At half-time in Saturday's Clasico, Barcelona had out-passed Real Madrid by 390 to 172 and enjoyed 69 per cent of the possession. A fat lot of good it did them.
Madrid were 2-0 up having had more shots on goal, with eight to Barca's six and more on target (3-1). Federico Valverde had also hit the post as things threatened to get truly ugly for the Blaugrana.
Ronald Koeman has seen a remarkable turnaround since the new year, with Barca transformed from also-rans to many people's title favourites heading into this 2-1 defeat to their bitter rivals.
But against elite opponents, as in painful reverses earlier this season at the hands of Madrid, Atletico, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, they again came up short. For that, their coach must take his share of the blame.
During a prior run of 13 wins and one draw in LaLiga in 2021, Koeman frequently deployed a 3-4-2-1 formation and the result was some swashbuckling performances, most notably a 6-1 routing of Real Sociedad before last month's international break.
This week's last-gasp 1-0 victory against Real Valladolid was far more laboured and Koeman blinked. Antoine Griezmann, having formed a free-flowing forward trident with Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembele, was consigned to the bench at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
Dembele was the match-winning hero against Valladolid but here cut an isolated figure as a lone striker, with Messi dropping deeper and deeper into midfield, trying to make something – anything – happen.
For all their numbers in the middle, Barcelona could not turn their possession into clear chances, nor could their apparent control prevent them from being eviscerated time and again on the break.
Karim Benzema's backheel finish for the opener was of the highest class, but Barca looked clueless as the white shirts rushed towards them.
Perhaps mindful of his poor record in big games this season, Koeman abandoned his successful formula for an approach that left Barca painfully between two stools.
Messi audaciously shot directly from a corner just before half-time, outfoxing Thibaut Courtois with vicious dip to hit the post. It was the latest of countless demonstrations of his genius in this fixture, but it was also a shocking indictment of Barca's overall play that it felt like a legitimate ploy.
The enduring and repeated image of the first period was Oscar Mingueza sprinting back towards his own goal wearing an anguished look as the effervescent Vinicius Junior showed him a clean pair of heels. Madrid's Brazilian forward enjoyed a career-best outing against Liverpool this week and was in no mood for the fun to stop.
Mingueza tired of that torment and took himself off to the Madrid box in the 60th minute to shin one in after Griezmann – on at half-time – dummied a cross from Jordi Alba, the full-back who was all at sea on the first goal before failing to head Toni Kroos' deflected free-kick off the line
Having made defenders look silly earlier on, it was Vinicius' turn to revert to slapstick as he broke clear with a chance to seal the points, only to botch a pass to Benzema where the idea was bad and the execution was worse.
To add to a mounting sense of chaos in torrential rain, Zinedine Zidane started taking off all his best players with an eye on Anfield.
The concluding moments were an encapsulation of this undulating LaLiga title race – hard to predict, full of errors and utterly captivating. Martin Braithwaite had a soft penalty appeal rejected amid great fury, Casemiro clumped into Mingueza and his perpetual mayhem to earn a second yellow card.
Top since November, Atletico Madrid will go back above their neighbours at the summit if they beat Eibar on Sunday. All three heavyweights will still fancy their chances, including Barca on account of their form leading into this weekend.
That is why this felt like such a missed opportunity for Koeman. His team have been the best in the country since January but he decided not to be bold when the stakes were highest.
For all the bridges built with a distant fanbase, turbulent boardroom and a star player whose future remains in the balance, this was a damaging backwards step.
And what of Messi? As things stand, his last act in this eternal rivalry will be delivering a free-kick for Illaix Moriba to hit the crossbar before a roving Marc-Andre ter Stegen hacked away at the rebound and booted the ball up Trincao's backside.
Perhaps he'll hang around after all.
Milan technical director Paolo Maldini has revealed Zlatan Ibrahimovic is "very close" to signing a contract extension, while Gianluigi Donnarumma has also been urged to stay at the club by head coach Stefano Pioli.
Ibrahimovic has helped to rejuvenate Milan since returning to San Siro in January 2020 on an initial six-month deal that was extended by a year ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.
