort to wrap up the victory
Kylian Mbappe wouldn't be guaranteed a place in Madrid's XI
No one is an automatic selection any more. Not Gareth Bale, not Karim Benzema, not even Ronaldo. Isco – who Madrid are about to tie down to a five-year deal with a £637million buy-out – is just as worthy of a starting berth.
And so is Mateo Kovacic who was outstanding in midfield. There will be rotation this year and no one will be able to complain because there is so much quality throughout the squad….
Oh and one more thing: if they are going to miss out on Kylian Mbappe they really shouldn’t shed too many tears. He wants to be first choice wherever he goes. Madrid could not guarantee him that.
Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe would not be guaranteed a place in Madrid's starting XI
Three things we learned about Ernesto Valverde’s Barcelona.
Barca are crying out for Neymar's replacement
The new signings cannot come soon enough. Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho are both over-priced in this crazy market – made even crazier by Paris Saint Germain’s spending – but Barca are just going to have to accept that, close their eyes and write the checks.
Gerard Deulofeu looked impressive in last week’s friendly against Chapecoense but he was exposed against tougher competition. Both Coutinho and Dembele will add attacking threat to a team now lacking it after Neymar’s departure.
Gerard Deulofeu was shown up against Madrid in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup
Ernesto Valverde's squad selection speaks volumes
It was clear from Valverde’s squad and team selection who he does and doesn’t fancy. He wants Arda Turan out of the club. He wants Thomas Vermaelen moved on. He wants Munir El Haddadi loaned or sold.
He wants Sergi Samper loaned out. And it also seems he would not mind losing Sergio Roberto and Andre Gomes if the money was right. He also doesn’t seem to fancy Javier Mascherano.
Paulinho can be Barcelona's muscle man
The new coach does seem to want Paulinho, however. The world may be scratching its head as to why a player Tottenham sold for £13m is now Barca-bound for £36m but Valverde made much of the fact that his team were overpowered in midfield, when speaking in his post-match press conference. The Brazilian midfielder will press high and stop Barcelona getting muscled out of things.