Real Madrid secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Barca, inching closer to the championship title. Jude Bellingham sealed the win with a goal in the first minute of added time.
Goals:
- Real Madrid: Vinicius (18′, pen), Vazquez (73′), Bellingham (90+1′)
- Barca: Christensen (6′), Lopez (69′)
Barca entered the El Clásico match in the 32nd round at the Bernabeu hoping to narrow the points gap with Real Madrid in the title race. Under Xavi’s leadership, they got off to a dream start when defender Andreas Christensen capitalized on a hesitant clearance from goalkeeper Andriy Lunin to score in the 6th minute.
However, Barca’s lead didn’t last long. Young defender Pau Cubarsi fouled Lucas Vazquez inside the box in the 16th minute, leading to a penalty for Real Madrid. Instead of Bellingham, Vinicius stepped up to convert the penalty, leveling the score for Real Madrid.
For the rest of the first half, Barca dominated possession but failed to create clear-cut chances. The most notable moment came in the 28th minute when young forward Lamine Yamal attempted a clever backheel, forcing Lunin into a difficult save. VAR reviewed the play but ruled no goal for the visitors.
In the second half, Real Madrid started stronger, with both Bellingham and Vinicius having chances denied by Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Their missed opportunities came back to haunt them as Barca took the lead again in the 69th minute. Yamal’s cross found its way to Fermin Lopez, who easily slotted home.
Yet again, Barca couldn’t hold onto their lead. Just four minutes later, Vinicius provided an assist for Vazquez to equalize. It was Vazquez who made the decisive impact in added time, delivering a precise cross for Bellingham to head home.
With this 3-2 nail-biter, Real Madrid strengthened their position at the top of the table, leading Barca by 11 points with only 6 matches left in the campaign.
Line-ups:
- Real Madrid: Ter Stegen, Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Cancelo, Gundogan, Christensen (Fermín López 46′), De Jong (Pedri 45′), Yamal, Lewandowski (Ferran Torres 64′), Raphinha (Félix 64′)
- Barca: Ter Stegen, Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Cancelo, Gundogan, Christensen (Fermín López 46′), De Jong (Pedri 45′), Yamal, Lewandowski (Ferran Torres 64′), Raphinha (Félix 64′)