The 39-year-old is due to become a free agent when his latest deal expires at the end of June.
Reports in Italy suggest the evergreen striker is happy to remain with Milan for another year, however, and Maldini has provided a positive update on the contract talks.
"There are only small details missing and therefore we are very close to the renewal," he told Sky Sport Italia.
Ibrahimovic has 25 goals in 35 Serie A appearances since the start of 2020 - only Cristiano Ronaldo (46), Ciro Immobile (33), Romelu Lukaku (32) and Luis Muriel (26) have found the net more often across this period.
Meanwhile, his scoring rate of 108.2 minutes per goal is bettered only by Muriel (58.2) and Ronaldo (84.5) among players to have scored at least five times.
The former Manchester United striker registered his seventh league assist since rejoining in Saturday's 3-1 win over Parma, although he was later sent off for dissent - the sixth red card he has received in his Serie A career.
It somewhat marred what should have been a special occasion for Ibrahimovic, who brought up his 300th career victory in Europe's 'top five' leagues - 170 of those in Serie A - thanks to his team-mates seeing the job through at Estadio Ennio Tardini.
Gianluigi Donnarumma made four saves against Parma, including an impressive quickfire double stop early in the second half to deny Andrea Conti and Graziano Pelle, highlighting his importance to the side.
The Italy international is another who could leave San Siro as a free agent in a few months, but Pioli is hopeful the club's undisputed first-choice goalkeeper will commit to fresh terms.
"I would advise Gigio to stay at Milan because it is a top club and we are building something here," he told Sky Sport Italia.
"I call my players fighters who haven't won yet, but are training to win trophies."
Hakan Calhanoglu completes the trio of Milan players with uncertain futures as he reaches the end of his contract, with the attacking midfielder reportedly holding out for a longer deal than the club are prepared to offer.
Asked for an update on the contract situations, Maldini added: "These are choices everyone has to make. I am not here to judge, I am here to do what is best for the club.
"I also know that you need two parties to be happy in order to strike a deal."
Milan, who strengthened their grip on second place with a club-record 13th away Serie A win of the season, also have the option of turning Fikayo Tomori's loan move from Chelsea into a permanent deal.
Tomori has impressed since joining in January and leads Milan defenders in blocks per 90 minutes (1.1) in Serie A this term, while the centre-back completed 93 per cent of his passes against Parma.
"He has made a wonderful impact and settled in so quickly," Pioli said. "He has other characteristics of pace and of playing out from the back that can certainly improve us as a team.
"He is a player who is certainly giving us a lot and the intention is to keep him."
There will be no dream first WTA Tour final for Paula Badosa at the Charleston Open after she was defeated in the last four by Veronika Kudermetova.
Badosa claimed the biggest win of her career so far in the quarter-finals when she knocked out world number one Ash Barty.
But the 23-year-old, twice beaten in the semis at WTA 250-level events in the past year, came up short against 15th seed Kudermetova.
The Russian was clinical, taking four of her six break point opportunities in a straightforward 6-3 6-3 success.
Kudermetova had previously knocked out Sloane Stephens but will now be favourite against Danka Kovinic.
The underdog's straight-sets defeat of Ons Jabeur in the last four should ensure there is no complacency from Kudermetova.
In Bogota, 19-year-old wildcard Maria Camila Osorio Serrano will play for the title after swatting aside qualifier Harmony Tan 6-1 6-2.
The former top-ranked junior will have to negotiate fifth seed Tamara Zidansek, however, after she defeated Viktoriya Tomova 6-3 7-5.
Real Madrid moved top of LaLiga for the first time since November as goals from Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos sealed a 2-1 win over Barcelona in El Clasico.
Fresh from their Champions League quarter-final first-leg triumph over Liverpool, Zinedine Zidane's side started in blistering fashion and were two up inside the opening 30 minutes thanks to a sublime Benzema flick and deflected Kroos free-kick.
Oscar Mingueza set up a dramatic final half-hour with his second goal of the season and Casemiro was sent off in the 90th minute, but Madrid held on at a sodden Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium to seal a third consecutive win against Barca in all competitions for the first time since 1978.
