Real Madrid against Barcelona

Beckham finds space. There's no challenge as he moves forward inviting the shot - which flies inches wide of Valdes' right-hand post

Belletti is inches away from getting in, but fellow Brazilian Roberto Carlos gets in a challenge. Time ticks away...

Back up the other end with Zidane on the edge of the box, he tries to play a short pass through to Ronaldo but it's blocked - Beckham was screaming for it, unmarked, on the right

Just as I write that, Ronaldinho expertly breaks through and forces Casillas to again save with his feet - a good chance goes begging

Barca look to be running out of steam now - and so am I...

Raul is substituted now, coming on in his place is Santiago Solari

Luis Figo breaks forward - his fresh legs giving new impetus. Ronaldo takes the pass who feeds in Beckham on the overlap, only for his cut across goal to be intercepted

Ronaldo shows great ball sill to hold off two defender and finds space for a powered effort - straight into the grasp of Valdes

Luis Figo finally gets into the action in el classico. He comes on for Michael Owen meaning Real will revert to a regular 4-4-2. And Owen gets a standing ovation

This is non-stop now. Barca have a sniff and they're not giving up. But they are going to miss Eto'o badly in the closing stages

Roladinho shots again, but this time he hits the wall - in the form of David Beckham. It's played back into Marquez but he's offside

Maxi is fouled again, climbing from Pavon, this time right inside the D and the Bernabeu goes into a hushed silence

Samuel Eto'o leaves tyhe pitch on a stretcher - he looks to have twisted his knee simply on the run, there was no challenge involved and he won't continue. Abella Damia is introduced

Eto'o's down and needs treatment - he looks in some discomfort with a knee injury

More great skill from Ronaldinho as he breaks forward, he looks to feed in Gio on the left only for Helguera to stick out a leg and thwart the move

It's game on again, With Real's defence Barca must surely feel they still have a sniff of getting something from this.

What a goal! I'm almost tempted to swear! If any of you have seen Alan Partridge's football commentary you'll know what I mean. Casillas didn't move, not that he'd have got there. He bent a superb, powered, curling effort into the top-right corner

GOAL!!!

Maxi is tripped just outside the box by Roberto Carlos, and this is a good chance about five yards from the D on the right of the box. Ronaldinho takes it...

Gaston Maxi Lopez, by the way, came on for Ludovic Giuly in the aftermath of Owen's goal

Maxi picks up a pass on the right just outside the area. He choose to shot from the most ridiculous of angles and slices in horribly wide - wasteful

Beckham curls a free-kick towards the back stick and Owen, Valdes it there first to fist clear in typical continental fashion

Puyol hacks Ronaldo to the floor on the left. Despite Puyol's arguments it was a foul - but maybe the yellow card was a little harsh

Ronaldinho looks to feed in Eto'o - good defensive work from Helguera to thwart the opportunity

Barca immediately go up the other end. Maxi Lopes, on as a sub, is cleary tripped from behind inside the area by Roberto Carlos. Referee Rafael Ramirez Dominguez waves away the fierce protests from the Barca players

What a ball from Beckham! The pace of Owen took him away from the defence and he made no mistake in firing a shot under the body of the goalkeeper. Game over... surely?

GOAL!!!

Beckham gets it in the centre, he looks up and picks out Owen with a superb ball over the top - he's through with only Valdes to beat...

Just like the temperature in the Bernabeu, the match has cooled a little

Now it's Marquez with the foul, on Gravesen

Marquez finds Eto'o, who nicks it past Helguera and then has no hesitation in going down for the free-kick

Beckham skins Gio and gets in down the right, he cuts the ball back but Belletti gets there first to clear - great play from the England skipper

The free-kick is just outside the box on the left. Beckham shoots and gets great curl to fire one in to the near post - Valdes reads it well and is there to claim at the second attempt

Zindane feeds in Owen again, he controls and looks to cut back inside - only for Gio to deliberately hack him down. He gets away without another yellow - somehow

Raul slips in Owen through the centre - the flag goes up and the pint-sized hitman is a little unlucky

Zidane shows his strength to hold off Marquez and again the roar goes up from the Bernabeu

Owen does well to win the flick on for Raul, but the striker cannot get the better of Puyol who helps the ball back to Valdes

A corner comes in from the right for Barca, Roberto Carlos is there to head to safety.

