VIDEO: Marcelo's goal-line clearance thwarts brilliant attacking move by Barcelona

Marcelo may very well have saved Rafa Benitez from being fired at halftime of El Clasico.

Alright, that's likely an overstatement, but one thing is certain: the afro-clad Brazilian ensured that Real Madrid will still have a chance to turn things around in the second half at the Santiago Bernabeu.

A lightning-quick attack, initiated, of course, by Neymar, resulted in Luis Suarez sending a side-footed effort towards an open goal.

Luckily for Madrid, Marcelo, often derided for his defensive play, raced back and kept the contest at 2-0 with essentially the final touch of the first stanza.