The result means Los Blancos leapfrog Barca and neighbours Atletico Madrid to the league summit, although Diego Simeone's side can reclaim top spot with just a draw against Real Betis on Sunday.
A weather delay gave Augusta leader Justin Rose time to reflect on a mixed start to Saturday's play at The Masters.
Rose had led by four strokes after the first round but saw that advantage cut to a single shot on Friday, with Will Zalatoris and Brian Harman his closest challengers.
The one-time major champion was last out on moving day but quickly set about restoring a healthy lead.
Indeed, birdies at the first two holes had Rose three clear at nine under, yet this hot streak did not last.
Rose found the bunker at four and could only rescue a bogey, before befalling the same fate at the fifth, the sand contributing again.
The Englishman recovered with par at the sixth and had just played a solid tee shot at seven when an official approached and sounded the horn to signal an imminent storm.
As play was suspended, Rose was again one ahead of Zalatoris, who was joined at six under by Marc Leishman.
Corey Conners was the day's big mover to that point, in a tie for fourth after playing 11 holes at three under.
Conners' hole in one at the par-three sixth was the highlight, coming straight after the first of two bogeys.
Justin Thomas and Hideki Matsuyama - both one under for the day - were level with Conners, while Harman was back at four under following three bogeys and a birdie through seven.
Jordan Spieth's challenge faltered, although a superb birdie brought him back level with Harman after a double-bogey at seven had threatened to knock him out of contention entirely.
Patrick Reed - two under on Saturday and one under for the week - and Phil Mickelson - three under to reach even par - were among those to complete their rounds before the weather hit.
Milan boss Stefano Pioli praised the determination of his players to see out the win against Parma following the dismissal of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has denied insulting referee Fabio Maresca.
The Rossoneri were cruising in Saturday's Serie A clash thanks to first-half goals from Ante Rebic and Franck Kessie, only for Ibrahimovic - who played a part in both goals - to be sent off for dissent with an hour played.
Riccardo Gagliolo pulled a goal back for Parma six minutes later, but Milan survived a few nervy moments and added a late third at Estadio Ennio Tardini through substitute Rafael Leao.
Referee Maresca, who sent off Inter boss Antonio Conte in January, reached straight for his red card after Ibrahimovic had said something following the awarding of a free-kick to Parma.
It is the sixth time the striker has been dismissed in Serie A since his debut in the competition in 2004-05 - the joint-most for a forward alongside Francesco Totti, Goran Pandev, Domenico Berardi and Mauricio Pinilla - and Pioli has shed light on what was said.
"I was focused on the match," he told Sky Sport Italia. "Zlatan told me that he argued with the referee and that the discussion went on, but he told me that he had not offended the referee.
"The discussion took place and the referee soon reached this decision."
When asked by Sky Sport Italia if he had any idea what Ibrahimovic said, Pioli added: "He told me he said to the referee, 'You really don't care what I tell you?'"
Parma attempted 308 passes in the second half to 10-man Milan's 119 and had double the number of attempts on target to their opponents' two after the interval.
But Leao's strike at the end of a swift counter led by Diogo Dalot ensured Milan came away with a 13th away league win of the season - a club record in a single top-flight campaign.
Milan's 16 away wins this season in all competitions is the joint-most they have managed in a single campaign, meanwhile, alongside 1992-93 and 2004-05.
Pioli is pleased with the way his side reacted to Ibrahimovic's red card but cannot explain why his team have performed better on their travels this campaign.
"The positive is that my team managed to get the victory with great determination today," he said.
"Parma are tough to play, we messed things up ourselves at one stage, but the important thing was to win.
"The statistics show we do better away from home. It's strange and we are evaluating the reasons, but the games are quite similar when playing behind closed doors.".
Milan are back to within eight points of leaders Inter, but of more significance to Pioli is the seven-point gap to fifth-placed Napoli, who like each of the teams around the Rossoneri have a game in hand.
