adminnight. And Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was at the Nou Camp to see Jose Mourinho’s side win a two-leg cup-tie 3-1 after drawing the home leg 1-1 — much as Real hope to do in the Champions League at Old Trafford next Tuesday.
This was Mourinho’s greatest night at Barcelona since his Inter Milan reached the Champions League final with 10 men.
And in the match when the absence of ex-Barca boss Pep Guardiola and his successor Tito Vilanova really started to show, Ronaldo was imperious.
He raced away on 15 minutes to draw a foul from Gerard Pique inside the area, then picked himself up and put the penalty past Manuel Pinto to become the first player ever to score in six consecutive away Clasicos.
In the second half, with stunned Barcelona chasing the game, Angel Di Maria sped past Carles Puyol in another lightning counter attack and when he squared to Ronaldo, the former Manchester United striker scored again — the first player to score doubles in consecutive Clasicos away from home.
In contrast, Messi, who went into the game looking for his 50th goal of the season, cut a forlorn figure as Barcelona repeated the same starting 10 outfield players as they had against AC Milan and delivered a similar lacklustre performance.
Messi was frustrated by the brilliant young French defender Raphael Varane, and it was the 19-year-old who headed in the third. Varane’s goal — a carbon copy of his first-leg equaliser — brought the most emotional of responses from Mourinho, who embraced the centre-back on the touchline and was in turn mobbed by most of his players as Madrid celebrated a home humiliation for Barcelona.
Mourinho sent Iker Casillas out to face the media on the final whistle and he urged Real Madrid to ensure Ronaldo stayed.
Speculation is linking the player with a return to England, as neither he nor the club seem to be interested in a contract extension on his deal which runs out in 2015, and Casillas said: “He is our most important player in these big games.
“He was not just superb tonight, but he has been in the other clasicos. He is vital for us.”
Jordi Alba pulled one back for Barcelona in the 89th minute but it was far too late for Barca who conceded three goals to Real at home for the first time since a 3-3 draw in March 2007.
They had not lost to the Madrid club by two goals at their giant arena in more than a decade.
“We are coming away with the feeling that we have done a very good job,” Real captain Sergio Ramos said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster Canal Plus after his side went through 4-2 on aggregate.
“You always suffer against Barcelona because they look for the spaces and they make things hard for you but we fought very well,” the Spain international added.
“I have always said that he (Ronaldo) is the best in the world and he always does the business in these games.”
Real’s thumping victory will give them a huge boost ahead of Saturday’s La Liga clash at home to Barca and Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 second leg at Manchester United.
Barca, 12 points clear of Atletico at the top of La Liga but facing Champions League elimination after losing 2-0 at AC Milan last week, need to pick themselves up for Saturday’s trip to the Bernabeu and the return leg at home to Milan on March 12.
With Real four points behind Atletico in third in La Liga, Ronaldo acknowledged their hopes of a second successive title were slim and said they would be concentrating on the Cup and the Champions League.
“It was a very good match for us and we played very well from the first minute to the 90th minute, very serious and with a great attitude,” he told Canal Plus.
“We were the better team and scoring three goals at the Nou Camp is extremely difficult,” he added.
“We have played very well recently in the games here and we are playing better here than at home.
“The league is difficult as Barca have a big lead and we have to focus on the Cup and the Champions League now.”
Barca’s World Player of the Year Messi went close early in the first half with a snap shot and sent a low free-kick whistling just past the post but otherwise cut a forlorn figure and barely mustered a shot on goal.
It was another lacklustre Barca performance in both defence and attack and it was the 12th game in a row in all competitions they have failed to keep a clean sheet.
Assistant coach Jordi Roura, standing in for Tito Vilanova while he recovers from throat surgery, acknowledged Real had been highly effective in attack and Barca had made mistakes in defence.
However, he complained that his side should have had two penalties for what he said were clear fouls on Pedro. – Mailonline.
Online Reporter