Barca look to have the upper hand now, pushing to get back into this match with a second goal

Beckham is adjudged to have tripped Xavi, he was a little late giving Barca the chance to build. Ronaldinho puts it into the box, Gravesen volleys clear

Gio crashes into Helguera, it's a clumsy challenge and rightly a booking for the former Arsenal and Rangers left-back

Salgado is penalised for controlling the ball with his hand - and he's lucky to escape a quickfire second yellow card

Now Ronaldo is pulled back by Giuly, it's a little stop-start now

Salgado goes into the book - the first of the match - for his challenge on Xavi

Beckham has been fantastic throughout - both as an attacking force and tracking back.

...Casillas gets down low to make a fine save with his feet - and already the chances are coming

Salgado fells Xavi and it's a free-kick. Bacra work it short and it comes to Eto'o, who produces a cheaky return pass and Giuly is in...

Gravesen fails a fine ball down the right to Owen - Valdes makes the decision to rush out and gets there before the England striker to put it out

Real get the second half underway. Will we get more of the same?

With the defending on show from these two sides there's no chance it will finish 3-1. My money's on 5-4 to Real. Get yourself down the bookies!

What a half! Breathtaking entertainment in el classico with Real grabbing what could turn out to be a vital injury third goal

And there's goes the half-time whistle

Great work from Roberto Carlos and Raul got a foot to it - although Valdes got something on the ball it trickled over the line and it's three for Real

GOAL!!!

Into injury time and Real push on. Robert Carlos' strength on the ball is excellent and his pace takes him past his man, he cuts a cross into the near post for Raul...

Raul has been told to go off again as he's bleeding once more, Real down to ten again - but he's soon back on

Now the quiet Owen looks to break into the box only for Puyol to mirror the tackle of Beckham with a goal-saving challenge

Barca rip Real open again, Giuly slips the ball through to Eto'o with a great pass - and what a tackle from Beckham as the last man, Eto'o would have had a tap in

Gio (to hell with Van Bronckhorst) somehow finds acres of space ten yards out forcing Casillas to rush out and make the block, the ball spins behind wide of the post. It remains 2-1, somehow

This isn't on. It's coming to 7pm on a Sunday night and this keyboard is on fire. And I'm still to be offered a cup of tea by a colleague.

Free-kick to Barca - it's taken quickly while Real are left complaining to the referee and Casillas gets down low to save from Belletti

Barca pour forward again. Ronalsinho's ability on the ball is simply out of this world, he manages to pass a curved ball to Giuly on the right who can only fire over the bar

Raul has a complete fresh air shot on the edge of the box - much hilarity

Great interplay from Barca, worked out wide to Belletti who hangs a teasing ball to the back stick - great defending from Salgado to get there ahead of Ronaldinho

Beckham closes down Valdes, not allowing the keeper time to take a touch, and he slices it out for a throw

Iniesta goes down after a challenge with Gravesen. He was probably brushed by the fingertips of the midfielder's hand. Get up, you pansy.

There's not much to be said about the defending here, Keggy would be proud. There is NO CHANCE this match will end 2-1.

Giuly is played in over the top with a sublime ball, his pace gets him into the box and he tries to find the corner across the keeper... inches wide

Now Gravesen tries his luck from 30-yards but his effort is always rising over the top

This match is unbelievable. A veritable humdinger

Now Barcelona attack. Ronaldinho does well on the left and plays ina high ball which Eto'o is inches away from connecting with

Beckham takes the corner, Helguera wins the header only to see the ball drift past the post

Up the other end with Real now. Roberto Carlos put a ball low across the face of goal and it's knocked behind

Eto'o picks it up and shows great pace, strength and skill to hold off the defence and slot a right-footed effort under the onrushing Casillas

GOAL!!!

Helguera gets in a challenge on Xavi on the edge on the box and the ball runs loose, it's Eto'o who reacts first...

Ronaldinho almost feeds Gio in there - and it's Owen back there in the central defender's position to make a crucial intervention. What was he doing there?

It's good to see Barca helping out the fans with having just 'Gio' on the back of Van Bronckhorst's shirt. It would cost a fortune in the club shop.

The game has calmed down a little now - and it had to considering the end-to-end nature of the opening quarter

It's curled in from the left but there's little to worry about for Casillas

Van Bronckhorst gets the ball on the left and goes for the early power drive, which comes off the shins of Helguera and behind for the corner

Great defensive work from Beckham to dispossess Ronaldinho - and a roar goes up from the home faithful

Barca have a mountain to climb now. Is there advantage at the top of La Liga being cut to six points?

