Barcelona moved one game away from lifting the 2024/25 La Liga title with a frankly ridiculous 4-3 victory over rivals Real Madrid.
"The only thing that matters is winning," Hansi Flick declared ahead of a league-defining Clasico. The route to Barcelona's recent victories hasn't always been so straightforward and Sunday was no different. Flick's side trailed for the seventh time in the past eight games as Kylian Mbappe rattled in a rapid-fire record-breaking brace.
Madrid's superiority was short-lived. Eric Garcia ghosted into the penalty box to head Barcelona back into the contest four minutes after Mbappe's second, ramping up a Montjuic crowd which had only just begun to be treated to the full extent of the game's utter mayhem.
Two goals in as many minutes from Lamine Yamal and Raphinha had Barcelona 3-2 up barely past the half-hour mark. Carlo Ancelotti scarcely had time to raise an eyebrow at Yamal's fizzer into the bottom corner before his Brazilian colleague made the most of a high turnover.
It was that ferocity of Barcelona's press - miraculously undiluted despite the draining two-hour defeat to Inter in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final - which completely derailed Real Madrid. Lucas Vazquez couldn't handle the intensity by the end of a blistering opening 45 minutes, limply giving up possession to Raphinha who combined with Ferran Torres to make it 4-2 at the interval.
Barcelona assumed control of a second half which wasn't quite as deranged as the first period, yet it was Real Madrid who struck back through Mbappe. The Frenchman completed his hat-trick to add some tension to the final 20 minutes.
Madrid, the side more synonymous with late goals than any other, came close to penning another page in their legendary history of dramatic comebacks, only to be undone by the offside flag.
Fermin Lopez's late disallowed goal took away little from a win which moved Barcelona seven points clear at La Liga's summit with just three games remaining.
Barcelona player ratings (4-2-3-1)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Wojciech Szczesny | 5.3/10 |
RB: Eric Garcia | 7.8/10 |
CB: Pau Cubarsi | 6.5/10 |
CB: Inigo Martinez | 6.4/10 |
LB: Gerard Martin | 6.2/10 |
CM: Frenkie de Jong | 7.2/10 |
CM: Pedri | 8.0/10 |
AM: Dani Olmo | 6.4/10 |
RW: Lamine Yamal | 8.9/10 |
ST: Ferran Torres | 9.2/10 |
LW: Raphinha | 9.0/10 |
SUB: Alejandro Balde (57' for Martin) | 6.5/10 |
SUB: Andreas Christensen (57' for Cubarsi) | 6.6/10 |
SUB: Hector Fort (77' for Garcia) | 6.0/10 |
SUB: Fermin Lopez (77' for Olmo) | 6.3/10 |
SUB: Gavi (89' for Torres) | N/A |
Subs not used: Inaki Pena (GK), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (GK), Ronald Araujo, Marc Casado, Ansu Fati, Pau Victor, Robert Lewandowski.
Real Madrid player ratings (4-2-3-1)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Thibaut Courtois | 5.5/10 |
RB: Lucas Vazquez | 4.9/10 |
CB: Aurelien Tchouameni | 6.0/10 |
CB: Raul Asencio | 5.4/10 |
LB: Fran Garcia | 5.4/10 |
CM: Federico Valverde | 5.9/10 |
CM: Dani Ceballos | 3.5/10 |
AM: Jude Bellingham | 6.8/10 |
RW: Arda Guler | 6.2/10 |
ST: Kylian Mbappe | 9.5/10 |
LW: Vinicius Junior | 7.9/10 |
SUB: Luka Modric (46' for Ceballos) | 6.8/10 |
SUB: Brahim Diaz (46' for Guler) | 6.6/10 |
SUB: Endrick (84' for Vazquez) | N/A |
SUB: Victor Munoz (88' for Vinicius) | N/A |
Subs not used: Andriy Lunin (GK), Sergio Mestre (GK), Jacobo Ramon, Jesus Vallejo, Youssef, Enriquez, Rodrygo.
Player of the match - Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
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