Former Ballon d’Or winner claims Barcelona were uncomfortable and ineffective in El Clasico

Former Barcelona and Real Madrid winger Luis Figo has claimed that the Merengues were the better team in Sunday’s El Clasico and deserved to come out on top in the contest.

Barça and Real Madrid squared off at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday afternoon. The Catalans were coming on the back of a disappointing draw against Inter Milan and needed to produce a strong reaction.

However, two first-half goals from Karim Benzema and Fede Valverde put a huge dent in Barça’s chances. While Ferran Torres did pull a goal back in the second period, it was not enough for the Blaugrana, who saw Rodrygo Goes add a third one in stoppage time.

Now, Figo has stated that Real Madrid were better on the day while adding that Barcelona were not comfortable in the first period, which ended up costing them the clash.

“Real Madrid had been better and deserved to win the Clasico. I think Barcelona didn’t feel comfortable in the first half, that’s why they were lower on the scoreboard, and in the second, it was much more difficult to change the course of the game,” Figo said (h/t MARCA).

“In general, I think Madrid was better and that’s why they won the game. They were more effective in terms of the chances they had to score goals.

“It could have helped Barcelona if they were able to equalize and make it 1- 1 in the first half, but they weren’t effective and then they suffered the second goal. Benzema, Modric, Vinicius played well. In general, Real Madrid were better in the Clasico,” the 2000 Ballon d’Or winner added.

Figo, one of the few players to have played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid, also insisted that he liked to watch the likes of Ansu Fati, Ousmane Dembele and Rodrygo in action, stating:

“I don’t think there is now a player with a style similar to mine, because my game was different. Of course, I look at the players who play in my position, and I like to see Kingsley Coman, Dembele, Ansu Fati, Rodrygo… I think they are very top players and I enjoy watching them play.”