Fridolina Rolfo’s second-half penalty decided a tight Liga F Clasico for Barcelona against Real Madrid on Saturday evening, earning a 1-0 win which sent the Catalan hosts 13 points clear at the top of the table.

Madrid started boldly, resisting the natural urge to hunker down against the revered might of their rivals and instead tried to put Barcelona under pressure. Although, that’s not to say that the Catalans didn’t stroke the ball around the Estadi Johan Cruyff turf, picking out angles which would have tickled the Dutchman nicknamed Pythagoras in boots.

Alberto Toril’s visitors limited the runaway league leaders to just a single shot on target in a diligent and disciplined first half which saw Real offer just as much attacking threat – even if neither goalkeeper was overworked.

With the second leg of a Champions League last-16 tie to come against Roma on Wednesday, Jonatan Giraldez made four changes to the Barcelona side that could only earn a 1-0 win in the Italian capital last midweek. After a frustrating opening hour devoid of any discernible chances, the 31-year-old coach turned to his bench.

Caroline Graham Hansen was one of the additions and swiftly found herself on the end of the clearest opening of the match. Sneaking in at the back post from the second phase of a corner, Graham Hansen had ample space to meet the cross but nodded a limp effort into Misa Rodriguez’s gloves.

The Norwegian winger proved more potent as the provider. Moments after teeing up Patri Guijarro for a similarly weak header, Graham Hansen was on the end of a quickly taken free kick, tossing the ball into the middle of a chaotic penalty area. Amid the maelstrom, Athenea del Castillo – one of Real’s substitutes – hooked her right arm and leg around Salma Paralluelo, who gratefully accepted the invitation to tumble to the turf, earning a penalty which left Toril wagging his finger in disbelief and disgust.

Rolfo nervelessly slotted her spot kick into the bottom corner with just 13 minutes left on the clock. As Madrid desperately tossed bodies forward in search of an equaliser they may not have needed with a different referee, Rolfo had space on the counter to add a second which wasn’t forthcoming.

Real Madrid may have lost their 11th consecutive Clasico – every edition of this fresh rivalry – but they can take confidence from becoming the first team to limit Barcelona to just one goal in a Liga F game this season. Although, with the sting of defeat and injustice still raw, that will offer little consolation.

GK: Sandra Panos – 7/10 – Always alert when forced into defensive intervention even after large swathes of inaction.

RB: Lucy Bronze – 6/10 – Tentatively grew into the game, offering an overload down the right which Ana Maria Crnogorcevic very much needed.

CB: Marta Torrejon – 5/10 – By her lofty standards, Torrejon was uncharacteristically slack when building up from the back.

CB: Mapi Leon – 7/10 – Capable of slicing Madrid open with a scalpel of a left foot.

LB: Fridolina Rolfo – 6/10 – Despite her natural attacking instincts, Rolfo made sure to track back (begrudgingly) when Madrid mounted a sporadic attack.

CM: Aitana Bonmati – 7/10 – Popping up all over the pitch, invariably in a square of green grass unblemished by a white shirt.

CM: Ingrid Syrstad Engen – 7/10 – Sweeping up at the base of midfield, one of the few fixed points around which the buzzing Blaugrana shirts pivoted.

CM: Patri Guijarro – 6/10 – Unerringly comfortable in possession even in the tightest of spaces.

RW: Ana Maria Crnogorcevic – 3/10 – Lacked the craft and guile to trick her way down the right.

ST: Geyse – 4/10 – Sloppy with the timing of her runs and her tackling – little details that stood out in the absence of any clear chances.

LW: Salma Paralluelo – 6/10 – Increasingly drifted infield to limit her isolation and open a channel out wide for Rolfo to canter into. In the right place to tempt Del Castillo into a rash challenge.

Substitutes

Caroline Graham Hansen (60′ for Crnogorcevic) – 8/10 – Injected an urgency and elegance into Barcelona’s frontline which changed the game.

Asisat Oshoala (60′ for Geyse) – 5/10

Keira Walsh (60′ for Engen) – 5/10

Irene Paredes (67′ for Torrejon) – 5/10

Vicky Lopez (83′ for Paralluelo) – N/A

Manager

Jonatan Giraldez – 6/10 – Ultimately his changes made the difference but will be worried about the lack of chances Barcelona created for an hour.

GK: Misa Rodriguez – 7/10 – Not exactly adhesive with her handling but got her gloves in the way of plenty of shots and crosses.

RB: Kenti Robles – 5/10 – More concerned with taking the ball off the toes of Paralluelo rather than picking out a teammate once she had won possession.

CB: Ivana Andres – 6/10 – The captain delivered an uncompromising display, heaving the ball clear when left with few other options.

