Lionel Messi was in top form tonight as the football team whose slogan is more than a club saw their star player rack up an impressive hat trick to move the team only one point away from the La Liga top position and become the first Barcelona player to score a hat trick at the Bernabeu.
Andrés Iniesta opened the floodgates after he scored in the seventh minute.
Having missed a gilt-edged chance in the 12th minute, Benzema made amends with a quick-fire double to put Madrid ahead after 24 minutes and almost claimed a treble soon after, but Gerard Piqué cleared his effort off the line.
Cristiano Ronaldo had been on the periphery but inevitably delivered when he drove at a startled Dani Alves, who flicked out his right foot and upended him in the 54th minute.
Benzema had eight attempts at goal, but that effort could not overshadow Messi’s game play at Madrid’s grounds.
Sergio Ramos had shamelessly demanded Undiano send Alves off for his foul on Ronaldo, which might have explained why the official dismissed the Real captain after the game’s key moment. Messi’s pass for Neymar was majestic and as the Brazilian ran across Ramos he was felled. Ramos, comically, saw red for the 19th time in his career and Messi coolly converted to make it 3-3.
With madrid a man light, Barcelona began to dominate possession and Alves’ right-footer crashed off Diego López’s right-hand post. Barça were gifted their chance to claim victory when Alonso clumsily tripped Iniesta in the 18-yard box with eight minutes remaining.
Messi assumed responsibility again and emphatically won the match.
Real Madrid: López; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Xabi Alonso, Modrić (Morata – 90′), Di María (Isco – 85′); Ronaldo, Bale, Karim Benzema (Varane – 66′)
Barcelona: Valdés; Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Alba; Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets; Messi, Neymar (Pedro – 69′), Fàbregas (Sánchez – 78′)
Source: HuffingtonPost