Real Madrid won the first El Clasico to be played after Lionel Messi‘s transfer, beating Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou on Sunday riding on goals by David Alaba and Lucas Vasquez.

Sergio Aguero scored his first goal in a Barcelona shirt in second-half stoppage time but it was too little too late for Ronald Koeman‘s men.

Defender Alaba turned goal-scorer in the 32nd minute with a wonderful curling shot from the left side of the area that the outstretched Marc-Andre Ter Stegen could not stop.

His strike came minutes after American Sergiño Dest squandered Barcelona’s best chance of the match when he sent his close-range shot soaring over the crossbar.

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Vázquez added a second goal in stoppage time on a counterattack with Barcelona desperately thrown forward in search of an equalizer. 

Aguero pulled one back for Barcelona on a cross from Dest in the final seconds.

The victory moved Madrid to the top of the Spanish league, level on points with Sevilla and Real Sociedad. Sociedad can reclaim the lead when it faces defending champion Atlético Madrid later Sunday.

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The defeat was another blow to Barcelona which has struggled since its financial troubles kept it from re-signing Messi and other players. Koeman’s team was left in eighth place at five points adrift.