Three takeaways from Real Madrid's 2-3 loss against Barcelona

Real Madrid's 2-3 loss against Barcelona took the lead in La Liga table away from Los Blancos, although they still have one game at hand against Celta de Vigo. Although some will argue that this is only a loss, Barcelona's third goal exposed the issues this core of players is having over the last few years. Will Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo, Sergio Ramos or Karim Benzema ever finish Barcelona off when they're down? Will they ever win a Champions League-La Liga double?

Here are three takeaways from this game.

1. It's time to bid farewell to the BBC. The attacking trio of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo is a liability right now. Ronaldo is becoming the center striker and that leaves Benzema out of the equation unless Zidane decides to implement a 4-4-2 system which automatically takes away Bale's virtues. You need a healthy Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo on the left wing for the BBC to work. It's time to leave one player out of that trio on the bench, which leads us to...
2. Should Real Madrid give up on Bale? Nine goals and five assists on 26 matches are not enough to warrant him a place on Madrid's starting XI with players like Marco Asensio or Isco Alarcon performing well every single time they're on the pitch. Furthermore, Bale just can't stay healthy and even his best season with the club —his first one— didn't justify the €101 million Real Madrid spent on him. Bale could still thrive in the Premier League, so if there are any clubs like Manchester United willing to sign him, it's time for Madrid to pull the trigger. Los Blancos signed him to an extension last winter and yet they must entertain offers.
3. Real need to make some changes on their defensive line. Pepe is 34 years old and most likely leaving the club next summer while Varane can't catch a break with injuries. Real Madrid desperately need a backup left-back as Marcelo wasn't fresh enough yesterday. He should've enjoyed more rest this season, just like Kroos and Modric. Los Blancos need that backup left-back mentioned above and also a reliable center-back. Jesus Vallejo is a nice prospect but he is injury-prone as well and his lack of experience could cost Madrid if he's given a role he is not ready for. Those two signings should be the priority for Los Blancos next summer.