With significant ramifications for the La Liga championship race, it was hailed as one of the biggest El Clásico meetings in recent memory. The most recent meeting of the fiercest rivalry in Spanish football lived up to expectations, with Barcelona defeating Real Madrid 3-2 in the 92nd minute at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Everything you could want was there in the match: amazing skill, contentious calls, a thrilling environment, and nonstop drama from beginning to end. With 12 games left, the Catalans came out on top, moving 12 points clear of the opposition as the final whistle rang.
For most of the tense first half, Barcelona was second-best. The first goal of the match was scored in the ninth minute as Vinicius Jr. raced through and slotted past Marc-Andre ter Stegen after Karim Benzema’s promptly awarded free-kick caught the Barca defence off guard.
But the advantage was short-lived—after only six minutes, Raphinha scored an incredible goal into the far corner after grabbing a superb outside-of-the-boot ball from Sergio Busquets.
After that, Real seemed more likely to grab the lead again thanks to several deft stops from Fede Valverde and Karim Benzema by Ter Stegen. When Ferland Mendy fouled Raphinha in the 37th minute and was maybe unfortunate to get a second yellow card, it became the major talking point.
Five minutes into the second half, Barcelona took advantage of having an extra man in the game. Due to the confusion created by Alejandro Balde’s low cross in the Madrid box, Sergi Roberto was able to bundle home the goal from close range.
The hosts equalized in the 63rd minute after both teams made aggressive substitutes as the game appeared to be evenly balanced. Dani Carvajal squared for Benzema to score his 27th goal of the season with a signature elegant finish after some nice play on the edge of the area.
As the drama and intensity reached a fever pitch in the last quarter, there were opportunities on both sides. Gavi, a young midfielder for Barcelona, unexpectedly missed a clear header from close range. On the opposite side, Ter Stegen stopped Benzema and Antonio Rudiger’s rebound with a world-class double save.
Just as it appeared like a thrilling 2-2 tie would decide the points, Barcelona produced a brilliant move in the final seconds. Substitutes Ansu Fati and Frenkie de Jong applied intense pressure, forcing Dani Carvajal to make a hurried clearance that fell to Roberto, who scored his first half-volley from 25 yards out, curling into the bottom corner.
The travelling Barcelona supporters were treated to scenes of frenzied jubilation as Roberto ripped off his jersey in a fit of ecstasy. Real Madrid’s players, meanwhile, fell to their knees in anguish after having let up such a devastating late loss.
Barcelona eventually provided superior value for the outcome, having created the majority of the better opportunities. Their perseverance and tenacity captured the essence of Xavi, even though the performance wasn’t entirely traditional.
Player of the game Raphinha was at his rampaging best down the right wing, using his direct dribbling to harass the Real defenders all night long and scoring the game’s most brilliant individual goal. The Brazilian personified Barca’s unadulterated will to battle.
There will always be a sense of what might have been for Real Madrid if Mendy hadn’t been given that contentious red card. Before being down to 10 players, Carlo Ancelotti’s team dominated and duly equalized in the second half.
However, they were exposed by Barca’s high defensive line and lack of backup cover due to well-known defensive errors that ultimately proved to be their downfall. Regarding the manner of Roberto’s thrilling victory, the hosts have nothing to complain about.
In the fight for the La Liga championship, the outcome is seismic. Even with 12 games remaining, Barcelona must completely surrender if they are to waste their huge advantage. Real Madrid has to get back together and give their entire attention to retaining the Champions League title.
With outstanding talent, roughness, controversy, and tremendous drama right up to the very end, this was a true El Clásico classic. This rivalry has gained a lot of attention because of matches like these.
