Real Madrid Steal El Clasico Win in Dramatic Finish
In a thrilling encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Real Madrid secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over arch-rivals FC Barcelona in the 257th edition of the El Clasico rivalry.
The hosts battled back from two goals down to snatch victory in extra time.
Barcelona took an early lead in the 6th minute when Andreas Christensen headed home from Raphinha's corner. Real Madrid drew level before halftime through a Vinicius Junior penalty.
The Catalans regained the lead in the 69th minute through Fermin Lopez's strike. However, Los Blancos restored parity just four minutes later thanks to Lucas Vazquez's goal.
With the score locked at 2-2, the match went into extra time, where Jude Bellingham emerged as the hero for Real Madrid. The English midfielder netted the winning goal in the 91st minute, clinching a last-gasp victory for the home side.
"This victory is undoubtedly a significant step towards winning the La Liga title. We have established a healthy lead in the standings, but we must remain focused as the championship is not yet over. We require further points in the remaining matches. This win will also serve as valuable preparation for our upcoming Champions League semi-final matches," said Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez expressed dissatisfaction with the refereeing decisions. "Before the match, when questioned about the referee, I emphasised my desire for him to avoid being the centre of attention and make fair calls. Unfortunately, he failed in both regards, which is a great pity," lamented Xavi Hernandez.
The result sees league leaders Real Madrid extend their lead over second-placed FC Barcelona to 11 points with six games remaining in the season.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
