FC Barcelona News: 7 May 2018

REPORT: Barça and Real Madrid draw 2-2, as Catalans extend unbeaten streak | FC Barcelona
With the La Liga title—which Barça claimed a week ago—having been relegated to a mere afterthought, and with both teams having seemingly little to play for other than pride itself, the Spring 2018 Edition of the beautiful game’s biggest rivalry had, by halftime, become one of the most contested El Clásicos ever.

The Champions celebrate at Camp Nou | FC Barcelona
For the third week in a row Barça have had good reason to celebrate at the final whistle. Once the referee brought the Clásico to an end at Camp Nou on Sunday evening, the players made their way to the centre circle, just as they did in the Wanda Metropolitano after the Copa del Rey final and in Riazor after winning the league, to celebrate the 2017/18 double.

Lionel Messi, the boss of El Clásico | FC Barcelona
Lionel Messi has done it again, scoring another League goal, and in El Clásico. He made it 2-1 in the 53rd minute, a strike that gives him 33 in the domestic competition and which is two ahead of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in the race for the Golden Boot.

Biggest crowd of the season at Camp Nou | FC Barcelona
The Camp Nou saw a total of 97,939 spectators attend the last El Clásico of the season, the best attendance of the campaign, surpassing the 97,183 that turned up for Barça-Chelsea. A huge mosaic, with the words ‘The ball makes us more, Champions’ was made when both teams stepped on the pitch, accompanied by an acapella version of the Barça hymn.

HIGHLIGHTS: FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid | FC Barcelona
Andrés Iniesta’s final Clásico was witnessed by a near capacity crowd at Camp Nou of 97,939, the best of the season, who saw the blaugranes move that little bit closer to their objective of not losing a single game in the 2017/18 league campaign. See all the action right here in our highlights video!

Ernesto Valverde: ‘We made a great effort playing with a man less’ | FC Barcelona
El Clásico ended in a 2-2 draw after a tough game, and at his post-match press conference, Ernesto Valverde valued the effort of his team despite playing the entire second half with 10 men. “We made a great effort, since playing with a man down is never easy, still less against Real Madrid because they always find spaces.”

Pique: Madrid didn’t make guard of honour so I asked Barca staff | Goal
Gerard Pique said he asked Barcelona’s staff to provide a guard of honour after bitter rivals Real Madrid refused. There were no surprises as Madrid carried out their intention of refusing to honour unbeaten LaLiga champions Barca prior to Sunday’s entertaining 2-2 draw at Camp Nou.

Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid: El Clasico talking points as Gareth Bale scores | Sky Sports
Tempers flared towards the end of the first half as Jordi Alba got away with putting his hand around Luka Modric’s neck, before Luis Suarez and Sergio Ramos squared up after Suarez appeared to accuse the defender of catching him with an elbow.

‘We know what he’s like’ - Ramos aims jibe at Suarez after refusing to stop play for him in El Clasico | Goal
But Real angered the hosts after refusing to kick the ball out with Suarez on the ground injured as they pushed for a winner. However, Ramos had no regrets afterwards, saying the Uruguayan’s history meant Real had no intention of stopping play.