Real Madrid defeated FC Barcelona 3-2 and became the virtual champion of La Liga Santander with only six games remaining. Carlo Ancelotti's team once again opened the comeback manual and won the game in the 90th minute thanks to Jude Bellingham, who was key to the two victories over Xavi Hernández's team this season.
With this result, and assuming that both teams win all the games, Madrid could be crowned on matchday 35 against Granada as a visitor. It would be their third league championship in the last five years and the second for Carleto after his return in 2021.
🤍🔝 El @realmadrid, ¡MÁS LÍDER de #LALIGAEASPORTS tras #ELCLÁSICO! pic.twitter.com/8X2l6VNmzF
— LALIGA (@LaLiga) April 21, 2024
Real Madrid continues to accumulate comebacks
In what seems to be a habit, Madrid found themselves down on the scoreboard twice during the match and then turned it around in front of their people.
Andreas Christensen opened the scoring for Barça five minutes into the game. After an exotic start by goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who appears against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, the Danish central defender headed in to make it 1-0.
The tie came shortly after a disputed penalty that the referee awarded to Lucas Vázquez, which Vinicuis Jr. converted into a goal.
The penalty was not the only controversy of the match. Shortly after the tie, Lunin rejected a shot from Lamine Jamal over the line, significantly over the line, which sparked an immediate protest from the Blaugrana players, who claimed that the ball went in entirely, something that was not finally confirmed by the cameras, so the match remained tied.
Una de las polémicas de 'El Clásico' entre Real Madrid y Barcelona.
¿Hubo penal sobre Lucas Vázquez? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/8AUgquQZTN
— Pablo Giralt (@giraltpablo) April 21, 2024
The adrenaline would return for the second half, with an apparent goal situation that Ferran Torres wasted. The former Valencia player went alone on the left and defined just outside against the departure of the Ukrainian goalkeeper.
Barcelona confirmed its good moment in the match at 69 minutes when it retook the lead after a rebound captured by the young Fermín, who debuted as a scorer in El Clásico. However, the Barça joy would last just three minutes. In a play elaborated by Madrid, Federico Valverde unloaded for Vini, who centered left-footed for the appearance of Vázquez, who established himself as the figure of the match.
Despite being behind twice on the scoreboard, Real Madrid would return on the hour mark. After a play that did not end in a miracle goal in the 86th minute, Bellingham waited until the 90th minute to break the tie and score the final 3-2, thus leaving his team very close to becoming champion.
🤳 @Lucasvazquez91 🤳#ElClásico pic.twitter.com/joalVlEI2k
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) April 21, 2024
Second, they had passed the regulation time when Brahim Díaz found Vázquez on the right, who crossed and found the left foot of the Englishman, who defined almost the roof of the goal defended by Marc André Ter-Stegen, thus unleashing madness at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Bellingham makes Barça bitter again
The former Borussia Dortmund was directly responsible for Madrid's two wins against Barcelona in the local tournament season. First with a double in October to appear at Camp Nou and now with the agonizing goal to caress his first league title with the white shirt.
"It was a great game. They played very well but so did we. The only thing missing was the final touch when we attacked and we finally achieved it. It is not easy to play 120 minutes during the week and today another 90, my teammates were fantastic, all the credit to them," he declared once the meeting was over.
Todo el Santiago Bernabéu haciendo la celebración de Jude Bellingham con el.
VIDEAZO. 🥹🤍 pic.twitter.com/bNdXm5d3DJ
— MT (@MadridTotal_) April 21, 2024
