Jude Bellingham scored the winner and assisted another as Real Madrid secured a crucial 2-1 victory over rivals Barcelona in a fiery El Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu, moving five points clear at the top of the La Liga table.
MADRID – Real Madrid ended a four-match losing streak against their bitter rivals Barcelona in a dramatic, incident-filled El Clásico on Sunday. Goals from Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham were enough to seal a 2-1 win for Xabi Alonso’s side, solidifying their position as La Liga’s frontrunners.
The match, played at a relentless pace, was a showcase of Real Madrid’s superstar attack, Barcelona’s depleted resilience, and a flurry of VAR interventions that defined the first half.
The hosts, playing in front of a roaring Bernabéu crowd, started with ferocious intent. They thought they had a penalty in the opening minutes when Vinicius Jr. was felled, but the decision was correctly overturned by VAR. Moments later, Kylian Mbappé found the net, only to be denied by a fractional offside flag.
The Frenchman would not be denied for long. In the 22nd minute, Jude Bellingham sliced the Barcelona defence open with a perfectly weighted through ball, and Mbappé made no mistake, slotting a composed finish past the outstanding Wojciech Szczęsny to give Madrid the lead.
Barcelona, missing key figures like Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, struggled to contain Madrid’s fluid attacks but found an unexpected lifeline in the 38th minute. Fermín López, reacting quickest in the box, pounced on a loose ball to steer home an equalizer against the run of play.
The parity was short-lived. Just five minutes later, Bellingham capped off a dominant first-half performance by restoring Madrid’s lead. Vinicius Jr. delivered a teasing cross from the left, which Éder Militão headed back across the face of goal, allowing the English superstar to tap in the decisive goal from close range.
The second half began with yet more drama. Real Madrid was awarded a penalty in the 52nd minute after a clear handball by Eric Garcia. Mbappé stepped up, but his effort was brilliantly saved by Szczęsny, who was engaged in a personal duel with the Madrid attack all night.
The Barcelona keeper made several more crucial stops to keep his side in the contest, but the visitors failed to create clear-cut chances. Their frustrations boiled over in stoppage time when Pedri, already on a yellow card, was sent off for a reckless lunge on Aurelien Tchouameni.
The win moves Real Madrid to 27 points, creating a significant five-point gap over second-place Barcelona, and lands a major psychological blow in the 2025-26 La Liga title race.
Key Player Performances
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid): Unquestionably the man of the match. The midfielder was the engine and the artist for Madrid, providing a sensational assist for the opener and showing his poacher’s instinct to score the winner.
- Wojciech Szczęsny (Barcelona): Despite being on the losing side, the Polish goalkeeper was magnificent. He made numerous high-class saves, including the penalty stop from Mbappé, to prevent a much heavier defeat.
- Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid): A chaotic and impactful performance. He scored one, missed a penalty, and had two further goals disallowed for offside. A constant, electrifying threat.
- Fermín López (Barcelona): Provided Barcelona’s one moment of genuine quality, taking his goal well and working tirelessly in midfield.
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| Score | 2 | 1 |
| Goals | K. Mbappé (22′), J. Bellingham (43′) | F. López (38′) |
| Shots on Target | 10 | 4 |
| Possession | 34% | 66% |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 2 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 1 (Pedri) |
Drama, Saves, and a Red-Hot Finish
This El Clásico match report wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the chaos. The second half saw a dramatic Mbappé penalty miss, as Barcelona keeper Wojciech Szczęsny made a brilliant save to keep his team’s hopes alive. Szczęsny was arguably Barça’s best player, making several key stops.
But the tension was building, and it finally boiled over.
The match saw constant friction, with young Barça star Lamine Yamal facing a hostile crowd, booed every time he touched the ball. This simmering anger erupted in stoppage time with the inevitable Pedri red card. The Barcelona midfielder was sent off for a reckless foul, sparking fury from the visiting side.
The drama didn’t even end there. After the final whistle, cameras captured an El Clásico fight after whistle, with players from both sides squaring up in a heated confrontation. It was a fitting end to a match where tempers flared as high as the skill on display.
What This Means for La Liga
This result is a massive psychological blow. Real Madrid now sit top of La Liga with a commanding five-point lead. For Barcelona, it’s back to the drawing board, knowing they were outclassed and outfought by their greatest rivals on October 26, 2025.
One thing is certain: we are already counting down the days until the next El Clásico.