There was no Lionel Messi, but Sergi Roberto proved a more than capable understudy for the evening. The 23 year-old, making only his 15th start for Barcelona, sliced through Real’s dilatory defence and timed his pass exquisitely for Luis Suárez, who displayed all his quicksilver instincts with a lethal finish into the bottom corner.
The Bernabéu fell silent at the spectacle of Barcelona’s mesmeric keep-ball, encapsulated by the magically elusive Sergio Busquets, described by coach Luis Enrique as the “most intelligent footballer I have ever coached”. Real responded fractiously, with Gareth Bale fortunate not to receive a yellow card for stamping on the ankles of Jordi Alba and Cristiano Ronaldo escaping even harsher punishment for an apparent elbow into the head of Dani Alves.