DESPAIR ... Real's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts to a missed chance
CRISTIANO RONALDO misfired as Real Madrid came off worst in 'El Clasico' last night.
Defeat in the battle of the Spanish giants showed again that splashing out millions cannot always guarantee success.
A Barcelona team featuring seven players who came through their Academy battled past a Real outfit who spent £230million in the summer.
And most expensive of those buys was £80m Ronaldo.
Yet the former Manchester United idol wasted a glorious chance before Barca triumphed thanks to a stunning strike from Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Ibrahimovic made his mark just four minutes after coming on as a sub for Thierry Henry, who endured a nightmare before being replaced with 52 minutes gone.
Barcelona took over at the top of La Liga by two points from their old enemies, despite playing with only 10 men for the final 27 minutes.
Real's new faces struggled to make an impact, apart from in the 20th minute. Then the £135m partnership of Ronaldo and Kaka sliced open a defence in which Carles Puyol was superb.
Ronaldo should have ]scored as Kaka played the ball into his path. The Portuguese ace, starting his first game in nearly two months after an ankle injury, had time to steady himself. But he placed his shot too close to keeper Victor Valdes, who saved with his legs.
His only other contribution of note before being taken off in the 66th minute was an outrageous 35-yard free-kick which he thudded into the Barca wall.
He simply faded from the action as he tired in front of the 98,000 spectators in the Nou Camp - some of whom had paid £700 for a ticket.
Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini declared: "It was a very even game and we had our chances. We just didn't take advantage. I think we at least deserved a draw."
The decisive goal came when Daniel Alves found Ibrahimovic at the far post with a lofted cross. The frontman never broke stride as he volleyed past Iker Casillas with his left foot.
Barcelona were reduced to 10 men soon after, as Sergio Busquets collected a second yellow card for a crazy deliberate handball. But the numbers were evened up by a 90th-minute red for Lassana Diarra.
Barca boss Pep Guardiola said: "Ibrahimovic changed the game. This was a very good test for us. It's always difficult against Madrid."
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