In a fiery El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over Barcelona, snapping a four-match losing streak to their arch-rivals and boosting their La Liga lead.
Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, finishing a perfectly timed through ball from Jude Bellingham. But Barcelona hit back quickly, capitalizing on an Arda Guler mistake to level the game in the 38th minute, with Fermin Lopez finding the net.
However, Real responded just five minutes later, with Bellingham tapping in from close range after a brilliant run and cross from Vinicius Jr. The Brazilian winger caused havoc all game, and it was his creative spark that once again made the difference.
The second half saw drama unfold as Wojciech Szczesny, Barcelona’s goalkeeper, continued to frustrate the home side with a series of stunning saves. The most notable came when he denied Mbappe from the penalty spot, after Eric Garcia’s handball had given Real a chance to extend their lead.
Despite dominating possession and creating more chances, Real couldn’t put the game to bed. But Barcelona’s lack of attacking threat in the second half was glaring, and their frustrations boiled over when Pedri was sent off in added time for a reckless tackle on Aurelien Tchouameni.
Tempers flared at the final whistle when Vinicius Jr stormed down the tunnel after being substituted, only to return to the bench and become involved in a heated exchange with players from both teams. The confrontation escalated quickly, leading to Spanish police stepping in to prevent a brawl.
With the win, Real Madrid extended their lead to five points at the top of La Liga, while Barcelona, despite a spirited performance, remain in second place. It was a crucial victory for new manager Xabi Alonso, who had been under pressure after consecutive defeats in previous El Clasicos.
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