Madrid make things even tastier at the top of LaLiga then as this fascinating three-way tussle for the league title continues. While their attention now returns to Europe, and Barca's next week's Copa del Rey final, this is a race to keep an eye on until the very end. That's all for now. Goodbye!

It's a huge three points for Madrid who now lead LaLiga on head-to-head points ahead of Atletico. They play away to Real Betis tomorrow. Barca stay third, just a point behind both. It's awfully tight at the top. On a larger scale, this result marks Barca's continued decline. Madrid have beaten them three times in a row for the first time since 1978, while Koeman becomes the first Barca manager to lose his first two league games to Madrid since Joaquim Rife in 1980.

Madrid secure their first league double over Barca since 2007/08 with a hard-fought win. Zinedine Zidane's side were clinical in the first half, capitalising on Barca's mistakes to go 2-0 up. Barca's change to a 4-3-3 formation changed the game, and they pulled a goal back through Mingueza but couldn't force another. In the end Kroos' deflected free-kick proved to be the winner.

Yellow Card Gerard Piqué Bernabéu

FULL-TIME: REAL MADRID 2-1 BARCELONA

The game ends with a scramble in Madrid's box! Moriba's fouled by Isco, giving Barca the chance to launch one last ball into the penalty area. Lenglet nods it down for Moriba who crashes a shot against the crossbar with Courtois stranded! The ball lands to ter Stegen, of all players, with Trincao inadvertently blocking his shot. ter Stegen tries again and Alba gets hold of it, firing over from range. That's it!

Barca keep on pushing for that elusive second goal with time running out. Braithwaite meets Alba's high cross but can only head wide.

Moriba goes for glory from just outside the box, firing high and wide. A little more patience there might have been to Barca's benefit.

This free-kick is in prime Messi territory as he goes for the top right corner. Courtois gets his gloves to it but can't master it in the slippy conditions, leading to a nervy second or two for Madrid.

CASEMIRO IS SENT OFF! No sooner do Madrid deal with the first Messi free-kick does Casemiro commit a second foul, barging Mingueza over on the edge of the area. The referee has no choice. He shows Casemiro a second yellow card and then a red. Casemiro has to go!

Casemiro's booked for that challenge on Messi. The midfielder will have to be careful now.

Casemiro commits a feisty tackle on Messi in Madrid's half. This will be a card of some kind.

Barca's momentum seems to have dissipated after that extended break in play. Madrid will be disappointed if they can't eke the win out from here.

Barca are adamant they should have a penalty for a push on Braithwaite which is nonsense, really. Alba's booked for labouring the point.

Chance for Barca! Messi pings the ball wide left to Alba who leaves Odriozola on the turf. Alba squirms his effort under the closing Courtois but it rolls agonisingly wide. Braithwaite goes down under pressure from Mendy near the byline as it goes out of play.

Asensio finds Isco on the edge of Barca's box but Isco's shot is too high. Apart from their goals Madrid haven't given ter Stegen that much to do.

Pedri's game is also over. He doesn't look happy about it. Trincao is his replacement.

Koeman makes two more changes to Barca. Braithwaite is on for Dembele.

The disruption to the game looks set to continue. Barca are about to make a few more new players on.

There's a break in play temporarily as the referee's equipment is struggling to handle the wet weather. Electronics aren't meant for this.

Now it's Madrid's turn to earn a corner as ter Stegen goes safety-first with Odriozola's cross. Isco has a shot blocked from the centre of the box and Marcelo's follow-up is ambitious to say the least.

Messi sends the corner in. Moriba is there to meet it with his head but it's straight at Courtois! Barca are getting closer and closer to an equaliser.

Barca earn a corner off the new arrival Marcelo. Marcelo had just blocked a fine Dembele pass.

Last to go off for Madrid is one of their goalscorers Benzema who's worked hard here. Mariano takes his place up front.

Vinicius is the next Madrid player to make way. Marcelo comes on to offer Madrid a more solid presence down their left with Mingueza now getting forward regularly.

Madrid, meanwhile, make three substitutions. First, Kroos off. Isco on.

Barca make a change. The 18-year-old midfielder Moriba replaces Araujo.

Mingueza, freed by his move to right-back, fires a delicious ball across Madrid's goal which could even be a shot. Griezmann just can't meet it at the far post. 

Messi swings the free-kick towards goal but Madrid's wall does its job. After a relatively easy first half Madrid's defenders are having greater difficulties in handling Barca now.

Nacho's foul on Messi earns him a yellow card. Madrid are setting up their wall with the now customary man lying down behind it.

Barca have a free-kick just outside the D as Nacho brings down Messi.

Lenglet fouls Vinicius down Madrid's left as Barca clear the corner. This game has become a lot more frantic since half-time.

Chance for Madrid! Modric spots Vinicius in space down the left and sends a wonderful ball forward from deep. Vinicius jinks towards goal and crosses for Benzema. Araujo gets a toe to it to stop Benzema from tapping it in. Madrid have a corner.

Griezmann's brought down by Casemiro outside Madrid's box. Messi's strike from the free-kick isn't clean as Madrid rush forward to block it.

