Barcelona against Real Madrid

Alves cannons a cross off of Metzelder for a Barca corner.

Ooh, that looked like a handball from Ramos in the Real penalty area and the defender was quick to turn to the referee to voice his innocence. A plea the referee chooses to believe.

Valdes now is called in to action after a nice one-two between Raul and Palanca ends with a neat shot from the substitute but Valdes stands firm to get a hand to his effort.

Drenthe is crowded out and Barca come away with the ball. Casillas has come a long,long way out to the touchline in chase of a ball which Henry was second best for but Henry manages to win it and almost make Casillas regret his dash from goal. Henry is unable to get an angle on goal as Salgado tackles him but Casillas will think better of such a move if another opportunity to do likewise presents itself.

Salgado does superbly well to get back to cover Henry as the Barca man waited ominously for a long ball over to the far post. Salgado makes amends for conceding the penalty kick there.

Casillas again is the Real hero with a stupendous double save, first from a long range Eto'o effort and then from Messi who looked to profit from the rebound. Superb goalkeeping.

Save by Casillas who flings himself to his left and at full stretch parries away Eto'o's well struck penalty. Magnificent save from Casillas.

Penalty to Barca. Salgado is booked for the foul on Busquets and Eto'o will take the spot-kick. Drumroll....

Henry holds off Drenthe but his pull-back is put out for a corner and the Nou Camp finds its voice. Casillas stretches for the ball after a mistake from Salgado and then Messi fires in a shot from twenty yards which Casillas watches flash past his near post.

Salgado this time makes a fine challenge on Henry. The Barca attacks have lacked the vim of those in the first half as they are repeatedly dashed against the seemingly immovable white wall Real have placed in front of Casillas' goal.

Salgado this time makes a fine challenge on Henry. The Barca attacks have lacked the vim of those in the first half as they are repeatedly dashed against the seemingly immovable white wall Real have placed in front of Casillas' goal.

Henry gets around Salgado but his cutback is met by Cannavaro who stretches to intercept the ex-Arsenal man's ball. Meanwhile Sergi Busquets comes on for Gudjohnsen.

Metzelder now is playing as left-back and Ramos has moved in to the middle of the park in a tactical shift by Juande Ramos.

Messi skips around Cannavaro but Salgado is on hand to put in a tackle in case Messi thought he was having things his own way.

Raul and Marquez exchange some none too pleasant words after Raul had charged in to the back of the Barca man.

Eto'o flashes a shot just over the Real crossbar after Salgado had toe-poked the ball away from Messi towards him. Good bit of improvisation from Eto'o.

Marquez gets across to cover Drenthe then lies on the floor after he was caught by a trailing arm from the Real man. Real have the throw though.

Barca get the corner away and launch a couter-attack. Alves whips in a long cross from the right but it is over-hit and sails harmlessly over the waiting bodies in the Real penalty area.

Palanca shouts for a foul under the challenge of Abidal but he has to make do with a corner.

Nothing comes of the corner but once more Real have shown they are a threat on the rare occasions they come forward in this game.

Palanca, on for Sneijder, advances down the right but his cross is blocked before it gets the chance to trouble the Barca defence. Of more concern to Barca is a ball played through to Higuain which Puyol races back to cover, throwing himself in to a tackle which gives Real a corner.

Casillas punches out a shot which was straight at him and then Metzelder is called in to action to perform some last ditch tackling in the heart of the Real defence.

Casillas is pressed by Henry in to having to slice his clearance out for a Barca throw. Good harrying from Henry.

The rain is still pouring down at the Nou Camp as Barca get the second half underway.

HALF-TIME: Whistles sound around the Nou Camp as only three seconds extra time are played by the referee. It's as fiercely conested as you would expect and Real have put up quite a fight. The majority of fluid attacking play is coming from the home side but they have yet to find a way through. Any more fouls on Messi though and the visitors could find themselves operating at a numerical disadvantage.

Gudjohnsen finds himself with a bit of room on the left but Cannavaro gets across quickly to put in a firm challenge. Cannavaro has been the pick of the Real defenders so far this evening.

Drenthe now is booked for quite simply hacking the legs of Messi. The wee man's legs will be black and blue at half-time after the treatment he has recevied so far from Real.

Drenthe now is booked for quite simply hacking the legs of Messi. The wee man's legs will be black and blue at half-time after the treatment he has recevied so far from Real.

This time Marquez is booked for a challenge from behind on Higuain.

Lovely play from Alves sets up Xavi to fire in a cross but Real get it away. Meanwhile Sneijder has been replaced as he appears to be struggling for Real.

Marquez cushoins a high ball back to Valdes as Raul lurked just to the right of the Mexican defender.

Cannavaro puts in another well-timed tackle on the edge of his penalty area to halt Barca's advance on the Real goal.

Henry moves up a gear to speed past Salgado and his shot from a tight angle almost beats Casillas who saves at his near post.

Real have weathered the Barca storm pretty well so far and seem determined to combat Barca's slick passing game with a more physical approach. So far it has worked pretty well for them and they should have had at least one goal.

