The two most influential players in the Premier League last year were probably Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi Alonso. The two most influential players in the Serie A, probably Kaka and Ibrahimovic. And in La Liga - Messi and Iniesta.

Small surprise therefore that when all of them turn out in a game that already has all the hype and weight of history, and the clash of philosophies, cultures and the political overtones, it will be billed as the must see game of the year.

There was also the matter of Madrid's £250 million team taking on Barcelona's treble winning side. A third of the way into the season, with 1 point separating the two and bragging rights definitely up for grabs along with a psychologically important lead in the standings.

It was always going to be a clash also between Madrid's individual flair and Barcelona's organization. Barcelona's team which cost £61m to assemble, and is a gross undervaluation of the actual market price of the team is settled and the players have mastered the one-touch, pass and go style of play that bewilders most opponents.

Madrid though had the collective firepower of Ronaldo, Kaka, Higuain, Alonso and co to unleash on the Nou Camp and the additional security of Raul and Benzema sitting on the bench. And Madrid certainly started stronger, with Ronaldo forcing a great save from Valdez early in the game.

But as the game wore on, it was Barcelona who clearly came into the game more and more, and Madrid were starved of possession and reliant on the counter attack. Thanks to Kaka and Ronaldo they had plenty of venom in their surges up front. But even when they had brought on Benzema and Raul, one man kept putting his body between the Meringues and the Catalonian goal - Carles Puyol. He must have made about half a dozen critical interventions, with half of them likely to have been scoring shots.

And aided by Pique and Alvez, Puyol and Barca repelled every attack that Madrid could muster till the very end.

Meanwhile Madrid were closing the gaps between midfield and defence to choke the spaces and crowd out Barca's passing game. Immediately after half time with the teams locked at nil-nil, Pep Guardiola switched to plan B and brought on Ibrahimovic for Henry.

As inspired substitutions go, it doesn't get much better than this. 5 minutes after coming on, Ibrahimovic raced past Pepe to meet an Alvez cross with a sweet volley that gave Casillas no chance. It was a goal that deserved to win the classico and so it proved.

The 120 thousand home fans who fill Nou Camp were treated to a gripping game that ebbed and flowed with pace and power aplenty. There may have been just one goal but that did scant justice to the quality of play. Messi grew in stature as the game went on and towards the end was becoming unplayable. And though Barcelona were reduced to 10 men when Busquets was sent off, Madrid lacked the organization and cohesion to make the extra man count.

The frustration finally boiled over for the Madrid players when at the end, Lassana Diarra was given his marching orders and the game finished 10 men each.

But after all the hype about Messi vs Ronaldo, it was Ibrahimovic who may have consolidated his position not just in the Barcelona eleven but in the millions of Catalonian hearts, with his sublime goal.


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