Barcelona substitution. Busquets off. Roberto on.

Madrid's corner is inconsequential. Barca go straight upfield through Alba and Courtois gets wide quick to block the left-back's pop at goal.

Madrid hit the woodwork again! Vinicius goes on the run down the left and bursts into the box. The Brazilian goes for goal from a tight angle. His low rasp kisses the outside of the post before pinging out of play. It'll be a corner as Araujo got a touch on it.

Alba's cross there was great with two Barca players leaving the cross alone. Mingueza made it count.

Madrid make a change straight away. Valverde goes off. Asensio replaces him.

GOAL! REAL MADRID 2-1 BARCELONA! Mingueza pulls a goal back for Barca! Barca keep the ball in play down their left. Alba sends the cross in and Mingueza meets it unmarked to thump it in.

Madrid are having trouble getting out of their own half. Dembele fizzes in a cross from the byline and...

Benzema thumps at goal in anger from just outside the box and it flies well over. Madrid are finding it more difficult to create clear chances on the break for now.

Barca spurn an opportunity to pull a goal back. De Jong rolls the ball across the face of goal for Griezmann who fires just wide of the left-hand post. The Frenchman's offside anyway but it was tight.

Zidane is getting so drenched he's using a towel to wipe his head down. The players aren't exactly enjoying themselves either.

Barca's change of shape has given them more control in midfield but they're still vulnerable to the counter. Benzema hustles down the right and squares early for Kroos. Kroos gets his shot from deep horribly wrong.

The rain is really falling heavily in the stadium now. It could make for a tricky playing surface for the players. Barca force two corners in a row with Madrid winning the header each time.

As usual, Barca look heavily reliant on Messi. The Argentine had more shots than any other Barca player in that first half including their best chance. He's failed to score in his last six games against Madrid, his joint-longest run without scoring against them. Will that become a record seven games here or can Barca's captain drag them back into this in the second half?

Madrid get straight forward on the counter down their right but are unable to create a chance of note. Dembele, now on Barca's right, flings a cross into the Madrid penalty area and Courtois rises high to claim it.

Madrid have largely neutered Barca until right at the end of the half when Barca came to life. Benzema gave Madrid the lead with a cute backheel finish before Kroos made it two. Madrid nearly went further ahead, hitting the woodwork through Valverde, before Messi kissed the post himself and forced Courtois to make an important save. More after the break!

Griezmann has taken Pedri's place on Barca's left with Pedri now playing deeper. Pedri receives Griezmann's pass to burst into the area and cuts back for Messi whose shot inside the six-yard box is quickly closed down.

HALF-TIME: REAL MADRID 2-0 BARCELONA

Barca almost pull a goal back before the half-time break. Valverde hands the visitors another corner down their left this time. Messi is all alone at the far post, chests down Dembele's cross and shoots low. Courtois closes down the angle to make a vital stop for Madrid. That's all for now!

Koeman makes an attacking substitution at half-time. Dest, who Vinicius ran ragged in the first half, goes off. Griezmann comes on.

We're back underway for the second half. It looks like Barca have switched to a back four with Mingueza at right-back.

Barca hit the post! Messi whips the corner in. It curls towards the far post and dinks off it with a satisfying thunk. Madrid are relieved to watch it roll wide away from danger.

There'll be two additional minutes in this first half. Messi shoots from a difficult angle and can only hit a defender. Barca force a corner down their right as Dest plays the ball off Mendy. Mendy thinks it came off the Barca right wing-back. He's right.

Odriozola replaces the stricken Vazquez as Madrid's right-back. Hopefully Vazquez won't be out of action for too long.

Messi's effort from outside the box is blocked. Vazquez sits down near his own penalty area after coming off the worse in a crunching challenge with Busquets. It looks like he'll be unable to continue.

The rain has started coming down here in Madrid. Modric catches Alba with a high boot near Barca's corner flag and gives away a foul.

There's a stoppage in play as Vazquez requires some treatment. Zidane gives Vinicius some words of advice down on the touchline.

Dembele clatters an effort off a defender then takes a tumble in the box as Messi slides a cute ball through for him. Barca appeal for a penalty. The referee isn't remotely interested.

Madrid have a corner conceded by Mingueza. Barca manage to see it out, blocking Valverde and Militao's snap shots, but they look so frail defensively at the moment. That three-man defence isn't working for them.

Madrid hit the post! There's yet another turnover of the ball and Vinicius is in acres of space. He picks out Valverde on the opposite flank who fizzes an effort across goal. It looks like it will go in off the far post but instead hits the woodwork and bounces back out. Madrid try but fail to force it over the line as Vazquez' follow-up is saved by ter Stegen.

Mendy gets fouled in his own half as de Jong puts a stop to the Frenchman's run away from his own box. Barca are terrified of getting attacked down the flanks.

We're only half an hour in and Barca have a lot to do already. Madrid are picking them apart on the counter. The visitors concede possession again and Vinicius carries the ball into the penalty area. This time Barca crowd him out near the byline and get rid of it.

