Barcelona’s second stop in their US tour saw them secure a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in a fiercely contested El Clásico held in New Jersey, maintaining their unbeaten preseason record.
Hansi Flick opted for a seasoned squad distinct from the one that faced Manchester City in their friendly match.
Barça started strong, nearly taking the lead five minutes in when Thibaut Courtois made a remarkable save to deny Pau Víctor’s header.
The match faced a 70-minute delay due to inclement weather, resulting in a heavy pitch that disrupted Barça’s early momentum.
For the next twenty minutes, Los Blancos controlled the midfield, dominating possession while Barça struggled to maintain the ball for extended periods.
However, Barça reasserted themselves, with Marc Casadó, Marc Bernal, and Pablo Torre becoming more influential in the game.
Robert Lewandowski found himself unmarked in the six-yard box when Valle delivered a precise cross. Despite his miskick, Pau Víctor headed the ball in, giving Barça a halftime lead.
Due to the weather delay, halftime was brief, lasting just over a minute, and both teams stayed on the field to resume play quickly.
The Catalan giants capitalized on their dominance at the start of the second half, looking the better team by far.
Lewandowski’s deft pass found Valle free on the right flank. Valle then delivered a stunning cross with the outside of his left foot, allowing Pau Víctor to tap in for his second goal of the match.
Vinicius Junior was introduced shortly after Barça’s second goal in an attempt to ignite a Madrid comeback.
The Brazilian nearly scored, but Marc-André ter Stegen made an excellent save to deny him.
With ten minutes left, Madrid equalized with a header from Nico Paz after Güler’s corner found him unmarked at the far post.
Despite this, Barça held firm, preventing any late chances from Madrid, and secured another victory against their rivals on American soil.
