Barcelona have overcome a two-goal deficit and a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick for Real Madrid to claim a 4-3 win in El Clasico, edging them closer to the LaLiga title.
Brazilian forward Raphinha scored twice for Barca on Sunday in response to a flying start by the visitors – which saw them storm to a two-goal lead after 14 minutes – at the Catalan club’s temporary home at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium.
The victory extends Barcelona’s lead at the top of the standings to seven points over second-placed Real – the defending champions – and with three matches remaining, one more victory will clinch a 28th Spanish league title for the Catalans.
Barca earned a fourth consecutive victory over Real in all competitions this season and their second in less than a month in a chaotic match in which both sides showed their usual defensive weaknesses.
However, Barca seemed a much stronger and well organised team overall, dominating possession and creating several chances that were denied by inspired goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who prevented Real’s loss from being by a larger margin.
Barcelona could secure the LaLiga title as early as Wednesday should Real Madrid fail to win at Mallorca. Regardless of Real’s result, a Barcelona victory in their city derby against Espanyol on Thursday would guarantee the championship for the Catalans.
Mbappe opened the scoring from the penalty spot after he was fouled inside the box by keeper Wojciech Szczesny in the fifth minute, and he extended their lead with a quick counter nine minutes later from an assist by Vinicius Jr.
However, Barcelona responded swiftly with Eric Garcia, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha all finding the net within 15 minutes to overturn the deficit.
Garcia headed home from a corner in the 19th minute while Yamal scored the equaliser in the 32nd with another brilliant display of technique as he curled a superb shot from the right corner of the box just outside Courtois’s reach and inside the far post.
Two minutes later, a mistake by Mbappe in the midfield gifted Barca the ball, and Raphinha launched a quick counter, giving his side the lead with a tidy finish past a helpless Courtois.
Real thought they had earned a second penalty in the 43rd minute, but it was overturned due to an offside in the build-up. And one minute later, a costly error by captain Lucas Vazquez gifted Raphinha the goal that extended Barca’s lead.
Barcelona came back strongly in the second half and had several chances denied by a string of stunning saves by Courtois.
They were shocked, however, when Mbappe reduced the deficit in the 70th minute after a quick counterattack by Vinicius, who ran up the right side and put it on a plate for the France forward to complete his hat-trick.
Yet last year’s champions could not recover, leaving them on the brink of a season without silverware.
“It was obviously very important to win today. It’s great to have this game after the Champions League. I think it’s already forgotten,” Yamal told Movistar Plus after Barca were knocked out of the European club competition in the semifinals in a heartbreaking midweek loss to Inter Milan.
“Suffering is what makes you strong and what teaches you to correct the mistakes you make. They didn’t create any clear-cut chances other than the goals.
“It was very important to win today to get closer to the league title. We are delighted.”
Real manager Carlo Ancelotti, meanwhile, is set to come under increased pressure with rumours the former Real midfielder Xabi Alonso will replace him at the end of the season.
The Italian-born coach was in a pragmatic mood, however, about the result and his side’s performance.
“It was an evenly played match, competitive and fought until the last second,” he told reporters.
“We could have scored the equaliser, but it is what it is. It was a great game between two great teams, so I have nothing to reproach my team for in terms of attitude and commitment. It didn’t go well, but we competed.”
Alonso told reporters on Friday that he would be leaving his role as Bayer Leverkusen coach at the end of the season while Ancelotti complimented the former Spanish international, saying the “the doors are open” for him to now move to a big club.
The post Barcelona beat Real Madrid despite Mbappe hat-trick as LaLiga title nears appeared first on Al Jazeera.