Ramos is now booked for a foul on guess who. Ramos flew impetuously in to a needlessly rash tackle on Messi.

Oh dear - best chance of the match goes to Drenthe and he fluffs his lines badly. Drenthe finds himself one on one with Valdes but he hesitates and seems to have too much time. Valdes stands firm and make a great save.

Real advance down the left as Drenthe plays the ball to Sneijder who hits it first time bringing a smart save from Victor Valdes. Corner to Real -which is cleared by the Barca defence.

Xavi hits the free-kick straight against the wall which is a bit of a waste really.

Metzelder is booked for raking the back of Eto'o's leg and Barca again have a free-kick in a dangerous area.

Xavi loses out to Gago who does well to win the ball but he lacks support in the Barca half of the pitch and is crowded out as he looks for assistance.

Henry chases a seemingly lost ball and gets it back to Abidal. He advances through the Real defence before a wonderful block by Metzelder stops his shot from troubling Casillas.

Toure goes on a mazy run before his shot is blocked and the ball then goes out for a Barca corner. It's played across but again Real get it away. They are under the cosh a bit though to say the least.

Messi again has a shot this time through the legs of Ramos which is on target but straight at Casillas.

Pep Guardiola is on the touchline remonstrating with the referee as once more Messi is fouled. Why on earth do you think the Real players would target Messi- he's only little after all.

Daniel Alves this time executes a perfect example of a well-timed tackle by dispossessing Royston Drenthe.

Xavi plays the ball in but the Real defence will be relieved to get it away (which they do).

The ball is played short but Gudjohnsen is challenged and Barca have to now make do with a throw. Eventually Messi is hauled to ground by Sneijder on the edge of the Real penalty area. Free-kick to Barca.

Corner to Barca as Ramos blocks a Messi shot.

A fantastic head-on tackle from Marquez takes the ball off the toes of Higuain as Real launch an attack.

Messi is in acres of space on the right and he executes a nice one-two with Eto'o but some superb defending from Cannavaro blocks his shot as the little Agentinian bore down on goal.

Henry tries his luck from about twenty-five yards out but his shot is inches wide of the post.

Barca keep possession nicely then Messi throws up his hands to win a cheap free-kick. He comes back to torment Ramos by beating him with ease then forcing a nice save from Casillas. First great bit of football tonight.

Messi finds Henry on the edge of the Real penalty area but his cross is limp and nowhere near a team-mate.

Another poor tackle on Henry again and the referee eventually blows for another free-kick.

Oh dear, this time Messi is on the receiving end of a bad tackle from Ramos much to the consternation of the home support. Real have set out their stall early on here it would seem.

Immediately Salgado clatters in to the back of Henry to 'let him know he is there'.

Good to see England is not the only place suffering awful weather this evening as it is teeming down in the Nou Camp. The weather is doing little to dampen the excitement of the huge crowd though as the game gets underway.

Barca line up with Messi, Eto'o and Henry up front and Eric Abidal at left-back. Sergio Ramos is playing in the unfamiliar left-back role also tonight with Higuain and Raul up front for the visitors.

In the mother of all baptisms of fire, Ramos takes charge of his first Real game declaring 'Losing is not in my vocabulary'. Well, perhaps it is a word he learned whilst in charge of Spurs, but he is sure to earn immediate adulation from the Real support if he can gain an unexpected win this evening.

But as any marketing man for a certain well known sporting retailer would encourage you with a seductive twinkle 'impossible is nothing'. It's a sentiment the new Real manager Juande Ramos seems to have taken to heart.

'Impossible' was how former Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster described the prospect of a Real victory at the Nou Camp in 'El Clasico' this evening.

Join us at 2100 GMT to see if Juande Ramos' first game in charge of Real Madrid will end in a win, as they face Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

Marquez gets across to cover Drenthe then lies on the floor after he was caught by a trailing arm from the Real man. Real have the throw though.

Barca get the corner away and launch a couter-attack. Alves whips in a long cross from the right but it is over-hit and sails harmlessly over the waiting bodies in the Real penalty area.

Palanca shouts for a foul under the challenge of Abidal but he has to make do with a corner.

Nothing comes of the corner but once more Real have shown they are a threat on the rare occasions they come forward in this game.

Palanca, on for Sneijder, advances down the right but his cross is blocked before it gets the chance to trouble the Barca defence. Of more concern to Barca is a ball played through to Higuain which Puyol races back to cover, throwing himself in to a tackle which gives Real a corner.

Casillas punches out a shot which was straight at him and then Metzelder is called in to action to perform some last ditch tackling in the heart of the Real defence.

Casillas is pressed by Henry in to having to slice his clearance out for a Barca throw. Good harrying from Henry.

The rain is still pouring down at the Nou Camp as Barca get the second half underway.

HALF-TIME: Whistles sound around the Nou Camp as only three seconds extra time are played by the referee. It's as fiercely conested as you would expect and Real have put up quite a fight. The majority of fluid attacking play is coming from the home side but they have yet to find a way through. Any more fouls on Messi though and the visitors could find themselves operating at a numerical disadvantage.

