Good afternoon and welcome to Eurosport's LIVE coverage of El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. We'll bring you all the action and goals as they go in at the Santiago Bernabeu. Kick-off: 17:00.

FULL TIME: Real Madrid 3-1 Barcelona. The European champions claim victory in the first Clasico of the season, and they deserved it. Barca simply had no answer for their pace on the counter and strength from set pieces.

The Bernabeu fans are taunting their Catalan rivals with a rendition of Viva Espana. The home supporters have certainly enjoyed themselves tonight. Their team has been outstanding.

The concerning thing for Barcelona is that Real Madrid could have had far more than the three tonight. They have passed up a number of chances to hit them on the counter attack. Ronaldo hasn't been at his clinical best.

Three minutes of stoppage time to be played.

Barcelona are running out of ideas now. Alves gets forward down the right side and pings a cross into the box, which is easily defended. That pretty much sums up the Catalans' strategy in this second half.

Picking a Man of the Match from this game isn't going to be easy, but I'd say Benzema probably shades it. He has become a man for the big game over the past couple years. He showed his class again tonight.

Real Madrid sub: Karim Benzema OFF, Sami Khedira ON.

Barcelona aren't showing much urgency themselves! Messi has been very quiet by his standards. He hasn't imposed himself on this game, which is perhaps a surprise given his recent good form.

Real Madrid are almost toying with Barcelona now. They have the chance to break forward, but actually decide to keep the ball and play out some more time. They have this game won.

Real Madrid sub: Isco Alarcon OFF, Asier Illarramendi ON.

Ronaldo should have taken the shot! Real Madrid come surging forward again on the counter, with Benzema playing the ball into Ronaldo, who in turns tries to find Rodriguez when he should have shot!

Pedro runs the ball into the right hand channel, shrugging Pepe off the ball inside the box. However, Ramos comes across to bail his teammate out and make the challenge.

This is how good Real Madrid are without Bale. Just contemplate that for a moment. They are doing this to Barcelona without probably their second best player on the pitch.

Of course, this result would take Real Madrid to within a point of Barcelona at the top of the Spanish Liga table. A win tonight was imperative and it looks like they're going to clinch one.

Benzema has been exceptional this evening. As I said earlier, he thrives in these Clasico games having scored in each of his last four. And to think there were rumours he could leave in the summer!

Pique is having a nightmare tonight. Benzema chases a lost cause into a corner, but the Barca centre-back gets his feet in a tangle, allowing Real possession. He's relieved when the shot is blocked.

That Barcelona change is somewhat baffling to me. 3-1 down in a Clasico I'd think you'd want to put on someone like Munir, who can create or take a chance, not Roberto - a midfield enforcer.

Neymar fluffs his line! Messi is given the time to turn on the edge of the box and pick out Neymar, but the Brazilian, under pressure from three Real Madrid defenders, skews his effort.