FC Barcelona registered a 1-0 win over El Clasico rivals Real Madrid in their Copa del Rey first-leg clash on Thursday night.
Barca were without Robert Lewandowski through injury from Sunday's shock defeat at Almeria, while Madrid restored Luka Modric and Eduardo Camavinga following their 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid.
There was an early chance in the first minute for Los Blancos where Modric drilled a well-measured ball from Nacho Fernandez into the side-netting after getting goal-side.
Real did bulged the net nine minutes later with a volley into the bottom-corner by Karim Benzema following a smart cross by Vinicius Junior, but the Frenchman was flagged for offside.
The Catalans were more decisive around the half-hour mark and went ahead when Franck Kessie made a galloping run to the area and saw Eder Militao deflect his rasping shot over the line. The effort was disallowed by the match officials on 27 minutes, but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) stepped in and gave the strike the all clear.
Vinicius went very close to draw Los Blancos level minutes after halftime with a snap shot in the middle of the area, but he couldn't beat the Catalans defensive guard.
Real continued to see a lot of the ball in forward spaces minutes following the break as Dani Carvajal, Modric and Camavinga unsettled the Blaugrana.
Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti made his first substitution of the match after taking off Nacho to bring on Rodrygo in the hope of staging comeback.
Barcelona should've doubled their lead with a side-footed effort by Kessie, but his teammate Ansu Fati blocked the goal-bound effort.
Rodrygo came close to bringing the host level before added time through a teasing shot after he pulled a cutback into the area, but he went wide as the visitors held on for the win, with the second leg taking place next month.
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