Actual Madrid moved 5 factors clear on the high of La Liga after a chaotic win over Barcelona
There have been three targets, three extra disallowed, a missed penalty, an overturned penalty, a purple card and a touchline scuffle as Actual Madrid edged out Barcelona in a chaotic El Clasico to maneuver 5 factors clear on the high of La Liga.
The hosts had been deserving winners after a glowing show to register their first victory over their arch rivals since April 2024.
Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham had been the goalscorers for Madrid both facet of a Fermin Lopez leveller. Mbappe had two targets chalked off and missed from the spot whereas Bellingham was additionally denied a strike by VAR on a day that might have been a lot worse for defending champions Barcelona.
The guests’ distress was compounded by the late dismissal of midfielder Pedri after he acquired a second yellow card for a problem that prompted unsavoury scenes on the touchline.
The one blot on an in any other case superb show from the hosts was Vinicius Jr’s petulant response to being taken off within the second half with the winger making clear his displeasure and storming down the tunnel earlier than later returning to take a seat on the bench.
Let-off for Yamal
The sport exploded into life inside two minutes with Barcelona a touch fortunate not to find themselves in deep trouble early on.
Referee Cesar Soto Grado initially dominated Barca winger Lamine Yamal had tripped Vinicius Jr inside the world and pointed to the spot. The VAR Iglesias Villanueva intervened and requested the official look once more on the incident on the pitchside monitor. When he did he overturned his resolution with Vinicius deemed to have kicked the again of Yamal’s foot.
The guests rode their luck as soon as once more after 12 minutes. Lopez gave up possession after a poor ball from Frenkie de Jong and Mbappe latched on to it and fired a shot previous Wojciech Szczesny. Once more the Santiago Bernabéu erupted however, once more, VAR intervened, and the aim was dominated out for an offside towards the France captain.
It appeared the dam needed to break and it will definitely did 9 minutes later.
Bellingham was the architect with a pleasant flip and go into Mbappe and the striker made no mistake with a crisp end below Szczesny.
The aim will elevate extra questions on Barca’s excessive line with coach Hansi Flick unable to make changes from the touchline as a result of his one-game ban after being despatched off towards Girona final weekend.
His group had been struggling to string passes collectively and each Federico Valverde and Bellingham fired lengthy vary efforts off track. Szczesny additionally needed to get down effectively to show an Mbappe shot behind for a nook.
Barca lastly broke the shackles however Ferran Torres, beginning up entrance within the absence of the injured Robert Lewandowski, might solely prod a weak shot straight at Thibaut Courtois.
Lopez drags Barca stage
Lopez was extra medical after 38 minutes as Barca lastly made some inroads in assault.
Marcus Rashford was concerned with a whipped cross from out broad and Lopez, who scored a hat-trick within the midweek win over Olympiacos within the Champions League, was readily available to show the ball previous Courtois.
The momentum was abruptly with the guests and Madrid needed to scramble the ball away from their goalline after Lopez had turned the ball on track from a Rashford nook.
However Madrid regained management and restored their lead two minutes earlier than half-time.
Vinicius Jr’s cross was nodded again by Eder Militao and Bellingham was readily available to faucet house.
Mbappe had one other aim disallowed when clearly standing in an offside place whereas he wasted a gilt-edged alternative to make it 3-1 seven minutes into the second half.
Eric García was harshly penalised within the space, the ball ricocheting on to his hand however Soto Grado deemed it was a spot-kick after session with the VAR.
Mbappe stepped up however his highly effective effort was brilliantly saved by Szczesny diving away to his proper.
Barca unable to seek out second equaliser
Lopez took the unsuitable choice by taking pictures as a substitute of making an attempt to pick both Rashford or Torres whereas Militao additionally dallied on the ball when he discovered himself within the clear on the different finish.
Bellingham had one other aim rightly dominated out for offside earlier than Mbappe fired straight at Szczesny after being performed in by Aurelian Tchouameni.
Mbappe shot broad when effectively positioned as Madrid sought a match-clinching third whereas Barca fluffed their greatest likelihood of an equaliser with a minute to go.
Yamal had a quiet afternoon however confirmed a flash of genius with a lofted go in for Jules Kounde however the right-back made a large number of his management and the prospect was misplaced.
Their frustration boiled over with Pedri lunging into Tchouameni within the ultimate minute of damage time and he was dismissed.