Beckham's cross evades the Barca rearguard - who left Ronaldo completely unmarked at the far post to head past Valdes. And Zidane was waiting unmarked behind him. Great free-kick, double trouble for Barca

GOAL!!!

Free-kick for Real about ten yards outside the box on the right. A great chance for Beckham delivery here. He curls it to the far post superbly...

Gravesen does a bit of the Ronaldinho work in a deep position. There's no answer from Rijkaard's men and Real break

We've seen little of the little bundle of magic that is Ronaldinho so far. No doubt there's more to come

No sign of pigs heads or Jim Bean today. Perhaps that's reserved for the Nou Camp?

Beckham takes the corner from over on the left, Helguera gets there first but someone heads wide of the target. He should have tested Valdes there

Ronaldo pulls inside and has the chance to shoot but opts to drag back and check what's on. He picks out Roberto Carlos with a fine pass and he's in... but with the goal at his mercy is caught in two minds and Barca clear the attempted square pass behind

It's a Sunday and it's a pulsating match. There's no such thing as a day of rest for us lot. Where's the sympathy?

Raul's still recovering from that clash of heads with Puyol, looking to get back into the flow and pace of the match

Barcelona coming back into it now, looking to get back on level terms

Gravesen trips Ronaldinho after a bit of trickery on the right-flank. The free-kick is curled in and again Marquez is there with the glancing header. Casillas is sent scrambling but the looping effort goes behind off the top of the crossbar. The flag had gone up for offside anyway

Real without Figo tonight, of course, but no sign of him being missed so far.

Barca break and it falls to Marquez on the edge of the box - his effort is slashed wide when the player had more time

Zidane needs some treatment - he slid along the ground following dive only for his head to crash into the post. It looked a painful bang but he'll carry on - as the opening goalscorer

A majestik diving header from Zidane gives Valdes no chance. Exquisite cross from Ronaldo right onto the bonce of the Frenchman. Great goal, advantage Real

GOAL!!!

Roberto Carlos cross from the left is too strong but Ronaldo goes long to pick up the loose ball. He looks up and spots the ghosting run of Zidane...

Raul's still on the sidelines with a cut to the head, Real play on with ten

Free-kick to Real more than 30-yards-out. Who else than free-kick specialist Roberto Carlos.... into row Z. Just how often does the guy actually SCORE?

Owen starts today, in a three-pronged attack alongside Ronaldo and Raul

Raul and Puyol clash heads in the centre of the park - it's a nasty one but both player's look as though they'll be okay

There's a scramble in the box but it's away. Real have started like a train here

Real start well, Beckham is fed into space on the right and delivers a tempting ball into box forcing Oleguer into a good challenge

The whistle goes and we're off

The atmosphere is hot inside the Bernabeu - Real knowning victory in 'el classico' is their only chance of catching their Catalan rivals

More great skill from Ronaldinho as he breaks forward, he looks to feed in Gio on the left only for Helguera to stick out a leg and thwart the move

It's game on again, With Real's defence Barca must surely feel they still have a sniff of getting something from this.

What a goal! I'm almost tempted to swear! If any of you have seen Alan Partridge's football commentary you'll know what I mean. Casillas didn't move, not that he'd have got there. He bent a superb, powered, curling effort into the top-right corner

GOAL!!!

Maxi is tripped just outside the box by Roberto Carlos, and this is a good chance about five yards from the D on the right of the box. Ronaldinho takes it...

Gaston Maxi Lopez, by the way, came on for Ludovic Giuly in the aftermath of Owen's goal

Maxi picks up a pass on the right just outside the area. He choose to shot from the most ridiculous of angles and slices in horribly wide - wasteful

Beckham curls a free-kick towards the back stick and Owen, Valdes it there first to fist clear in typical continental fashion

Puyol hacks Ronaldo to the floor on the left. Despite Puyol's arguments it was a foul - but maybe the yellow card was a little harsh

Ronaldinho looks to feed in Eto'o - good defensive work from Helguera to thwart the opportunity

Barca immediately go up the other end. Maxi Lopes, on as a sub, is cleary tripped from behind inside the area by Roberto Carlos. Referee Rafael Ramirez Dominguez waves away the fierce protests from the Barca players

What a ball from Beckham! The pace of Owen took him away from the defence and he made no mistake in firing a shot under the body of the goalkeeper. Game over... surely?