GOAL! REAL MADRID 2-0 BARCELONA! Madrid do score from the free-kick! It's a beauty too. Kroos steps up and fires it towards goal. It deflects off the back of Dest who is standing nowhere near his wall and into the net! Alba is unable to head it off the line.

Araujo's booked for that challenge on Vinicius. It's slightly harsh as it looked accidental. Barca will be doubly unhappy if Madrid score from this.

Casemiro trips Messi. The referee shrugs his shoulders and gives the free-kick. Barca misplace it and Vinicius goes on the run, barging into the box. Araujo catches him with his trailing leg and Madrid get a free-kick inches outside the penalty area.

Madrid's free-kick is in a promising central position but they squander it. Benzema's effort whizzes high and wide into the stands.

Pedri's shown a yellow card for putting an illegal stop to Casemiro's run through the centre. 

Barca have had the bulk of possession so far as you'd expect. The visitors have had 66 per cent of the ball but only one shot, the same as Madrid. The difference is that Madrid scored with theirs.

Messi floats the free-kick in from the left and it bounces harmlessly out of play for a goal-kick to Madrid. Barca are unhappy with some shoving but it's neither here nor there.

Barca take the corner quickly. Dembele goes down but there's no free-kick. Barca get one eventually as Kroos scythes down Pedri.

Militao finds himself under pressure and puts the ball out for a Barca throw. Barca move through the middle and Nacho punts it out for a corner to the visitors.

That goal makes Benzema the fourth Madrid player in the 21st century to score in seven LaLiga games in a row after Ruud van Nistelrooy, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Amazingly, it's his first goal against Barca in ten games against them. His duck is now over.

That move was classy in its minimalism. All Vazquez had to do was square it and Benzema applied a beautiful finish.

GOAL! REAL MADRID 1-0 BARCELONA! Madrid draw first blood! It's a simple goal too. Valverde goes on a scintillating run from deep and feeds Vazquez who crosses low from the right. Benzema backheels it in at the near post.

Ter Stegen plays it long to Busquets who's caught in possession. Madrid break as Vinicius' pass to Benzema is blocked.

Madrid force a corner down their right. It's acrobatically hooked away by Araujo.

Barca put together the first promising attacking move of the game as Messi slips Alba in down the left. Courtois can't hold Alba's cross, leaving his defenders to hurriedly block Mingueza's shot and clear it away.

Benzema dribbles through the centre of the pitch and looks for a one-two with Valverde. Mingueza steps out of his line to cut it out.

Messi skips over a challenge in midfield but is dispossessed. Barca manage to keep the ball though and force a throw-in down their left.

Casemiro attempts to jink his way past Messi near Madrid's left corner flag but is tripped by the Barca man. The referee gives the free-kick.

Ter Stegen almost plays Barca into trouble straight away, passing straight forward out of his box only to find a Madrid player. Benzema almost latches onto the throughball but ter Stegen is grateful to have it roll through to him.

This Clasico gets underway!

The two sides are out on the pitch in Madrid. Madrid are in their iconic all-white. Barca are in their iconic blue-and-red. No unnecessary away kits here!

Madrid have defeated Barca in their last two meetings, winning 3-1 in the reverse fixture earlier this season. If Madrid win again here it'll be their first league double over Barca since 2007/08 and the first time they've won three Clasicos in a row since 1978. Barca will be determined not to let that happen.

There's just one change to Madrid from their 3-1 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League midweek. Valverde replaces Asensio on the right. Barca also change just one player from their 1-0 win over Real Valladolid. Araujo starts ahead of Griezmann who drops to the bench.

SUBS: Samuel Umtiti, Trincao, Sergi Roberto, Junior Firpo, Martin Braithwaite, Gerard Pique, Riqui Puig, Miralem Pjanic, Antoine Griezmann, Inaki Pena, Arnau Tenas, Ilaix Moriba.

BARCELONA (3-4-3): Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Oscar Mingueza, Ronald Araujo, Clement Lenglet; Sergino Dest, Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Jordi Alba; Lionel Messi (c), Ousmane Dembele, Pedri.

SUBS: Rodrygo, Mariano, Alvaro Odriozola, Diego Altube, Isco, Andriy Lunin, Marco Asensio, Marcelo.

REAL MADRID (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Lucas Vazquez, Eder Militao, Nacho, Ferland Mendy; Luka Modric, Casemiro, Toni Kroos; Federico Valverde, Karim Benzema (c), Vinicius Junior.

Barca start this game second in the table, two points ahead of Madrid and just one behind Atletico. Ronald Koeman's Blaugrana have won their last nine away games in a row in LaLiga and still have the Copa del Rey final to come. With Atletico tiring at the top, a win against their most bitter rivals here could be the spur Barca need to finish the season with a flourish.

There are three teams vying to be Spanish champions at the moment. By the end of this game there may only realistically be two. Madrid sit third in LaLiga at the moment, three points behind cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid after losing just one of their last 19 league games. Zinedine Zidane's side are a team in form. But if anyone can beat them, it's Barcelona.

Hello! Welcome to our live text commentary of this massive LaLiga clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona at Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium, Madrid. Yes, it's El Clasico!