[SPAIN] In one of the most anticipated games of the year, a clash between La Liga leaders and archrivals, Barcelona thumped Real Madrid, 5-0, at the Camp Nou before a crowd of 98,255. For video highlights and player ratings by Soccer America's Mike Woitalla ...

* Barcelona's victory extended its La Liga win streak to seven games and moved it into first place, two points ahead of Real Madrid, which has now lost the last five clasicos.

* Barca was up 2-0 within 18 minutes, with both goals coming after it strung together more than 20 passes. Xavi scored the first and Pedro the second.

* Lionel Messi, who hit the post with a curling chip in the 6th minute, didn’t get a goal of his own but was a constant threat and set up both David Villa goals with low, accurate defense-splitting passes after skipping past midfield opponents.

* Villa, who arrived from Valencia last summer on a $50 million transfer, also assisted on Pedro’s strike.

* Two late subs combined on the fifth goal: 22-year-old Jeffren Suarez finishing a service from 20-year-old Bojan Krkic.

Barcelona
Starters
Rating/Player (Country) Age
5 Victor Valdes (Spain) 28
6 Dani Alves (Brazil) 27
7 Carles Puyol (Spain) 32
6 Gerard Pique (Sapin) 23
6 Eric Abidal (France) 31
8 Xavi (Spain) 30
7 Sergio Busquets (Spain) 22
7 Andres Iniesta (Spain) 26
8 Lionel Messi (Argentina) 23
7 Pedro (Spain) 23
9 David Villa (Spain) 28
Subs:
6 Bojan Krkic (Spain) 20
6 Jeffren Suarez (Spain) 22
NR Seydou Keita (Mali) 30

Real Madrid
Rating/Player (Country) Age
4 Iker Casillas (Spain) 29
2 Sergio Ramos (Spain) 24
3 Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal) 32
4 Pepe (Portugal) 27
3 Marcelo (Brazil) 22
3 Sami Khedira (Germany) 23
4 Xabi Alonso (Spain) 29
5 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) 25
3 Mesut Ozil (Germany) 22
6 Angel Di Maria (Argentina) 22
4 Karim Benzema (France) 22
Subs:
4 Lassana Diarra (France) 25
3 Alvaro Arbeloa (Spain) 23

(Ratings: 1=terrible; 5=average; 10=brilliant.)

Barcelona-Real Madrid highlights …