Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona - Five things we learned: Neymar is the second best player in the world, over Cristiano Ronaldo

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Luis Suarez opened the scoring for Barcelona after just 11 minutes
Neymar doubled the away side's lead after Andres Iniesta's through-ball
Iniesta produces a wonderful finish to make it 3-0 in the second half
Suarez added a fourth to put the game beyond doubt, slotting over Navas
Isco received a straight red card for a cynical challenge on Neymar late on
Barcelona are far from a one man team in Lionel Messi's absence from start

Published: 14:48 EST, 21 November 2015 | Updated: 03:51 EST, 22 November 2015

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Barcelona crushed Real Madrid 4-0 to move six points clear in La Liga as Luis Suarez scored twice to heap more pressure on Madrid manager Rafa Benitez.

Suarez's opener after 11 minutes was doubled by Neymar before half-time as Andres Iniesta and Suarez heaped more misery after the interval. Isco received his marching orders for a poor challenge on Neyamr on a night to forget for the hosts.

Here, Sportsmail’s Rik Sharma reveals the five things he learned from Real Madrid's dismal performance at the Bernabeu.

Luis Suarez of Barcelona celebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal at the Bernabeu on Saturday night

NEYMAR IS THE 2ND BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD, OVER CRISTIANO

Luis Suarez said it before the game: ‘Neymar is the second best player in the world at the moment’. And these weren’t just kind words to stroke the ego of a team-mate and a friend.

Neymar will likely be on the Ballon d’Or podium with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi come January. And Ronaldo’s history, legend, film release and the politics around the award may well see him finish above the Brazilian. But this is the start of a new era.

It has been Messi against Ronaldo, the eternal battle, for over half a decade. But Ronaldo seems unable to curb his decline, as he approaches his 31st birthday, while Neymar’s star is soaring higher and higher.

As well as working well with Barcelona’s other forwards he has shown he can control games like Messi does, rather than sentence them like Ronaldo. There are elements of his game in both players, along with a healthy dose of Brazilian magic.

Back in the day, players used to take Ronaldo out because they could not stop him. Now, they do it to Neymar, with Isco's red card for hacking him borne from frustration. Meanwhile, Ronaldo is left looking for fouls that don’t exist. This is his 10th game in 16 this season for Madrid in which he has not scored.

At 23 there may still be ups and downs with Neymar, but the downs will be shallow and the ups great, soaring heights.

Cristiano Ronaldo (right) looks dejected after Barcelona's Andres Iniesta scores their third goal

BARCELONA AREN'T A ONE MAN TEAM

When Lionel Messi was substituted before the 10th minute of Barcelona’s game against Las Palmas back on September 26, their fans feared the worst. Having heard he was out for eight weeks would surely give Real Madrid and even Atletico a distinct advantage in the title race.

However, Barcelona came into this game three points clear of Madrid, in second place, and by the time Messi was brought on they had sealed their six-point cushion at the top of La Liga.

Neymar and Suarez have kept the Blaugrana flag flying high during Messi’s absence and until Andres Iniesta found the net in the second half, between them they had scored every single one of the club’s 19 previous league goals.

Of course Barcelona are better with Messi, but Neymar and Suarez are both players that you could build an entire team around, so to carry on the tired belief that Barcelona won the treble last season solely because of Messi’s genius would be a mistake.

Even beyond the attacking trident, Barcelona have a lot of quality. The midfield duo of Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets were playing on a plane of thought several levels above anything Luka Modric or Toni Kroos had to offer. Even Ivan Rakitic was struggling to keep up.

And in defence? Whistled relentlessly but staying unshakable was Gerard Pique.

Neymar (left) celebrates his goal with Andres Iniesta after making it 2-0 in a complete team performance

ANDRES INIESTA IS STILL THE MASTER

Just over 10 years ago Ronaldinho was applauded off at the Santiago Bernabeu for demolishing Real Madrid. And on Saturday Andres Iniesta followed in his footsteps after doing a similar demolition job.

Although at once point last season he was forced to deny that ‘Iniesta had never gone away’, the Spain star has found a higher level again. He seemed lost at first in Luis Enrique’s tactical schemes, but slowly became more crucial as they marched towards the treble.

He hasn’t stopped along that trajectory, continuing to thrill and create in every match. Now he is Barcelona captain and this was a fitting way to mark his first Clasico in that position.

The maestro took off the armband and put it on Messi as he was substituted with a few minutes to go. Job done and done spectacularly.

Goalscoring isn’t even his forte—he has less than John Terry in his career—but his strike was magnificently taken, set up by Neymar after he had provided the Brazilian with an assist in the first half. Man of the match and simply marvellous.

Andres Iniesta slams home his side's third goal of the evening to cap another majestic display in Madrid

COMPROMISE DOESN'T SUIT RAFA BENITEZ

Rafa Benitez had a key tactical decision to make coming into the game. Play James Rodriguez or Casemiro. It was more than just a choice of picking one player above another, it was a decision to pick a team going out to shut down Barcelona and scrap over every ball, or play fluid attacking football and look to damage the Catalans.

In the end Madrid did neither, with Rafa’s tactics pointing towards the former but his player selection representing the latter. It was telling that the fans chanted for Florentino Perez to resign and not the coach, though he is certainly not in their good books either.

Rafa wanted to do things his way but in the end compromised after a lot of pressure. It did not work and Madrid looked like ghosts on their own territory, pummelled and humiliated by Barcelona. He is the fifth Los Blancos manager in a row to lose his first Clasico—Juande Ramos, Manuel Pellegrini, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti all did so beforehand.

Benitez, who denied rumours of player pressure from the likes of Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos to play a more attacking style, changed from his usual cautious approach and fielded a midfield and attacking six which featured no defensive minded players. And the result was left stark and clear on the scoreboard.

Rafa Benitez went into the game at the Bernabeu as a man reportedly under pressure in the Madrid hotseat

BARCELONA SET TO ROMP TO ANOTHER TITLE VICTORY

Six points is not a hugely significant difference in a league table in November, but this result was hugely damaging for Real Madrid.

Not only are Barcelona flying high above them, but they are on the verge of strengthening. Without Xavi Hernandez and Pedro Rodriguez, who left in the summer, and not allowed to register signings Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal, they have been stumbling towards January, looking for relief.

Well, that was what Madrid were hoping for, but even with a thin squad Barcelona have been dominant and are improving with every game.

Sergio Busquets and Pique, among others, tend to grow into seasons and they are doing just that. When Messi was injured against Las Palmas, Barcelona started winning games by slivers, happy with the points.

But now they are playing with a swagger in their side and with Messi still to be fully reincorporated. The omens are not good for Madrid, and will be worse still if Luis Enrique’s men sign in January, after the FIFA sanction ends.

Furthermore, Barcelona have played some of the seasons toughest games already—away at the Bernabeu, away at Atletico, away at Celta Vigo, away at Sevilla, away at Athletic Bilbao.