It was a preseason Clásico in Paradise – Paradise Nevada, that is – as Barcelona faced Real Madrid on foreign soil. A friendly only in name, lenses were out for another ‘Framed’ Instalment.
A capacity crowd had gathered just outside Las Vegas, in the town of Paradise and more accurately within Allegiant Stadium, waiting to see two of Europe’s biggest teams go head to head in a preseason “friendly”. For La Liga champions Real it was a first proper taste of preseason action, while for the Catalans it was their fourth – and it was the latter's advanced level of preparation that ultimately shone through.
You’d never get a Clásico like it on Spanish soil – Madrid fans stood shoulder to shoulder with Barca fans, a jovial nature in the air. But that didn’t carry onto the pitch, with players never likely to forget the years of bitter rivalry.
On the day, it was a moment of magic from Raphina that separated the sides, Barca’s new signing rifling the ball into the top corner from distance, giving Thibaut Courtois no chance. The Leeds United old boy has hit the ground running in a Barca shirt, with two goals, two assists, and two Man of the Match awards in just 108 minutes of action on the pitch.
Juventus and NY Red Bulls await Barcelona in their final two fixtures, while Real will take on Club América and Juventus before their UEFA Super Cup against Eintracht Frankfurt.
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