Barcelona vs Real Madrid LIVE: El Clasico result and reaction after seven-goal thriller
Barcelona bounce back from Champions League semi-final defeat to win seven-goal thriller in El Clasico
Barcelona got the better of Real Madrid for the fourth time this season - securing the quadruple for the first time since 1982-83 - as they won El Clasico 4-3 to take a huge step towards securing the La Liga title.
Barcelona are now seven points clear of Real Madrid having bounced back in style from Tuesday’s gut-wrenching Champions League semi-final defeat to Inter Milan at San Siro.
With only three La Liga matches remaining Real Madrid are on course for a trophyless season after a disappointing campaign from Carlo Ancelotti’s side, but they went 2-0 up within 15 minutes after a horror start by Barcelona.
Keeper Wojciech Szczesny brought down Kylian Mbappe within the opening five minutes and the striker put the visitors ahead from the spot, doubling their lead ten minutes later. But from there Barca recovered brilliantly, with goals from Eric Garcia and Lamine Yamal and a double by Raphinha completing another stunning comeback inside the first half, before Mbappe secured a hat-trick with the only goal after the restart.
Fermin Lopez looked to have secured a fifth for the hosts in stoppage time before it was disallowed for handball, while Mbappe had a fourth disallowed himself as Real fought back in the closing stages.
Relive all the action here:
Team news
Reminder of today’s team news:
Barcelona XI: Szczesny; Eric Garcia, Cubarsi, Martinez, Gerard Martin; Pedri, De Jong, Olmo; Yamal, Ferran Torres, Raphinha
Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Vazquez, Tchouameni, Asencio, Garcia; Valverde, Ceballos; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr; Mbappe
Is Barcelona vs Real Madrid on TV?
It will be shown on Premier Sports in the UK. Monthly or annual packages are available, with a monthly package starting at £15.99.
Xabi Alonso confirms Bayer Leverkusen departure with Real Madrid waiting in the wings
Xabi Alonso has confirmed he will leave Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season.
The Spaniard led the German club to a famous league and cup double during a remarkable unbeaten domestic season last year.
But after coming up short in his attempt to retain the Bundesliga title, Alonso confirmed his decision to depart before Sunday’s home match against Borussia Dortmund, ending a three-year spell at the club.
Alonso is set to take over from Carlo Ancelotti as Real Madrid manager, reuniting with the club he spent five successful years at, winning La Liga in 2012 and the Champions League in 2014, when they beat city rivals Atletico in the final.
Xabi Alonso confirms Bayer Leverkusen departure with Real Madrid waiting in the wings
Carlo Ancelotti admits time at Real Madrid could end ‘tomorrow’ after Champions League exit
Carlo Ancelotti has conceded that his Real Madrid future is uncertain after their Champions League exit against Arsenal.
The defending champions were knocked out of the competition after suffering defeats in both legs of the quarter-final tie, with the hosts’ vaunted forward line unable to regularly threaten David Raya as they chased an unlikely comeback.
Ancelotti has led Real Madrid to a league and European double in two of the last three seasons since returning for a second stint in the Spanish capital, though they trail Barcelona by four points in La Liga this season.
Ancelotti admits time at Real Madrid could end ‘tomorrow’ after Champions League exit
Almost ready to go in Barcelona
The Barcelona fans are in fine voice ahead of El Clasico, as they look to take a huge step towards a 28th LaLiga title by beating Real Madrid.
Barcelona last won LaLiga in 2023, which ended a four-year absence. In doing so, it would stop Real Madrid from winning back-to-back titles, a feat they last achieved in 2008.
Real Madrid sabotaged a winning team and now history is repeating itself
More pre-match reading from Chief Football Writer Miguel Delaney, who had this to say after Real Madrid’s elimination from the Champions League:
Amid all the recriminations within Real Madrid, and some “ruthless” words in the Bernabeu dressing room, there were also some surprising words from Thibaut Courtois. The goalkeeper had been one of the few players who had performed to standard in the Arsenal elimination, so he could speak with authority. But few expected this.
“We put in a lot of crosses, but this year we didn’t have a Joselu, a natural striker.”
So, in “year one” of Kylian Mbappe, as the local media put it about one of the most expensive players in history, what Real Madrid were actually missing was a 35-year-old journeyman emergency signing in his position.
Real Madrid sabotaged a winning team and now history is repeating itself
Barcelona have beaten Real Madrid three times this season
Real Madrid will know they have to win to have any chance of retaining the title and stopping a trophyless season after a disappointing campaign from Carlo Ancelotti’s side, which has already featured three defeats to Barcelona.
Hansi Flick’s team thrashed Real Madrid 4-0 in the previous LaLiga Clasico, while they also hammered Ancelotti’s side 5-2 to win the Spanish Super Cup and fought from behind to win a dramatic Copa del Rey final last month.
Antonio Rudiger banned for six games after feisty Copa del Rey final
One person who won’t be eligible to play in today’s game is Antonio Rudiger, who was slapped with a six-game ban for some disgraceful behaviour at the end of the Copa del Rey final.
The match descended into farce as Real Madrid reacted angrily to a foul given against Kylian Mbappe in the closing stages, with Rudiger and Lucas Vazquez given straight red cards and Jude Bellingham sent off for dissent after the final whistle.
Rudiger was alleged to have thrown an ice cube at the referee, who Real Madrid hounded before the game, and received a six-game ban for “minor violence” against him.
The ban will extend into the start of next season; for the time being it won’t affect him, as the former Chelsea defender is out with a knee injury.
Antonio Rudiger banned for six games after throwing object at referee
Confirmed Barcelona line-up
Barcelona XI: Szczęsny; Eric Garcia, Cubarsi, Martinez, Gerard Martin; Pedri, De Jong, Olmo; Yamal, Ferran Torres, Raphinha
Lewandowski and Balde are on the bench for Barcelona, who name the same side that started the second leg against Inter on Tuesday night.
Contrasting philosophies leave Barcelona poised to usurp Real Madrid in El Clasico
On 1 June 2024, Real Madrid further cemented their status as the world’s premier football club, winning their 15th European Cup.
Two days later, Los Blancos added the world’s best player to that Champions League-winning squad, with the arrival of Kylian Mbappe seemingly destined to begin another dynasty in Madrid.
Yet on 11 May 2025, less than a year later, it’s Barcelona who have the chance to put the La Liga title out of reach of their old rivals, with a young core including Lamine Yamal appearing ready to rival Madrid’s new-era Galacticos.
And as they prepare for the fourth El Clasico of the season, the clubs’ differing philosophies have again come to the fore, with both showing signs they could be on the brink of a return to the continental dominance that they showed between 2009 and 2018.
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