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Attendance: 97,939
Barcelona logo
La Liga
May 6, 2018 at 7.45pm UK
 
Real Madrid logo

2-2

Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')

Ernesto Valverde: 'Lack of VAR in El Clasico a good thing'

Valverde: 'Lack of VAR a good thing'
© Offside
Ernesto Valverde says that it is 'lucky' video assistant referees are not yet used in La Liga due to the delays that would have been caused in the 2-2 draw with Madrid.

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has joked that his side's El Clasico showdown with Real Madrid may never have ended had VAR been used.

Sunday evening's clash at Camp Nou was packed with incident, particularly towards the end of the first half when three yellow cards and a red were dished out.

A couple of other players could consider themselves fortunate not to join Sergio Roberto, who appeared to slap Marcelo, in being given their marching orders in a match that finished 2-2.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Valverde talked up the performance of his side and admitted that the lack of a video assistant referee was probably a good thing.

"It's strange if Sergi did hit Marcelo in the face, knowing Sergi as I do. VAR? Luckily it hasn't been implemented yet, otherwise we'd both still be playing!" he said. "It was a very intense match. We knew what these games were about and we all want to beat our opponents.

"We started the match well, but Madrid hurt us each time we lost the ball. The game was made complicated by the cards, and we struggled not to notice being a man down.

"Still, I appreciate the effort that my players made, playing with 10 for the entire second half and not against just any team but rather Real Madrid.

"We didn't hold back going forward, even though we had to be very compact, line up with four at back and have another three in midfield. Instead, we could've won with Leo's chance, which would've made it 3-1."

Barcelona play host to Villarreal on Wednesday evening attempting to keep this season's unbeaten La Liga record intact.

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Real Madrid's Marcelo in action against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League on October 17, 2017
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona12110140112933
2Real Madrid1173121111024
3Atletico MadridAtletico126511871123
4Villarreal116322019121
5Osasuna126331716121
6Athletic Bilbao125431812619
7Real BetisBetis125431210219
8Mallorca12534109118
9Rayo Vallecano114431210216
10Celta Vigo125161820-216
11Real Sociedad124351010015
12GironaGirona124351517-215
13Sevilla124351217-515
14AlavesAlaves124171419-513
15Leganes122551216-411
16Getafe12174810-210
17Espanyol123181122-1110
18Las PalmasLas Palmas122371321-89
19Real ValladolidValladolid12228924-158
20Valencia11146817-97


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