"We want to take Milan back into the Champions League. We've got strong competition from Juventus, Atalanta, Napoli, Lazio and Roma, so we have to take it one game at a time and keep going," Pioli said.
"These are all teams capable of winning eight or nine in a row, so we can take absolutely nothing for granted. Maybe we wasted too much time and energy thinking about the future or other situations.
"If you think too much about the game in a month’s time, you won't focus enough on the one that is coming up.
"We need to get back to the points average we had at the start of the season, but we can only do that if we take it one game at a time."
Ten-man Milan were made to sweat in their 3-1 win against Parma at Stadio Ennio Tardini after having Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent off for dissent as they tightened their grip on second place in Serie A.
Last week's 1-1 home draw with Sampdoria all but ended the Rossoneri's Scudetto hopes, but they responded with all three points on Saturday to boost their top-four prospects.
Ibrahimovic claimed an impressive assist for Ante Rebic's early opener and played a big part in Franck Kessie's goal that had Milan in control at the midway point.
However, the veteran striker was dismissed on the hour mark for something he said to the referee and Riccardo Gagliolo pulled back a goal soon after, but substitute Rafael Leao settled Milan's nerves with a third goal in added time.
Top seed Pablo Carreno Busta and fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar will meet in the Andalucia Open final on Sunday.
Carreno Busta was pushed all the way by Albert Ramos-Vinolas in a pulsating semi-final, ultimately coming through 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-5).
"It was so close. I don't know what happened in the second set," Carreno said. "At the beginning of the match, I was very focussed on my game and being aggressive.
"After that, Albert, of course, started to push [back] more and [I] started to lose my level a little bit.
"I just kept fighting all the time, and I want to thank everyone [in the crowd] for their support. This is what we missed last year, the crowd. It's very important to play these kinds of very close matches with a crowd like this."
He will take on Munar after the 23-year-old edged past Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.
Munar, who reached a final on the ATP Challenger Tour last week, said: "I feel happy and excited. I've been working a lot during the last [few] months.
"It's a gift for me to be here in a final, and especially in Marbella which is one of my favourite places. I feel excited."
Elsewhere, Lorenzo Sonego is aiming to become the first Italian to win an ATP Tour clay-court title on home soil for 15 years when he takes on Laslo Djere in the final of the Sardegna Open on Sunday.
Sonego, 25, overcame American Taylor Fritz 6-4 5-7 6-1 to give himself the opportunity to add to his Antalya Open title from 2019.
Standing in his way is Serbian Djere, who cruised past Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-2 6-0 in just 52 minutes.
Djere was in control from the outset and from 3-2 in the first set went on to win nine straight games, helping him to his third ATP Tour final.
Big-hitting Windies T20 batsman, Kieron Pollard, failed to move closer to a historic IPL milestone after being dismissed for just 7 in the season opener, which pitted Mumbai Indians against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chepauk Stadium on Friday.
Pollard remains just two sixes shy of 200 IPL sixes, a feat which has been achieved by just five other five batsmen. At the top of the list is Pollard’s compatriot and Punjab Kings batsman Chris Gayle (349), Royal Challengers Bangalore premier batsman AB de Villiers is next (235), followed by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni (216), Mumbai Indians (MI) Rohit Sharma (213), and RCB skipper Virat Kohli (201) close the list.
In Friday’s encounter, Pollard was, however, undone by a slower delivery from Harshal Patel and caught in the deep by Washington Sundar. The player’s 7 runs consisted of just one four with no sixes. RCB won the thrilling encounter by just two wickets. Batting first Mumbai made 159 for 8 before RCB, needing 7 off the last over, ended with 160 for 8 off the final ball of the over. RCB batsman AB De Villiers top-scored with 48 from 27 deliveries.
Rachael Blackmore hailed "sensational" horse Minella Times after she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National.
Blackmore was the first woman to collect the Ruby Walsh Trophy at Cheltenham last month and claimed another piece of history at an empty Aintree on Saturday.
Jett had been well clear with six fences remaining, but Blackmore and Minella Times surged into the lead on the run back towards the grandstands.
