Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe were the heroes as Real Madrid edged Barcelona 2-1 in a tense and fiery El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, moving five points clear at the top of La Liga.
Mbappe opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, finishing coolly from close range after a perfectly timed through ball from Bellingham. The French forward thought he had struck earlier with a stunning volley, only for VAR to rule it out for offside.
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Barcelona drew level in the 38th minute when Fermin López capitalised on a defensive mistake by Arda Güler, finishing off a counterattack set up by Marcus Rashford.
But Real Madrid regained control moments later. Vinícius Júnior dazzled down the left wing before delivering a precise cross that found Bellingham, who tapped home from six yards to restore the lead, his fourth goal in five appearances for the league leaders.
The hosts dominated large spells, creating several chances to extend their advantage. Mbappé missed from the spot early in the second half as Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny pulled off a brilliant save to deny him.
VAR intervened multiple times in a dramatic encounter, disallowing two Real Madrid goals and overturning an early penalty claim for Vinícius Júnior.
The closing stages turned chaotic, with Pedri sent off deep into stoppage time for a reckless tackle on Aurélien Tchouaméni, sparking heated confrontations on the touchline.
Real Madrid’s victory ends their run of four consecutive Clasico defeats from last season and underscores Xabi Alonso’s side as early favourites for the title.
With the win, Los Blancos move to 27 points, five ahead of second-placed Barcelona, who struggled to create meaningful chances after halftime and finished the match with 10 men.
