Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona beat Real Madrid 4-3 in a thrilling Clasico contest.
The game saw three penalties – two for Barca and one for Madrid – after Andres Iniesta had opened the scoring early in the first half.
Karim Benzema scored twice in the opening 45 minutes to turn the score around but Messi intervened for the first time shortly before the interval.
Cristiano Ronaldo put Madrid in front for the first time with the game’s first penalty but two from Messi delivered a vital win for La Blaugrana.
Iniesta scored with only seven minutes gone but Benzema’s brace put Madrid in front only for Messi to level before the break.
Ronaldo converted his penalty after he was fouled by Dani Alves but Messi responded with two spot kicks of his own.
Sergio Ramos was sent off for bringing down Neymar for the first while Iniesta was fouled by a combination of Xabi Alonso and Dani Carvajal for the second.
Barca took the lead when Iniesta found the space to hammer past Diego Lopez while Benzema’s equaliser came with a header from a delicious Angel Di Maria cross.
The same players then combined to put Madrid in front when Di Maria’s pull-back was converted by the France international.
Messi danced into the penalty area with a few minutes left in the half and beat Lopez to restore parity.
Less than 10 minutes of the second half had been played when Alves was adjudged to have fouled Ronaldo in the penalty area and the Portuguese made no mistake from the spot.
Messi scored his penalty just after the hour mark after Neymar was felled by Ramos, who was dismissed as Neymar was clean through on goal but it’s arguable how much contact there was – and Neymar may have been offside from Messi’s pass.
The sides went into the game in second and third respectively after Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 win over Real Betis, the first time since 2007 neither was top of the League at kick-off.
Barca’s win keeps Atleti top and means they are now only a point behind Madrid with the Barca-Atletico clash on the final day of the season taking on more and more importance.
Neymar and Benzema had early chances but neither was able to take them before Iniesta showed them how it’s done.
Carvajal was caught central as Barca shifted the ball quickly from left to right and Iniesta, in space, thumped home from Messi’s pass.
Barca went close to a second when Messi sprung Madrid’s offside trap but the Argentine’s usual accuracy went missing and he screwed the chance wide.
The visitors paid for their profligacy soon after when Benzema met Di Maria’s ball from out wide with Victor Valdes only getting a hand to the emphatic header.
Benzema added his second only a few minutes later and also had a shot cleared off the line by Gerard Pique after more excellent work by Di Maria, who tortured Dani Alves throughout the first half.
Messi equalised to become the all-time top scorer in Clasicos while there was an ugly incident between Pepe and Cesc Fabregas which saw both players booked.
Gareth Bale created the first chance of the second half, the Welshman bursting past the Barca defence and feeding Benzema – who should have been flagged offside – but Valdes was equal to the shot.
The goalkeeper had no chance from Ronaldo’s penalty although replays were inconclusive as to whether or not the foul was in the area.
Barca’s penalty was arguably even more debatable as if Ramos made contact with Neymar it was only slight, while it was borderline if Neymar was onside in the first place.
Alves struck the post as Barca looked to edge past 10-man Madrid but committed and disciplined defending from the home side restricted the openings.
That was until Iniesta tried to dart between Alonso and Carvajal, winning a penalty in the process, with Messi driving the ball into the top corner from 12 yards.
Real Madrid 3-4 Barcelona
Iniesta 7, Messi 42, 66, 84 (FCB), Benzema 20, 24, Ronaldo 55 (RM)
Real Madrid: Diego Lopez; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Alonso, Modric (Morata 90), Di Maria (Isco 85); Bale, Benzema (Varane 66), Ronaldo
Barcelona: Valdes; Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba; Xavi, Busquets, Cesc (Alexis 78); Neymar (Pedro 68), Messi, Iniesta
