Cristiano Ronaldos El Clasico winner for Real Madrid

Despite overeager claims that he doesn't come through in the big matches, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the decisive 73rd-minute goal in Real Madrid's vital 2-1 win over Barcelona.He has now scored in four of Real Madrid's last five matches against Barca (plus Real Madrid's extra-time winner against Barca in last season's Copa del Rey final) and his latest virtually seals the league title by extending Real's lead over Barcelona to seven points with four matches left to play.

Ronaldo, who had an earlier goal disallowed for being a skin cell offside, was on the receiving end of a perfect through ball from Mesut Ozil and finished it off by scoring from a difficult angle. He then celebrated by motioning for calm in the hostile Camp Nou -- a more powerful message than pointing to his bare thigh could ever be.

That goal gave Barcelona their second loss in four days and Jose Mourinho his first La Liga victory against the winners of the last three titles. It also gave Ronaldo his league-leading 42nd goal as Messi, who had a second straight frustrating match, remains on 41.