Spanish La Liga
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Real Madrid 3-2 Barcelona: Jude Bellingham scores late to seal El Clasico win

By Bobbie JacksonBBC Sport
Jude Bellingham celebrates scoring
Jude Bellingham has scored 21 goals across all competitions this season

Jude Bellingham scored a late winner as Real Madrid beat Barcelona to move 11 points clear at the top of La Liga after an enthralling El Clasico.

Bellingham smashed into the roof of the net as the clock ticked into stoppage time as Real twice came from behind at the Bernabeu.

Andres Christensen scored the opener for Barcelona but a Vinicius Jr penalty had the game level at half-time.

Fermin Lopez made it 2-1 to Barca before Lucas Vazquez equalised again.

The victory puts Real firmly on track to reclaim the title with just six games left to play this season.

It looked set to be a positive night for Barcelona when Christensen rose above Toni Kroos to meet Raphinha's corner after just six minutes.

But those celebrations were short lived as referee Cesar Soto Grado pointed to the penalty spot when Pau Cubarsi fouled Vazquez in the area, handing Vinicius the opportunity to score his 13th La Liga goal of the campaign.

Lamine Yamal thought he had restored Barcelona's lead when he flicked a corner towards goal and goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who was behind the line, clawed it away.

Barcelona were adamant the ball had crossed the line but, as La Liga does not have goalline technology, the video assistant referee decided it that was not the case.

A tense second half came to life in the 69th minute with Lopez turning in from close range after Lunin parried a cross into his path.

However, Carlo Ancelotti's Real drew level for a second time just four minutes later with Vazquez emerging unmarked at the far post to meet Vinicius' cross.

The win extends Real's unbeaten record across all competitions to 28 matches - winning 22 and drawing six - with their last loss at home coming against Villarreal on 8 April 2023.

Bellingham rises to occasion once again

Bellingham is becoming accustomed to delivering on the big stage for Real and few are bigger than a Clasico.

The England midfielder got a first taste of the historic fixture in October when he scored twice to lead his side to a 2-1 win at Estadio Olímpico Lluis Companys, and he has continued to step up in the key moments throughout his debut campaign in Spain.

His last-gasp winner at the Bernabeu means he is the first Real player to score in their first two La Liga El Clasico's since Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2007.

The 103m euros (£88.5m) that Real handed over to Borussia Dortmund to sign Bellingham in the summer is looking like more of a bargain with each week that passes and he certainly does not look out of place with Zinedine Zidane's iconic number five on his back.

With 17 goals in La Liga this term, Bellingham is the second highest scorer in the division - just one behind Girona's Artem Dovbyk - and he continues to dazzle as Real look to end the season with a La Liga and Champions League double.

'It's a disgrace' - Xavi

Barcelona coach Xavi was furious after VAR officials could not prove that Yamal's effort had crossed the line.

"It's a disgrace," said Xavi, complaining that the goalline technology used in other top flights including the Premier League is not available in La Liga.

"If we want to be the best league in the world we have to advance in this sense, you have to put in the technology."

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen agreed with his coach.

"It's shameful for football, I don't have the words," said the Germany international.

"There's so much money in this world and there's no money for what's most important."

Line-ups

Real Madrid

Formation 4-1-2-1-2

  • 13Lunin
  • 17Vázquez
  • 18Tchouaméni
  • 22Rüdiger
  • 12CamavingaBooked at 34minsSubstituted forGarcíaat 71'minutes
  • 8KroosSubstituted forDíazat 71'minutes
  • 15Valverde
  • 10ModricBooked at 83mins
  • 5Bellingham
  • 7Vinícius JúniorBooked at 75minsSubstituted forJoseluat 82'minutes
  • 11RodrygoSubstituted forMilitãoat 74'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Carvajal
  • 3Militão
  • 6Nacho
  • 14Joselu
  • 19Ceballos
  • 20García
  • 21Díaz
  • 23Mendy
  • 24Güler
  • 25Arrizabalaga Revuelta
  • 39de Luis

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1ter Stegen
  • 23KoundéBooked at 75mins
  • 4Araujo
  • 33CubarsíBooked at 90mins
  • 2Cancelo
  • 22Gündogan
  • 15ChristensenSubstituted forLópezat 45'minutes
  • 21F de JongSubstituted forPedriat 45+7'minutes
  • 27Yamal
  • 9LewandowskiSubstituted forF Torresat 64'minutes
  • 11RaphinhaSubstituted forJoão Félixat 64'minutes

Substitutes

  • 5Martínez
  • 7F Torres
  • 8Pedri
  • 13Peña Sotorres
  • 14João Félix
  • 16López
  • 17Alonso
  • 18Romeu
  • 19Roque Ferreira
  • 20Roberto
  • 31Kochen
  • 39Fort
Referee:
César Soto Grado
Attendance:
77,981

Match Stats

Home TeamReal MadridAway TeamBarcelona
Possession
Home47%
Away53%
Shots
Home14
Away15
Shots on Target
Home8
Away6
Corners
Home2
Away8
Fouls
Home11
Away12

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Real Madrid 3, Barcelona 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Real Madrid 3, Barcelona 2.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.

  4. Post update

    Attempt blocked. João Félix (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  5. Post update

    Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Federico Valverde.

  6. Goal!

    Goal! Real Madrid 3, Barcelona 2. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Lucas Vázquez with a cross.

  7. Booking

    Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona).

  9. Post update

    Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  10. Post update

    Offside, Real Madrid. Éder Militão is caught offside.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Fermín López (Barcelona).

  12. Post update

    Brahim Díaz (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Lamine Yamal (Barcelona).

  14. Post update

    Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  15. Post update

    João Félix (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid).

  17. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Brahim Díaz (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jude Bellingham.

  18. Post update

    Foul by Fermín López (Barcelona).

  19. Post update

    Fran García (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  20. Booking

    Luka Modric (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

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Scores, Results & Fixtures

Sunday 21st April 2024

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Real Madrid32256170224881
2Barcelona32217464372770
3Girona32215667402768
4Atl Madrid32194959382161
5Ath Bilbao321610652302258
6Real Sociedad321312746341251
7Real Betis32121284038248
8Valencia32138113534147
9Villarreal32119125155-442
10Getafe32913103844-640
11Osasuna32116153746-939
12Las Palmas32107153039-937
13Alavés3298152838-1035
14Sevilla31810133944-534
15Rayo Vallecano32713122739-1234
16Mallorca31613122536-1131
17Celta Vigo32710153747-1031
18Cádiz32413152245-2325
19Granada3239203361-2818
20Almería32111203164-3314
View full Spanish La Liga table

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