Madrid — In a night charged with passion, noise, and tension, Real Madrid outlasted Barcelona 2–1 at the Santiago Bernabéu to move five points clear at the top of La Liga. Jude Bellingham, calm amid chaos, delivered the decisive blow in a match that felt every bit as fierce as its reputation promised.
It was a fixture laced with history and resentment. Barcelona had won all four previous El Clásicos last season, including a humbling 4–0 victory in Madrid almost exactly a year ago. This time, Real came seeking revenge — and found it in emphatic style.
The visitors arrived short of key names, with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha both sidelined, and it showed. Barcelona were far too open, frequently undone by Madrid’s relentless movement and pace.
Real thought they had earned an early penalty, only for VAR to overturn it. Moments later, the Bernabéu erupted. In the 22nd minute, Kylian Mbappé latched onto a pinpoint pass from Bellingham and hammered home the opener, exploiting Barcelona’s fragile high line.
Barcelona briefly clawed their way back when Fermín López, set up by Marcus Rashford, levelled with a composed finish. But the comeback never gathered momentum. Madrid controlled possession, dictated tempo, and waited patiently for their chance.
It came midway through the second half. A floated header from Éder Militão was parried by Wojciech Szczęsny, only for Bellingham to pounce on the rebound and slide the ball home. The 22-year-old Englishman, once again, was the difference.
“It’s about timing, belief, and effort,” Bellingham said after the match. “These are the moments you live for.”
Mbappé later missed a penalty that could have sealed the result, but it mattered little. Barcelona’s frustrations boiled over when Pedri was sent off for two quick bookings, sparking a touchline scuffle that saw Vinícius Jr. and Lamine Yamal exchange words.
Real coach Xabi Alonso downplayed the chaos afterwards.
“The tension at the end reflected the importance of this game,” he said. “This is football — emotional, intense, and alive.”
The win ended Barcelona’s four-match winning streak in the fixture and underscored Real Madrid’s growing confidence under Alonso. For Barcelona’s Hansi Flick, there will be questions about discipline, structure, and composure — issues that cost his side dearly.
At full-time, the Bernabéu roared its approval. Real had reclaimed their authority, and Bellingham, now the youngest Madrid player in the 21st century to both score and assist in an El Clásico, had once again risen to the occasion.
The young Englishman’s composure under pressure summed up Madrid’s night — calm, clinical, and utterly ruthless.
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