Barcelona 2 Real Madrid 2: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on target as ten-man Barca remain unbeaten in La Liga
Barca twice took the lead through Luis Suarez and Messi, but goals from Ronaldo and Gareth Bale rescued a point for Los Blancos
BARCELONA remain on course to finish the La Liga season unbeaten following a thrilling 2-2 draw with Real Madrid at the Nou Camp.
Twice Barca took the lead through Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, but goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale rescued a point for Los Blancos.
It didn't take long for the opening goal of the game, with Suarez dispatching a low volley beyond Keylor Navas in the tenth minute.
The ex-Liverpool ace finished expertly into the bottom right corner after meeting Sergi Roberto's delivery from down the right flank.
But Barca's lead lasted just five minutes after Ronaldo bundled the ball home from close range to silence the home fans.
The 33-year-old fired in his 43rd goal of the season in all competitions after getting on the end of Karim Benzema's cushioned header.
Madrid were buoyed on by their equaliser, and spurned a host of opportunities to take the lead against Ernesto Valverde's side.
First Ronaldo headed over the bar, before Toni Kroos fired high and wide after neat play from Marcelo and Benzema.
Ronaldo then called Marc-Ander ter Stegen into action in 27th minute as he looked to slot the ball under the German's legs, before the five-time Ballon d'Or winner dragged a left-footed strike inches wide moments later.
And the drama didn't end there, as Suarez and Sergio Ramos were involved in a scuffle, before Roberto was shown a harsh straight red card in first half injury time for catching Marcelo in the face in an off-the-ball incident.
Zinedine Zidane elected to withdraw Ronaldo from the match at half-time in favour of Marco Asensio, with the Portuguese forward picking up a slight ankle sprain.
Madrid were made to rue for their missed chances when Messi exquisitely curled his shot into the bottom corner in the 52nd minute.
Moments after Asensio had his shot saved, Barcelona went on the counter attack with Suarez and Messi leading the charge, before the Argentinian maestro glided past two challenges to restore Blaugrana's lead.
Real complained for a foul on Raphael Varane during the build-up, with the Uruguayan ace catching the centre-back around the back of his legs.
And Messi should have doubled his tally for the evening in the 70th minute as he raced one-on-one with Navas, but the Costa Rican shot-stopper expertly parried away his effort.
But just like in the first half, Barca couldn't hold on to their lead, as Gareth Bale equalised in the 73rd minute in emphatic fashion.
The Welsh winger had been a passenger for most of El Clasico, and was lucky to still be on the pitch after the ref took no action after he appeared to stamp down the back of Samuel Umtiti's legs in the first half.
But he curled in a sublime first-time finish from outside the box into the top left corner to leave ter Stegen no chance.
Real pressed for a winner, but it was Barca who could have nicked it late on as Messi was once again foiled by the hands of Navas.
