In a captivating El Clasico showdown at the Santiago Bernabeu, Barcelona emerged victorious with a 4-3 comeback win against arch-rivals Real Madrid. The thrilling encounter not only delivered a spectacle for football fans worldwide but also propelled Barcelona to the brink of securing the LaLiga title. Having already triumphed over Los Blancos in the Supercopa de Espana and Copa del Rey finals, this latest victory further solidifies Barcelona’s dominance in Spanish football this season.
Real Madrid started the match with blistering intent, earning an early penalty in the 5th minute. Kylian Mbappe capitalized on a defensive error by Pau Cubarsi and was subsequently brought down by Wojciech Szczesny. The French superstar coolly slotted the penalty home, despite Szczesny getting a touch on the ball, giving the home side an early advantage.
Mbappe continued his electrifying start, doubling Real Madrid’s lead before the quarter-hour mark. He expertly timed his run to stay onside, latching onto a through-ball from Vinicius Junior before calmly finishing past Szczesny.
Despite Real Madrid’s early dominance, Barcelona gradually found their footing. Thibaut Courtois pulled off impressive saves to deny Lamine Yamal and Gerard Martin, but he could do nothing to stop Eric Garcia in the 25th minute. The defender headed home emphatically after Ferran Torres flicked on Dani Olmo’s corner, pulling a goal back for the visitors.
Barcelona continued to press, and their persistence paid off just before halftime. In the 40th minute, 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal showcased his talent, meeting a lay-off from Ferran with a sublime first-time shot that curled into the bottom corner, leveling the score.
The turnaround was completed just five minutes later in dramatic fashion. A mix-up between Mbappe and Dani Ceballos was ruthlessly exploited by Raphinha, who latched onto a precise through ball from Pedri and slotted past Courtois, giving Barcelona the lead for the first time in the match.
The relentless action continued as Real Madrid thought they had earned another penalty, but the referee waved away their appeals. Instead, Barcelona punished another Real Madrid mistake. Raphinha dispossessed Lucas Vazquez and fired home from close range, extending Barcelona’s lead to 4-2.
Just moments before the halftime whistle, Mbappe had a goal ruled out for offside, adding to the drama of the first half.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti made a double substitution at the start of the second half, hoping to inject fresh impetus into his side. However, Barcelona maintained their momentum, and Yamal had the ball in the net again early in the second half, only for the goal to be disallowed due to Raphinha being offside in the build-up.
Mbappe continued to threaten, eventually completing his hat-trick in the 72nd minute. Vinicius Junior raced onto a pass from Luka Modric and unselfishly laid the ball across for Mbappe to convert, reducing the deficit to 4-3.
Despite late pressure from Real Madrid, including a disallowed goal for debutant Victor Munoz due to offside, Barcelona held firm to secure the thrilling victory. A late goal from Fermin Lopez was also ruled out for handball, but it mattered little as Barcelona celebrated a crucial win.
This victory extends Barcelona’s lead at the top of LaLiga to seven points with just three matches remaining. They now need just one more win to clinch the league title and complete a remarkable treble, having already secured the Supercopa de Espana and Copa del Rey trophies. The result also brings an end to Real Madrid’s four-game winning streak in the league, leaving them with a significant mountain to climb in the title race.
