REVIEW: Talking points Real Madrid vs Barcelona (EL CLÁSICO)

This game was nothing else but spectacular. A five-goal thriller at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu saw Real Madrid beat bitter rivals Barcelona 3-2 to go 11 points clear on top of La Liga on Sunday. Real Madrid has now beaten Barcelona three times in a row in a single season for the first time in eighty-eight years. 

They beat Barcelona 2-1 in October away from home and lost the Spanish Super Cup 4-1 and 3-2 at home. This also means that Barcelona will go trophyless this season.

Carlo Ancelotti made three changes to the side that started against City on Wednesday. Tchouameni is back after serving a European suspension, with Vazquez and Modric also coming in. Vinicius is fit to retain his place, but Carvajal, who also went off in that game, is one of three players to drop to the bench, along with Nacho and Mendy.

Real Madrid started with a 4-4-2 diamond formation with Lunin in goal, a back four with Lucas Vazquez and Camavinga as the full-backs, Tchouameni and Rudiger as the center-backs, and the diamond midfield of Valverde, Luka Modric, Kroos, and Jude Bellingham as the attacking midfielders, with Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior as the center forwards.

At the Bernabeu, Xavi’s team twice had the lead but was swiftly pushed back before Jude Bellingham’s dramatic stoppage-time goal. Barcelona’s dreams of closing the gap on Real Madrid and retaining their La Liga title are all but gone, as they lost 3-2 in Sunday’s El Clasico after twice blowing leads and falling victim to a Jude Bellingham goal in stoppage time. 

With a corner kick and a move past Toni Kroos at the back post, Andreas Christensen gave the visitors an early lead. They did not, however, lead for long, as Vinicius Jr. scored from the penalty spot after Lucas Vazquez fouled Pau Cubarsi, the debutante in the Clasico. Lamine Yamal’s near-post flick from a corner appeared to have crossed the line, but the lack of goal-line technology in La Liga meant the VAR could not be certain, which was unfortunate for Barca as they missed the opportunity to take the lead midway through the first half.

Just before halftime, Frenkie de Jong was stretchered off, which further soured the Blaugrana’s spirits. Though Andriy Lunin mishandled Yamal’s cross, Barca didn’t feel sorry for themselves and took the lead again through a tap-in from replacement Fermin Lopez.

But Madrid was not done yet; as the clock approached the ninetieth minute, Bellingham scored the game’s winning goal thanks to a cross from Vinicius, and Vazquez followed suit with another swift goal.

After the outcome, Madrid is now 11 points ahead of Barca in the standings and will probably win the championship with six rounds of games remaining.

Xavi acknowledged his happiness with the squad’s effort in a post-match interview with the media on Barcelona’s loss to Real Madrid in El Classico, highlighting the young players on the team as essential to the club’s future. Bellingham’s late strike gives them the victory in El Classico. PSG’s incredible comeback against Barcelona to advance to the Champions League semifinals was spurred by Mbappe’s brace.

“We deserved to win because we were the best team tonight. With such young talents, Barça will have a bright future. Regarding the referee, I don’t need to say anything more because everyone has already seen it. The photographs are there, so if I speak, they might punish me,” he stated. 

Now that Barca and Madrid are separated by 11 points, it appears unlikely that the squad will win any championships this year. On Monday, April 29, 2024, they take on Valencia, who is currently ranked first, and they will try to pursue that goal until the end of the season. Lucas Vázquez won man of the match after scoring a goal and providing an assist.

• Real Madrid Vs Barcelona – El Clasico Game Preview