Real Madrid 3-2 Barcelona
Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of La Liga to 11 points as that man Jude Bellingham scored a dramatic late winner in a five goal thriller.
Barcelona, desperate to close the gap on the leaders to five points twice went ahead but Real Madrid pegged them back both times; and then the England man broke Barca heats for the second time this season.
Los Blancos are seeking a record-extending 36th La Liga title and Carlo Ancelotti’s side took a huge step forwards on a breath-taking Sunday night.
Highlights of the game
The two sides came into the game with mixed emotions after a dramatic week in Europe. Real Madrid reached the semi-finals of the Champions League with a superb defensive display and a penalty shootout win over Manchester City while the Blaugrana were furious after they lost to Paris Saint-Germain, blaming the referee for sending off Ronald Araujo when the Catalans were well in charge.
And on Sunday night it was Xavi’s Barcelona who flew out of the blocks, maybe fuelled by anger, and they were ahead with just six minutes on the clock as centre back Andreas Christensen planted a header past Andriy Lunin and into the net. But the lead only lasted 12 minutes and the leveller came from the penalty spot when Lucas Vazquez deceived Pau Cubaris to win the award.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen did his best to put Vinicius Junior off but the Brazilian stroked home the penalty to make it 1-1.
Barca thought they were back in front when wonderkid Lamine Yamal flicked on a Raphinha corner and it looked like the ball had crossed the line; but technology showed it had just stayed on the right side for Los Blancos. For much of the first half Yamal was giving Eduardo Camavinga the run-around, and on 33 minutes the Real Madrid man was booked when he fouled the Barca livewire.
Xavi made a first half change just before the break as Frenkie De Jong’s race was run when the midfielder pulled up to be replaced by Pedri.
Fermin Lopez also climbed off the bench to replace Christensen and he was the man to restore the Blaugrana’s lead, poking in a rebound after Lunin had parried Ferran Torres’ effort.
But again, Los Blancos drew level quickly; this time Vazquez was the man on the spot to convert a teasing cross from Vinicius.
And so the stage was set and the man delivered as Bellingham smashed his 17th goal of the season high into the Barca net to lift the roof off the Santiago Bernabeu.
We just love late drama at El Clasico!
Statistics
The honours were even in a well contested first half with Los Blancos edging the possession while Barcelona had the shot count by seven to six and both teams registered three shots on target.
The La Liga 2024 betting odds have long since pushed Los Blancos towards the title but they were matched throughout and the final shot counts finished at 15 to 14 in favour of the Blaugrana but eight to six on target for the hosts.
Madrid’s home record this season now reads 14 wins and two draws while Barcelona have just lost their first away game of the campaign.
Now Madrid have won the last three El Clasicos while both sides had won three each of the last six; and none of the last 14 matches in all competitions between Real Madrid and Barcelona have ended in a draw. But it was close!
What’s next?
Girona’s 4-1 win over Cadiz on Saturday took the season’s surprise package back to within two points of the Blaugrana and the co-Catalans have guaranteed themselves some form of European football next season.
Both Barcelona and Girona will almost certainly qualify for the Champions League and they are set to meet on 4th May, but before that Barca host Valencia. All the talk is still around the likely departure of Xavi after he announced this would be his last season as Barcelona head coach. The club is still trying to persuade him to change his mind and a meeting has been set for after this El Clasico.
This week keeper and second captain Ter Stegen has added his weight to the clamour for Xavi to stay. The club’s form has picked up in recent weeks with a good set of La Liga 2024 results and a very unlucky exit from the Champions League but Xavi is yet to change his mind.
Meanwhile Real Madrid have a Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich to look forward and we’ll be all over that game here at SBOTOP. But before that Los Blancos have a difficult trip away to Real Sociedad in the league and, with just six games to play, Ancelotti is inching near to another title.
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