Barcelona Stuns Real Madrid in 4-3 El Clásico/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 4-3 in a dramatic El Clásico despite a hat trick from Kylian Mbappé. The victory pushes Barcelona seven points clear atop La Liga with just three games left. Raphinha led the scoring as Barça overcame an early 2-0 deficit.
Barcelona Overcomes Mbappé Hat Trick to Win Clásico – Quick Looks
- Barcelona rallies from 2-0 down to beat Real Madrid 4-3.
- Raphinha scores twice; Yamal and García add key goals.
- Mbappé nets hat trick, becomes La Liga’s top scorer (27 goals).
- Barça extends league lead to 7 points with 3 matches left.
- Title could be clinched Thursday if Madrid slips Wednesday.
- Barcelona wins all four matches against Madrid this season.
- Ancelotti under pressure as Xabi Alonso rumored as successor.
- Vinícius Júnior suffers ankle injury; late goals disallowed.
Barcelona Stuns Real Madrid in 4-3 El Clásico
Deep Look
MADRID (AP) — Barcelona delivered a defining blow in the La Liga title race Sunday with a dramatic 4-3 comeback victory over Real Madrid in another unforgettable El Clásico, despite Kylian Mbappé’s first hat trick in the rivalry.
Trailing 2-0 inside 15 minutes, Barça responded with four first-half goals to seize control and ultimately secure a seven-point lead atop the standings — with just three matches remaining.
Barcelona now needs only two points to clinch its 28th Spanish league title, and could potentially secure the championship as early as Thursday, depending on Real Madrid’s result against Mallorca on Wednesday.
El Clásico: A Historic Comeback
Mbappé opened the scoring in the 5th minute with a penalty after a defensive error by Pau Cubarsí, then struck again in the 14th on a breakaway. But Barcelona responded swiftly.
- Eric García pulled one back with a header in the 19th minute.
- Lamine Yamal curled home a beauty to equalize in the 32nd.
- Raphinha added two more goals in the 34th and 45th to make it 4-2 by halftime.
Though Mbappé completed his hat trick in the 70th, making it 4-3, Madrid couldn’t close the gap. Both sides had goals ruled out late in the match, but the final whistle confirmed Barcelona’s dominance.
“We haven’t won it yet, but this was a huge moment,” said Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, in his first season at the helm. “We need to finish the job, but I believe we can do it.”
Mbappé’s Hat Trick and Records
Despite the loss, Mbappé etched his name into Real Madrid history, becoming:
- The La Liga top scorer with 27 goals.
- The highest-scoring Madrid debutant in club history (39 goals), breaking Iván Zamorano’s 1992-93 record.
- Surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo, Van Nistelrooy, and Brazil’s Ronaldo in single-season debut goals.
But his individual brilliance wasn’t enough to overcome Barcelona’s offensive surge and defensive resolve.
Title Within Reach for Barcelona
Barcelona has now won all four meetings with Real Madrid this season:
- 4-0 in La Liga (October)
- 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup (January)
- 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final (April)
- 4-3 in this La Liga clash
The Catalan club remains unbeaten in 16 consecutive league matches, their last loss coming against Atlético Madrid late in 2024.
Pressure Mounts on Madrid
Real Madrid, who were eliminated from the Champions League by Arsenal, are left with little to play for this season aside from the upcoming Club World Cup.
Speculation continues around the future of coach Carlo Ancelotti, who is rumored to be taking over Brazil’s national team. Former Madrid player Xabi Alonso, recently departed from Bayer Leverkusen, is widely expected to step in.
When asked if this was his last El Clásico, Ancelotti replied: “It’s the last one of the season. We still have three games left and must win them all.”
Crowd Highlights & Injuries
Among the VIPs in attendance at Montjuic Stadium were NFL wide receiver DeVonta Smith and rapper Travis Scott, who was seen celebrating in the stands.
Vinícius Júnior left the game with a sprained ankle, another blow for Madrid’s hopes in the final stretch.
Relegation and League Roundup
- Leganes beat Espanyol 3-2 to move within one point of safety.
- Alaves lost 1-0 to Athletic Bilbao, who sit fourth.
- Real Betis drew 1-1 with Osasuna, remaining sixth in the standings.
Barcelona finishes the season against Espanyol, Villarreal, and Athletic Bilbao — needing just two points from nine to secure the title.
