In the first El Clásico of the La Liga season, the match unfolded exactly as anticipated. At the final moment, Real Madrid secured victory by a goal from Jude Bellingham, snatching the win from Barcelona’s grasp.
It wasn’t a reversal without a fight. Even after trailing twice, it was Bellingham who ultimately submerged Barcelona with a thrilling 3-2 victory, scoring crucial goals against Barcelona’s opposition on their home turf.
Barcelona took an early lead at Santiago Bernabéu as Cristiano Ronaldo netted a fantastic header from Rafinha’s cross. However, Real Madrid wasted no time in equalizing. In the 16th minute, Lucas Vázquez found Joao Cancelo inside the box, but his attempt resulted in a penalty for Barcelona. Vinicius Junior made no mistake in converting the penalty into a goal.
Again, Barcelona threatened to take the lead. Just before halftime, André Lunin dived to save a shot from Lamin Yalam, keeping the scores level. Real Madrid managed to hold their ground.
Before the end of the first half, Barcelona midfielder Frankie de Jong had to leave the field due to injury. Despite the setback, both teams continued to fiercely compete. However, Barcelona found themselves ahead once more in the 28th minute. But Real Madrid’s defense held firm, denying Barcelona’s repeated attempts to extend their lead.
Real Madrid’s determination paid off as they equalized in the 69th minute through a shot from Yalam that beat Lunin. But just over four minutes later, Barcelona found themselves trailing again. A precise cross from Vinicius on the right flank found Bellingham, who scored a crucial goal, leaving Barcelona’s goalkeeper, Ter Stegen, helpless. Barcelona’s defense, including defender Jules Koundé, failed to prevent the goal.
With the score level once again, Real Madrid continued to press for a win. In the dying moments of added time, they found the moment they had been waiting for. A cross from Vasquez found Bellingham, whose powerful shot from outside the box secured the win for Real Madrid, leaving Barcelona’s hopes shattered.
Since Raul’s departure in 2007, Bellingham became Real Madrid’s first goalscorer in El Clásico in La Liga. This goal not only brought victory but also strengthened Real Madrid’s position at the top of the table with 81 points from 32 matches. Despite being the perpetual rivals, Barcelona lagged behind by 11 points with 70 points from an equal number of matches. Their dream of winning the league seemed further out of reach with this defeat.