A good jump at the last then helped secure victory by six and a half lengths over 100-1 shot Balko Des Flos.
As ITV Sport highlighted the historic nature of Blackmore's triumph, she replied: "I don't feel male or female at the moment, I don't even feel human. This is just unbelievable."
Trainer Henry de Bromhead remarkably had both Minella Times and Balko Des Flos.
He won the Champion Hurdle, the Champion Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, and Blackmore was in awe of the work he has done with Minella Times.
"I just cannot believe it. [Minella Times] was absolutely sensational today," she said. "What Henry de Bromhead does with these horses, I don't know.
"I'm so lucky to be riding him and I just can't believe we've won the Grand National. It's unbelievable.
"He was just incredible. Jumped beautifully, I was trying to wait as long as I could. When we jumped the last and I asked him for a bit, he was there. It's just incredible."
Kylian Mbappe was influential again as he scored one and set up another to help Paris Saint-Germain maintain the pressure on Ligue 1 leaders Lille with a commanding 4-1 win at Strasbourg.
A 1-0 defeat at home to the leaders coupled with Lille's 2-0 win over Metz left Mauricio Pochettino's men six points adrift heading into the match at Stade de la Meinau.
But Mbappe backed up a double in PSG's fine 3-2 first-leg triumph at Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final tie with his 21st Ligue 1 goal of the season.
That preceded efforts from Pablo Sarabia – his third in four games – and Moise Kean before the break, with Dion Moise Sahi replying for the hosts prior to Leandro Paredes executing a fine free-kick to wrap up the points.
For all their domination of the ball, PSG were almost caught cold when Adrien Thomasson's 30-yard thunderbolt cannoned off the left post.
But PSG were ahead after 16 minutes when Mbappe showed Lamine Kone a clean pair of heels and drilled a left-foot shot through Matz Sels' legs from a tight angle.
The lead was doubled by Sarabia, who turned brilliantly after collecting Danilo Pereira's pass, shimmied past Kone and rolled coolly past Sels.
Kean made sure of the points before the break with a clinical finish from Mbappe's poked throughball.
The Everton loanee forced Sels into a save on the hour but it was Strasbourg who scored next, Sahi forcing his shot pass Sergio Rico – on for Keylor Navas at half-time – from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde's right-wing cross just 73 seconds after entering the fray.
Sanjin Prcic curled one just wide of the left post for Strasbourg, but Paredes picked out the right side of the goal from 30 yards to complete the win from a set-piece won by another marauding Mbappe run.
What does it mean? Rotation works for Poch
With this fixture sandwiched by the Bayern games, Pochettino made seven changes to his starting XI but the move paid dividends.
PSG's defeat to Lille marked the first time they had lost three straight home Ligue 1 matches since 2007 and their eight losses after 31 games in the top flight prior to this match represented the most at this stage of a campaign since 2009-10.
But a fifth straight away league win keeps the pressure on Lille and maintains the momentum ahead of the return fixture against Bayern.
Marvellous Mbappe
Mbappe has hinted in recent weeks that a decision on his long-term future will be taken at the end of the season.
PSG will desperately hope their rapid forward decides to remain in the French capital after another sensational week that included the crucial brace against Bayern.
In Ligue 1 this term, he now has 13 goals and four assists away from home, while he has netted in four straight matches away from the Parc des Princes in the top flight.
Kone caught flat-footed
Strasbourg threatened a couple of times but in general just did not consistently have the quality to compete.
Kone particularly struggled, being left behind by both Mbappe and Sarabia for PSG's first two goals.
What's next?
PSG will now try and attempt to complete the job in their Champions League quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich on Tuesday. Strasbourg visit strugglers Nimes a week on Sunday.
Manuel Neuer backed Hansi Flick as the right coach for Bayern Munich, amid reports of a row with sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic.
A difficult week for Bayern ended in frustrating circumstances on Saturday, as Marcus Ingvartsen's late goal snatched a 1-1 draw for Union Berlin at the Allianz Arena.
Jamal Musiala's moment of quality seemed set to have proved decisive for Bayern, who are now just five points clear of RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.
