MADRID — Barcelona took a significant stride toward claiming the Spanish league title with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Real Madrid on Sunday. Despite a stunning hat trick from Kylian Mbappé in this captivating “clasico,” Barcelona surged ahead with a seven-point lead over their second-placed rivals, with only three matches left in the season.
The match saw Raphinha bag two goals, while Lamine Yamal and Eric García contributed with a goal each to lead Barcelona closer to securing a 28th league title. The Catalans bounced back from a 2-0 deficit, with Mbappé scoring early in the fifth and 14th minutes at Montjuic stadium. Barcelona struck back to level the game around the half-hour mark and went into halftime with a dramatic 4-2 advantage.
Mbappé rounded off his hat trick in the 70th minute, yet Real Madrid could not muster a comeback, likely ending their chances of defending their title. Mbappé advanced to become the league’s highest goalscorer with 27 goals, surpassing Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, who was absent from the game.
In an impressive debut season, Mbappé has secured his status as Real Madrid’s record scorer with 39 goals, overtaking Iván Zamorano’s 37 goals achieved in the 1992-93 season. Mbappé had already surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy, and Brazil’s Ronaldo.
Barcelona’s Escapade Continues
Barcelona added another exhilarating match to their roster, having recently been knocked out of the Champions League by Inter Milan, losing in a 7-6 aggregate after extra time. This season, they have bested Madrid at every encounter. They recorded a 4-0 victory at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in October’s league encounter, clinched a 5-2 win in the Spanish Super Cup final in January, and secured a 3-2 triumph in the Copa del Rey final last month.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick expressed his delight: “We must celebrate the victory. The whole club and the fans deserve this. The atmosphere is electric, and I deeply appreciate it. The job is not done yet. We need defensive consistency, but with matches every three days, it’s challenging to train.”
With a win at Espanyol on Thursday, Barcelona can claim the title. They could secure the championship even sooner if Real Madrid fails against Mallorca on Wednesday. Following Espanyol, Barcelona faces Villarreal at home before visiting Athletic Bilbao in their season finale.
The result essentially extinguishes Madrid’s league-win hopes, now shifting their aspirations toward securing the Club World Cup, commencing next month. Madrid had previously lifted the UEFA Super Cup at the season’s inception.
Coaching Concerns for Ancelotti
The loss intensified the pressure on coach Carlo Ancelotti, who is rumored to be in line for Brazil’s national team managerial role. Speculation points towards former Madrid player Xabi Alonso, who recently announced his departure from Bayer Leverkusen, as Ancelotti’s prospective successor.
Ancelotti, addressing rumors, said, “It’s the last clasico of the season. We have three matches remaining, and we intend to win them all.” Reports indicated fan protests greeted the players upon their return to Madrid. This fixture marked Ancelotti’s 350th game in charge of Real Madrid.
“To compete at this caliber, we must excel in defense and attack. We sought opportunities, but early mistakes cost us. Defensive lapses delivered Barcelona chances, and they capitalized,” Ancelotti noted.
Promising Start Diminished
Real Madrid commenced with vigor, aiming to remain in the title hunt. A Barcelona error by defender Pau Cubarsí led to an early penalty converted by Mbappé, who later doubled the lead from a breakaway situation. Despite this, García initiated Barcelona’s comeback with a header in the 19th minute. Yamal leveled with a beautiful curler in the 32nd minute, and Raphinha followed with goals in the 34th and 45th minutes, overturning Madrid’s advantage by halftime.
Late-game moments saw both teams denied goals. A sprained ankle forced Vinícius Júnior off in the second half.
Unbeaten in 16 consecutive league fixtures, Barcelona’s last defeat came at the hands of Atletico Madrid late the previous year. Meanwhile, after their Champions League exit by Arsenal, Madrid had notched four consecutive league victories.
Among Montjuic’s spectators were Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith and singer-songwriter Travis Scott, reveling in the VIP area.
Battle Against Relegation
In other crucial contests, Leganes, in 18th place, edged closer to escaping relegation with a 3-2 victory over Espanyol, narrowing the gap to a point behind Alaves, who teeter just above the drop zone. Alaves suffered a 1-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao.
Additionally, Real Betis in sixth place played out a 1-1 draw against mid-table Osasuna.
The conclusion of this remarkable match, contributing to Barcelona’s advancing title campaign, resonated across both camps and fans alike.