Gudjohnsen finds himself with a bit of room on the left but Cannavaro gets across quickly to put in a firm challenge. Cannavaro has been the pick of the Real defenders so far this evening.

Drenthe now is booked for quite simply hacking the legs of Messi. The wee man's legs will be black and blue at half-time after the treatment he has recevied so far from Real.

Drenthe now is booked for quite simply hacking the legs of Messi. The wee man's legs will be black and blue at half-time after the treatment he has recevied so far from Real.

This time Marquez is booked for a challenge from behind on Higuain.

Lovely play from Alves sets up Xavi to fire in a cross but Real get it away. Meanwhile Sneijder has been replaced as he appears to be struggling for Real.

Marquez cushoins a high ball back to Valdes as Raul lurked just to the right of the Mexican defender.

Cannavaro puts in another well-timed tackle on the edge of his penalty area to halt Barca's advance on the Real goal.

Henry moves up a gear to speed past Salgado and his shot from a tight angle almost beats Casillas who saves at his near post.

Real have weathered the Barca storm pretty well so far and seem determined to combat Barca's slick passing game with a more physical approach. So far it has worked pretty well for them and they should have had at least one goal.

Ramos is now booked for a foul on guess who. Ramos flew impetuously in to a needlessly rash tackle on Messi.

Oh dear - best chance of the match goes to Drenthe and he fluffs his lines badly. Drenthe finds himself one on one with Valdes but he hesitates and seems to have too much time. Valdes stands firm and make a great save.

Real advance down the left as Drenthe plays the ball to Sneijder who hits it first time bringing a smart save from Victor Valdes. Corner to Real -which is cleared by the Barca defence.

Xavi hits the free-kick straight against the wall which is a bit of a waste really.

Metzelder is booked for raking the back of Eto'o's leg and Barca again have a free-kick in a dangerous area.

Xavi loses out to Gago who does well to win the ball but he lacks support in the Barca half of the pitch and is crowded out as he looks for assistance.

Henry chases a seemingly lost ball and gets it back to Abidal. He advances through the Real defence before a wonderful block by Metzelder stops his shot from troubling Casillas.

Toure goes on a mazy run before his shot is blocked and the ball then goes out for a Barca corner. It's played across but again Real get it away. They are under the cosh a bit though to say the least.

Messi again has a shot this time through the legs of Ramos which is on target but straight at Casillas.

Pep Guardiola is on the touchline remonstrating with the referee as once more Messi is fouled. Why on earth do you think the Real players would target Messi- he's only little after all.

Daniel Alves this time executes a perfect example of a well-timed tackle by dispossessing Royston Drenthe.

Xavi plays the ball in but the Real defence will be relieved to get it away (which they do).

The ball is played short but Gudjohnsen is challenged and Barca have to now make do with a throw. Eventually Messi is hauled to ground by Sneijder on the edge of the Real penalty area. Free-kick to Barca.

Corner to Barca as Ramos blocks a Messi shot.

A fantastic head-on tackle from Marquez takes the ball off the toes of Higuain as Real launch an attack.

Messi is in acres of space on the right and he executes a nice one-two with Eto'o but some superb defending from Cannavaro blocks his shot as the little Agentinian bore down on goal.

Henry tries his luck from about twenty-five yards out but his shot is inches wide of the post.

Barca keep possession nicely then Messi throws up his hands to win a cheap free-kick. He comes back to torment Ramos by beating him with ease then forcing a nice save from Casillas. First great bit of football tonight.

Messi finds Henry on the edge of the Real penalty area but his cross is limp and nowhere near a team-mate.

Another poor tackle on Henry again and the referee eventually blows for another free-kick.

Oh dear, this time Messi is on the receiving end of a bad tackle from Ramos much to the consternation of the home support. Real have set out their stall early on here it would seem.

Immediately Salgado clatters in to the back of Henry to 'let him know he is there'.

Good to see England is not the only place suffering awful weather this evening as it is teeming down in the Nou Camp. The weather is doing little to dampen the excitement of the huge crowd though as the game gets underway.

Barca line up with Messi, Eto'o and Henry up front and Eric Abidal at left-back. Sergio Ramos is playing in the unfamiliar left-back role also tonight with Higuain and Raul up front for the visitors.

In the mother of all baptisms of fire, Ramos takes charge of his first Real game declaring 'Losing is not in my vocabulary'. Well, perhaps it is a word he learned whilst in charge of Spurs, but he is sure to earn immediate adulation from the Real support if he can gain an unexpected win this evening.

But as any marketing man for a certain well known sporting retailer would encourage you with a seductive twinkle 'impossible is nothing'. It's a sentiment the new Real manager Juande Ramos seems to have taken to heart.

'Impossible' was how former Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster described the prospect of a Real victory at the Nou Camp in 'El Clasico' this evening.

Join us at 2100 GMT to see if Juande Ramos' first game in charge of Real Madrid will end in a win, as they face Barcelona at the Nou Camp.