With the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain coming up, Flick made a glut of changes for the Union clash, while both Musiala and Kingsley Coman sustained injuries.
According to reports, Flick's relationship with sporting director Salihamidzic has all but broken down, raising questions over the future of Bayern's coach, who has been linked with the soon-to-be-vacant Germany job.
Asked to discuss Flick's future after Saturday's game, a frustrated Neuer told Sky Sport: "I think Hansi Flick is the right coach for us."
Reflecting on the match, Neuer added: "Of course, it is very annoying. We played a good game with the team for long stretches. We would have deserved to win. That is bitter."
Against a stubborn Union defence, Bayern failed to register a shot on target in the first half for only the second time this season.
They managed to find a way to goal through Musiala, whose goal was his fourth in the Bundesliga, and his first not as a substitute.
Musiala went off shortly after scoring, though Flick has confirmed the youngster was only suffering from cramps, while he also revealed Coman was not expected to last the full 90 minutes.
"It was clear from the start that Kingsley would only play 45 minutes. I think it's not so serious. Jamal Musiala had cramps," Flick told reporters.
Flick also offered updates on the fitness of Lucas Hernandez and Leon Goretzka ahead of Tuesday's Paris showdown.
"I have more hope for Lucas Hernandez," Flick added.
"We won't take any risks with Leon, it's a muscular injury. The doctors decide whether it's worth the risk."
Bayern are now winless in two consecutive home games in all competitions for the first time since November 2018 when failing to win in four home games in a row under Niko Kovac.
Jamal Musiala's goal was not enough for Bayern Munich as they were held 1-1 draw by Union Berlin in a match which was hardly ideal preparation for Tuesday's Champions League showdown with Paris Saint-Germain.
Hansi Flick named a much-changed team for the Bundesliga game sandwiched between the two-legged quarter-final tie with PSG, and it appeared as though one of the fresh faces would prove decisive when Musiala – who later went off injured – slotted in.
Yet Bayern, who also lost Kingsley Coman to injury, were punished for sloppy defending late on when Marcus Ingvartsen bundled in from close range, with help from the unfortunate Josip Stanisic.
While ending a six-match winning run in the Bundesliga, the result also sees Bayern's lead at the top cut to five points, with RB Leipzig defeating Werder Bremen.
Juventus' win over Napoli in midweek will be rendered "meaningless" if they do not follow it up with another three points against Genoa on Sunday, according to head coach Andrea Pirlo.
The Bianconeri bounced back from a 2-2 derby draw against Torino last weekend with a slender 2-1 victory over Gennaro Gattuso's Napoli on Wednesday to move to within one point of second-placed Milan.
They host Genoa at the Allianz Stadium looking to achieve a fourth consecutive Serie A win against Davide Ballardini's men for the first time since 2008.
Pirlo was pleased with his side's approach against Napoli and says it is imperative his players have the same attitude on Sunday.
"It's perhaps much easier to find the right spirit in a big match like Napoli, but we need the same attitude even against smaller clubs, starting from tomorrow," he told a media conference.
"We need to find some consistency and that means facing tomorrow's game with ferocity. Beating Napoli is meaningless unless we follow it up with the same performance against Genoa."
Paulo Dybala came off the bench to score the decisive goal against Napoli, steering a fine finish past Alex Meret after Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half opener.
He has scored seven league goals against Genoa, including his first Serie A hat-trick in August 2017 – only against Udinese (eight) has he scored more in the competition.
With a year to run on his contract, it has been suggested Juve could look to move Dybala on after this season, but Pirlo insists the Argentina international remains a key part of his plans.
"I don't think Dybala will start, because he was out for three months, so he needs another slightly longer spell as a substitute first," he said.
"I've always said Dybala is an important player and unfortunately I haven't had him at my disposal very much this season. Let's look at the present, because that is more important than the future.
"He still has a year left on his contract, so we will have him here next season. Dybala is a player who makes the difference.
"I do hope to be able to use Ronaldo, Alvaro Morata and Dybala together at some point. I can say it's probable Dejan Kulusevski will start tomorrow."
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