Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 2-1 in a thrilling El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday, ending a four-match losing streak against their Catalan rivals. Goals from Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham secured the victory for Real Madrid, while Fermin Lopez scored for Barcelona. The win extends Real Madrid's lead at the top of La Liga to five points.
The match was intense from the outset. Real Madrid thought they had an early penalty when Vinicius Jr. went down, but VAR overturned the call. Moments later, in the 23rd minute, Jude Bellingham slipped a perfectly weighted ball through to Kylian Mbappé, who calmly slotted home past Barcelona's goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny. Barcelona responded in the 38th minute when Fermin López finished off a sharp move created by Pedri and Marcus Rashford, equalizing the score. However, Real Madrid quickly regained the lead before halftime. In the 43rd minute, Bellingham reacted fastest to a loose ball and fired home from close range after a cross from Vinicius Jr..
The second half continued with high intensity. Real Madrid had a chance to extend their lead in the 52nd minute when they were awarded a penalty after Eric Garcia's handball. However, Szczesny guessed correctly and made a strong save to deny Mbappé. Barcelona fought hard to find an equalizer, but Real Madrid's defense held firm. In the final moments of the game, Barcelona's Pedri received a second yellow card for a late foul on Aurelien Tchouameni, reducing Barcelona to 10 men. Minor skirmishes broke out on the sidelines after the sending off.
Real Madrid's coach, Xabi Alonso, celebrated his first El Clasico win. Real Madrid have demonstrated their ability to perform in high-pressure matches and deliver results against top rivals. This result marks Madrid's ninth win in ten league games this season.
Barcelona were missing several key players, including Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and Dani Olmo. Lamine Yamal, returning from a groin injury, played but struggled to make a significant impact. Despite dominating possession with 68% and completing 638 passes, Barcelona's conversion rate let them down.
The match had everything: goals, drama, VAR controversy, and even a dugout scuffle deep into stoppage time. Both teams created chances, but Real Madrid were more clinical in front of goal.
Real Madrid's next game is at home against Valencia on Saturday, followed by a Champions League away game against Liverpool three days later. Barcelona will host Elche on Sunday before playing away to Club Brugge in the Champions League three days later.