GOAL!!!

Beckham gets it in the centre, he looks up and picks out Owen with a superb ball over the top - he's through with only Valdes to beat...

Just like the temperature in the Bernabeu, the match has cooled a little

Now it's Marquez with the foul, on Gravesen

Marquez finds Eto'o, who nicks it past Helguera and then has no hesitation in going down for the free-kick

Beckham skins Gio and gets in down the right, he cuts the ball back but Belletti gets there first to clear - great play from the England skipper

The free-kick is just outside the box on the left. Beckham shoots and gets great curl to fire one in to the near post - Valdes reads it well and is there to claim at the second attempt

Zindane feeds in Owen again, he controls and looks to cut back inside - only for Gio to deliberately hack him down. He gets away without another yellow - somehow

Raul slips in Owen through the centre - the flag goes up and the pint-sized hitman is a little unlucky

Zidane shows his strength to hold off Marquez and again the roar goes up from the Bernabeu

Owen does well to win the flick on for Raul, but the striker cannot get the better of Puyol who helps the ball back to Valdes

A corner comes in from the right for Barca, Roberto Carlos is there to head to safety.

Barca look to have the upper hand now, pushing to get back into this match with a second goal

Beckham is adjudged to have tripped Xavi, he was a little late giving Barca the chance to build. Ronaldinho puts it into the box, Gravesen volleys clear

Gio crashes into Helguera, it's a clumsy challenge and rightly a booking for the former Arsenal and Rangers left-back

Salgado is penalised for controlling the ball with his hand - and he's lucky to escape a quickfire second yellow card

Now Ronaldo is pulled back by Giuly, it's a little stop-start now

Salgado goes into the book - the first of the match - for his challenge on Xavi

Beckham has been fantastic throughout - both as an attacking force and tracking back.

...Casillas gets down low to make a fine save with his feet - and already the chances are coming

Salgado fells Xavi and it's a free-kick. Bacra work it short and it comes to Eto'o, who produces a cheaky return pass and Giuly is in...

Gravesen fails a fine ball down the right to Owen - Valdes makes the decision to rush out and gets there before the England striker to put it out

Real get the second half underway. Will we get more of the same?

With the defending on show from these two sides there's no chance it will finish 3-1. My money's on 5-4 to Real. Get yourself down the bookies!

What a half! Breathtaking entertainment in el classico with Real grabbing what could turn out to be a vital injury third goal

And there's goes the half-time whistle

Great work from Roberto Carlos and Raul got a foot to it - although Valdes got something on the ball it trickled over the line and it's three for Real

GOAL!!!

Into injury time and Real push on. Robert Carlos' strength on the ball is excellent and his pace takes him past his man, he cuts a cross into the near post for Raul...

Raul has been told to go off again as he's bleeding once more, Real down to ten again - but he's soon back on

Now the quiet Owen looks to break into the box only for Puyol to mirror the tackle of Beckham with a goal-saving challenge

Barca rip Real open again, Giuly slips the ball through to Eto'o with a great pass - and what a tackle from Beckham as the last man, Eto'o would have had a tap in

Gio (to hell with Van Bronckhorst) somehow finds acres of space ten yards out forcing Casillas to rush out and make the block, the ball spins behind wide of the post. It remains 2-1, somehow

This isn't on. It's coming to 7pm on a Sunday night and this keyboard is on fire. And I'm still to be offered a cup of tea by a colleague.

Free-kick to Barca - it's taken quickly while Real are left complaining to the referee and Casillas gets down low to save from Belletti

Barca pour forward again. Ronalsinho's ability on the ball is simply out of this world, he manages to pass a curved ball to Giuly on the right who can only fire over the bar

Raul has a complete fresh air shot on the edge of the box - much hilarity

Great interplay from Barca, worked out wide to Belletti who hangs a teasing ball to the back stick - great defending from Salgado to get there ahead of Ronaldinho

Beckham closes down Valdes, not allowing the keeper time to take a touch, and he slices it out for a throw

Iniesta goes down after a challenge with Gravesen. He was probably brushed by the fingertips of the midfielder's hand. Get up, you pansy.

There's not much to be said about the defending here, Keggy would be proud. There is NO CHANCE this match will end 2-1.

