Goals from Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham secured Real Madrid a hard-fought 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Barcelona in a tense El Clasico, ending their four-match losing streak in the fixture and strengthening their grip at the top of the La Liga table.
Mbappe, who later missed a penalty, put Madrid ahead early on Sunday. Although Fermin Lopez equalised for Barcelona at the Bernabeu, Bellingham’s strike before halftime proved to be the winner.
Barcelona playmaker Pedri was sent off late in the match after receiving a second yellow card as tempers flared in the Spanish capital.
The win pushed Real Madrid to 27 points, five clear of Barcelona in second place. Xabi Alonso’s men have now won nine of their opening 10 league matches, bouncing back strongly from their derby defeat to Atletico Madrid in September.
Hansi Flick’s side were managed from the touchline by assistant coach Marcus Sorg, as Flick served a suspension following a red card in their narrow victory over Girona last weekend.
Barcelona were missing several key players, including Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and Dani Olmo, while teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who had recently recovered from a groin injury, started despite not being fully fit.
Yamal had stirred controversy earlier in the week by accusing Madrid of “stealing” and “complaining,” and his name was greeted with loud boos from home fans when announced before kickoff.
Barcelona controlled more of the ball in the first half, but much of their possession lacked penetration, as Madrid created the better chances.
The hosts were initially awarded a penalty when Yamal appeared to trip Vinicius Junior, but VAR overturned the decision after replays showed the Brazilian forward initiated the contact.
Tensions rose further when Mbappe’s stunning strike from outside the box was disallowed for a razor-thin offside.
However, the Frenchman soon got his moment of redemption. After excellent build-up play from Bellingham, Mbappe broke free and finished clinically past Szczesny to give Madrid the lead, his 11th goal of the league campaign.
Bellingham then added a second before halftime, capping another standout performance as Real Madrid claimed a crucial win in front of a roaring home crowd.
