It was a typically tense and dramatic Clasico contest on Sunday evening as Real Madrid twice came from behind before Jude Bellingham grabbed a dramatic winning goal at Santiago Bernabeu. Vinicius Junior and Lucas Vazquez produced the equalisers for Carlo Ancelotti’s hosts to ensure that they did not suffer a home defeat to their great rivals with England star Bellingham producing the winner. Jude Bellingham scored the winning goal in stoppage time as Real Madrid twice came from behind to beat Barcelona 3-2 and surely secure the La Liga title in the process.
In crashing home a Lucas Vazquez cross, Bellingham won El Clasico for the second time this season and ensured Real are 11 points clear with just six games left to play in La Liga.
Vazquez was one of the game’s standout players and had levelled for Madrid earlier in the second half, cancelling out Barcelona substitute Fermin Lopez’s opportunistic goal. Andreas Christensen and Vinicius Junior scored respectively for Barca and Real in the first half, the latter from the penalty spot, but that period was somewhat overshadowed by a contentious non-goal.
Lamine Yamal’s flick at a corner looked from some angles to have crossed the line, but the evidence was inconclusive, and as La Liga does not have goal-line technology, a goal could not be awarded, much to the visitors’ chagrin.
Bellingham must be running out of ways to make his debut season for Madrid more impressive, but he found one here, coming up with yet another crucial goal. This is the goal which effectively seals the title for Los Blancos so it will be remembered fondly, even if he has scored some others far more attractive this campaign.
Bellingham scored twice in the reverse fixture, which Madrid won 2-1, so winning a Clasico was already on his CV. You can add winning La Liga now.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – LUCAS VAZQUEZ (REAL MADRID)
Tireless down the Madrid right, he scored one goal and played a huge hand in the winner. All this while keeping Raphinha fairly quiet, and in the same week in which he also scored a crucial penalty in the UEFA Champions League.
PLAYER RATINGS
Real Madrid: Lunin 4, Vazquez 8, Rudiger 6, Tchouameni 6, Camavinga 5, Kroos 5, Modric 6, Valverde 6, Bellingham 7, Rodrygo 6, Vinicius 7. Subs: Diaz 7, Garcia 6, Militao 6.
Barcelona: Ter stegen 7, Cancelo 4, Cubarsi 5, Araujo 6, Koude 7, Christensen 6, De Jong 6, Gundogan 6, Raphinha 6, Yamal 8, Lewandowski 4. Subs: Pedri 6, Fermin 7, Torres 5, Felix 6.
GOAL! REAL MADRID 0-1 BARCELONA (CHRISTENSEN) 6′ – Barcelona take an early lead! Rahinpha’s in-swinging corner bamboozles Lunin – who comes for it but only flaps at the ball – and Christensen heads home.
PENALTY TO REAL MADRID! 17′ – As clear as you like. Vazquez gets past Cancelo with ease to dribble into the box, knocks the ball past Cubarsi and is tripped by the youngster’s outstretched leg.
GOAL! REAL MADRID 1-1 BARCELONA (VINICIUS) 18′ – Vinicius steps up, stutters his run and then slots past Ter Stegen, who was waiting until the ball was struck to dive.
NO GOAL! 28′ – An in-swinging corner is helped on by Yamal and barely scraped off the line by Lunin. There’s a long VAR look at it, with Barca sure the ball crossed the line, but the evidence is inconclusive. No goal.
GOAL! REAL MADRID 1-2 BARCELONA (FERMIN) 69′ – Yamal’s dangerous cross forces a save from Lunin and the Madrid goalkeeper parries straight into Fermin’s path. He stabs in and Barcelona lead!
GOAL! REAL MADRID 2-2 BARCELONA (VAZQUEZ) 73′ – Vinicius, wide on the left, sends in a cross which comes to Vazquez at the back post and he side-foots in. Cancelo had no idea Vazquez was there.
GREAT SAVE! 78′ – Vinicius races through on-one-one with Ter Stegen straight from Lunin’s long kick. Ter Stegen stays tall and saves excellently.
GOAL! REAL MADRiD 3-2 BARCELONA (BELLINGHAM) 90+1′ – Bellingham has won it – both the game and the title! Vazquez’s cross from the right is flicked on by Joselu and Bellingham hammers into the roof of the net.