GARETH BALE saw his late winner for Real ruled out by VAR as violent pro-Catalan protests marred El Clasico inside and outside the Nou Camp. Demonstrations turned ugly before they spread inside the ground, briefly halting this fizzing but goalless top-of-the table-clash when beach balls were thrown on the pitch. Fires were set outside as flag-waving Catalans fought with baton-wielding police. And when the match itself neared the hour mark, referee Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez stopped play when fans launched a pre-planned protest. Ballons were hurled on, one saying: “Youngster, the republic needs you” while other another had the message “Sit and Talk”. But for Bale it was the video replay system, not this time manager Zinedine Zidane, that was a load of balls.The unsettled striker slid home on 73 minutes but Ferland Mendy was rightly adjudged offside in the build-up.MESSI BRIEFLY CAME TO LIFE Barcelona’s calm start – in contrast to the Independence protests outside – soon faded as a snapshot from Real striker Karim Benzema forced Marc-Andre ter Stegen Stegen into a tenth minute save. And Real soon sparked Barca into desperate defending, including two clearances from Gerard Pique in quick succession,the first off the line from Casemiro’s leaping…