Giuly is played in over the top with a sublime ball, his pace gets him into the box and he tries to find the corner across the keeper... inches wide

Now Gravesen tries his luck from 30-yards but his effort is always rising over the top

This match is unbelievable. A veritable humdinger

Now Barcelona attack. Ronaldinho does well on the left and plays ina high ball which Eto'o is inches away from connecting with

Beckham takes the corner, Helguera wins the header only to see the ball drift past the post

Up the other end with Real now. Roberto Carlos put a ball low across the face of goal and it's knocked behind

Eto'o picks it up and shows great pace, strength and skill to hold off the defence and slot a right-footed effort under the onrushing Casillas

GOAL!!!

Helguera gets in a challenge on Xavi on the edge on the box and the ball runs loose, it's Eto'o who reacts first...

Ronaldinho almost feeds Gio in there - and it's Owen back there in the central defender's position to make a crucial intervention. What was he doing there?

It's good to see Barca helping out the fans with having just 'Gio' on the back of Van Bronckhorst's shirt. It would cost a fortune in the club shop.

The game has calmed down a little now - and it had to considering the end-to-end nature of the opening quarter

It's curled in from the left but there's little to worry about for Casillas

Van Bronckhorst gets the ball on the left and goes for the early power drive, which comes off the shins of Helguera and behind for the corner

Great defensive work from Beckham to dispossess Ronaldinho - and a roar goes up from the home faithful

Barca have a mountain to climb now. Is there advantage at the top of La Liga being cut to six points?

Beckham's cross evades the Barca rearguard - who left Ronaldo completely unmarked at the far post to head past Valdes. And Zidane was waiting unmarked behind him. Great free-kick, double trouble for Barca

GOAL!!!

Free-kick for Real about ten yards outside the box on the right. A great chance for Beckham delivery here. He curls it to the far post superbly...

Gravesen does a bit of the Ronaldinho work in a deep position. There's no answer from Rijkaard's men and Real break

We've seen little of the little bundle of magic that is Ronaldinho so far. No doubt there's more to come

No sign of pigs heads or Jim Bean today. Perhaps that's reserved for the Nou Camp?

Beckham takes the corner from over on the left, Helguera gets there first but someone heads wide of the target. He should have tested Valdes there

Ronaldo pulls inside and has the chance to shoot but opts to drag back and check what's on. He picks out Roberto Carlos with a fine pass and he's in... but with the goal at his mercy is caught in two minds and Barca clear the attempted square pass behind

It's a Sunday and it's a pulsating match. There's no such thing as a day of rest for us lot. Where's the sympathy?

Raul's still recovering from that clash of heads with Puyol, looking to get back into the flow and pace of the match

Barcelona coming back into it now, looking to get back on level terms

Gravesen trips Ronaldinho after a bit of trickery on the right-flank. The free-kick is curled in and again Marquez is there with the glancing header. Casillas is sent scrambling but the looping effort goes behind off the top of the crossbar. The flag had gone up for offside anyway

Real without Figo tonight, of course, but no sign of him being missed so far.

Barca break and it falls to Marquez on the edge of the box - his effort is slashed wide when the player had more time

Zidane needs some treatment - he slid along the ground following dive only for his head to crash into the post. It looked a painful bang but he'll carry on - as the opening goalscorer

A majestik diving header from Zidane gives Valdes no chance. Exquisite cross from Ronaldo right onto the bonce of the Frenchman. Great goal, advantage Real

GOAL!!!

Roberto Carlos cross from the left is too strong but Ronaldo goes long to pick up the loose ball. He looks up and spots the ghosting run of Zidane...

Raul's still on the sidelines with a cut to the head, Real play on with ten

Free-kick to Real more than 30-yards-out. Who else than free-kick specialist Roberto Carlos.... into row Z. Just how often does the guy actually SCORE?

Owen starts today, in a three-pronged attack alongside Ronaldo and Raul

Raul and Puyol clash heads in the centre of the park - it's a nasty one but both player's look as though they'll be okay

There's a scramble in the box but it's away. Real have started like a train here

Real start well, Beckham is fed into space on the right and delivers a tempting ball into box forcing Oleguer into a good challenge

The whistle goes and we're off

The atmosphere is hot inside the Bernabeu - Real knowning victory in 'el classico' is their only chance of catching their Catalan rivals