Kylian Mbappe put Madrid in control early on, netting twice in a blistering 14-minute spell to stun the home crowd.
However, the La Liga leaders mounted a dramatic comeback before halftime, as Eric Garcia and Yamal found the net, followed by a quickfire double from Raphinha within 11 minutes. ..Continue Reading
Mbappe completed his hat-trick with 20 minutes left, briefly reigniting Madrid’s hopes, but Hansi Flick’s side held firm to extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points.
The hard-fought win came shortly after Barcelona’s heartbreaking Champions League exit against Inter Milan, and Flick praised his players for their resilience and determination in bouncing back from a challenging week.
‘It’s fantastic for the fans and the players. Real Madrid has a great team, but we managed to come back from 2-0 down,’ the Barca manager told the Spanish media at his post-match press conference.
‘After the game in Milan, with 120 minutes, it wasn’t easy.’
Though delighted with the result, Flick conceded there was plenty of room for improvement in Barca’s display from a defensive perspective.
‘It’s easy to say, “If you score four, fine, let them score three”, but we have to improve a lot in defence,’ the German added.
‘When we press everything is fine, but if you make a mistake, especially on the first goal, it gets complicated.
‘The team makes very good collective decisions. It’s not an excuse, but it’s not easy to correct these things in training when playing every three days. We’re already thinking about how to improve these things.’
Following Barcelona’s defeat to Inter earlier in the week, several Real Madrid players—both past and present—including England international Jude Bellingham and club legend Sergio Ramos, were spotted ‘liking’ Alessandro Bastoni’s celebratory post on social media.
However, Lamine Yamal was quick to respond after Barcelona’s thrilling Clasico victory, taking to Instagram with a pointed message for those who had engaged with Bastoni’s post, cheekily writing, “Like this one too” alongside a winking emoji.
Within just two hours, Yamal’s post had gained over 75,000 likes, rapidly accumulating millions more as fans reacted to his playful jab.
The image he shared featured the young winger replicating a famous Cristiano Ronaldo celebration, first showcased during the Portuguese star’s Real Madrid days in 2012.
That iconic celebration came after Madrid bounced back from a crushing 5-0 defeat earlier in the season, with Ronaldo’s decisive goal sealing a 2-1 victory over Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s manager Carlo Ancelotti, visibly frustrated, reflected on his team’s defensive lapses, admitting that their mistakes allowed Barcelona a way back into the match.
‘We made some glaring mistakes that cost us several goals,’ Ancelotti said.
‘In high-level matches against top opponents, you need to be on top of your game.
‘We played well in attack but it’s clear we can improve a great deal on defence
Asked about the prospect of Madrid finishing the season trophyless, the Italian said: ‘Everyone can make whatever assessment they want.
‘We have to finish the season well and try to win the three remaining games.’