CB: Kathellen Sousa – 7/10 – Exploited her supreme swiftness across the turf to track as many red and blue blurs as she could.

LB: Sofie Svava – 7/10 – Proved to be a stubborn obstacle which Crnogorcevic struggled to hurdle.

CM: Sandie Toletti – 7/10 – Safe rather than spectacular with her passing but gobbled up a raft of loose balls in midfield.

CM: Claudia Zornoza – 5/10 – Unnecessarily overeager with her work off the ball at times.

AM: Caroline Weir – 6/10 – Hassled the Barcelona backline diligently but saw precious little of the ball.

RW: Maite Oroz – 5/10 – A veteran of all 11 Clasicos, Oroz skirted around the fringes of the contest.

ST: Esther Gonzalez – 6/10 – There is no lost cause for the infectious scraper.

LW: Linda Caicedo – 5/10 – The Colombian prodigy flickered in and out of the game.

Substitutes

Naomie Feller (60′ for Esther) – 5/10

Athenea del Castillo (70′ for ) – 3/10 – Provided precisely the opposite impact Toril was looking for.

Olga Carmona (70′ for Caicedo) – 5/10

Freja Olofsson (86′ for Zornoza) – N/A

Manager

Alberto Toril – 5/10 – Set his side up in an admirably obdurate shape that defended beyond their penalty area. Unfortunate to be undone by a soft spot kick.

Player of the match – Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona)

Folarin Balogun has confessed ‘no door is closed’ as he prepares to make a decision on his future with Arsenal.

The 21-year-old striker has excelled during his loan spell with Stade Reims in Ligue 1, firing home 17 goals in 27 games, but will return to Arsenal in the summer as the French side do not have an option to make the move permanent.

When he returns to the Emirates, Balogun will have just two years remaining on his Arsenal contract and will rejoin an attacking group that features both Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah already.

90min understands that Arsenal currently have no plans to offload Balogun in the summer but are prepared for crunch talks with the England youth international before making a final decision, and Balogun himself has confirmed as much.

“Contractually I have to go back,” he said. “Because the loan was only for one year so that was always the agreement.

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“But I wouldn’t, um, I’m not sure what is going to happen in the future. A lot could happen in football, a lot could change, and it just depends on the conversations we have between me and the club in the summer, and we’ll see what happens.”

Asked whether his future could be in France, Balogun responded: “Yeah I mean there’s no door that’s closed.

“Of course I have had a good year here and to a lot of people it makes sense for me to come back here. So yeah I mean I don’t know what the future will bring. But definitely I would advise young players to come out here. It’s a really, really tough league, a league that will help you to improve. You get to play in crazy atmospheres. If you’re ready to take yourself out of your comfort zone, I would advise any young player, I would advise any young player to come here.”

Internationally, Balogun has been called up to the England Under-21 setup after missing out on a place in Gareth Southgate’s senior side, but the United States have spoken with the striker about switching allegiance.

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On this edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders, Graeme Bailey & Toby Cudworth discuss the race to sign Jude Bellingham, Antonio Conte’s Tottenham future, Roy Hodgson’s return to Crystal Palace, Erling Haaland’s contract, Mason Mount & more!

If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!

Anthony Elanga has confessed to feeling frustrated towards his reduced role at Manchester United this season.

The 20-year-old winger was a regular starter towards the end of last season but has tumbled down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag, starting just five Premier League games and struggling for minutes in cup competitions as well.

There were plenty of rumours suggesting Elanga could leave United in January, with the likes of Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund both touted as suitors, but a move ultimately failed to materialise and the Sweden international has remained on United’s bench.

“It is frustrating,” Elanga told Afton Bladet. “You want to play. It is important. But if you don’t play, it’s not up to me but up to the coach.

“I have spoken to Erik and it is private between the two of us. I know what he wants me to do and I can just keep training hard. When the opportunity comes, I just have to be ready to take it.

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“We have a lot of dialogue, not only about it but also what is happening around. That’s the good thing about the club, we talk a lot and they help me a lot.
“

Elanga also confessed that talks were held over a move away from Old Trafford in January.

“There was talk about it, but right now I’m focusing on United,” he stressed. “We still have a big season ahead of us and need to finish it as well as possible.

“That was in January, now I can’t focus on it. The best I can do is focus on the rest of the season, then I get to talk to the club. I love the club, but it’s important for me to play. I’m still young. We have spoken to the club and they know what is required and I know what is required.”

LISTEN NOW

On this edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders, Graeme Bailey & Toby Cudworth discuss the race to sign Jude Bellingham, Antonio Conte’s Tottenham future, Roy Hodgson’s return to Crystal Palace, Erling Haaland’s contract, Mason Mount & more!

If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!