Barcelona delivered a statement win on Sunday, roaring back from a two-goal deficit to defeat arch-rivals Real Madrid 4-3 in an electrifying El Clasico at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium. With only three games left in the La Liga season, this victory moves Barca seven points clear at the top. A win in their next match could officially seal their 28th Spanish league title.
Despite a thunderous start by Real Madrid ā who looked to shake things up early ā it was Barcelona who emerged victorious in a wild, back-and-forth contest. Kylian Mbappe scored twice within the first 15 minutes to put Real firmly in control. He opened the scoring from the penalty spot after being brought down by keeper Wojciech Szczesny in the fifth minute. Nine minutes later, he finished off a swift counterattack led by Vinicius Jr. to double the advantage.
But Barcelona showed grit and resilience. Eric Garcia brought them back into the game with a powerful header from a corner in the 19th minute. Then, 13 minutes later, 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal curled in a sublime equalizer from the edge of the box, catching even the ever-reliable Thibaut Courtois off guard.
Just moments after leveling the score, a midfield blunder by Mbappe gifted Barcelona the ball. Raphinha capitalized on the mistake with a clinical counterattack finish to put Barca ahead 3-2 by the 34th minute. The Brazilian wasnāt done ā one minute after a Real penalty was overturned for offside, captain Lucas Vazquez made a crucial error, and Raphinha pounced again to make it 4-2 before halftime.
Courtois did his best to keep Real in the game with a string of superb saves in the second half, denying Barcelona multiple times. Real briefly revived hopes through Mbappe, who completed his hat-trick in the 70th minute after another swift run and assist by Vinicius. But the defending champions couldn’t find an equalizer.
The result leaves Real Madrid trailing by seven points. A Barcelona win over Espanyol on Thursday would officially confirm the title ā though it could come even sooner if Real drop points against Mallorca on Wednesday.
Speaking after the match, Lamine Yamal emphasized the importance of the victory: āIt was very important to win today to get closer to the league title. We are delighted. Suffering makes you stronger and teaches you how to improve.ā
Elsewhere in La Liga, Atletico Madrid crushed Real Sociedad 4-0 thanks to a sensational performance from Alexander Sorloth. The Norwegian striker netted all four goals in the first 30 minutes, helping Atletico solidify third place in the standings while Real Sociedad slipped to 12th.
With just a few matches remaining, the title race now seems firmly in Barcelonaās control ā a dramatic turnaround after their Champions League heartbreak earlier in the week. All eyes now turn to Thursdayās derby against Espanyol.
