Messi scores early, Barcelona beats Real Madrid 3-2 in El Clasico Miami

Barcelona wins 2017 International Champions Cup

Barcelona star Lionel Messi scores during El Clasico Miami against Real Madrid on Saturday night.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – A crowd of more than 66,000 packed Hard Rock Stadium to witness El Clasico Miami and they got quite a show, including an early goal from Lionel Messi and a 3-2 win by Barcelona over Real Madrid at Hard Rock Stadium.

The win clinched the 2017 International Champions Cup crown for Barcelona. 

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Ivan Rakitic and Gerard Pique also scored for Barcelona, but Real Madrid gave them a run for their money as this did not feel like an international friendly.

Marco Asensio and Mateo Kovacic scored for Madrid in the losing effort. 

This was the first-ever meeting of the Spanish rivals on American soil and only the second time they played outside of Europe, with the first meeting taking place in 1982 in Venezuela. 

Neymar appeared to hurt his ankle in the opening moments of the match, but he toughed it out and placed a perfect ball for Pique who scored the eventual game-winner.