A pulsating Santiago Bernabéu witnessed a rollercoaster of a match as Real Madrid secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Barcelona in a classic El Clasico encounter. This hard-fought win extends Los Blancos’ lead at the top of the table to a formidable 11 points and puts them within touching distance of their 36th La Liga crown.

Despite entering the match as underdogs, Barcelona drew first blood. A well-worked corner found Andreas Christensen unmarked in the box, and the Danish defender rose highest to head home in just the sixth minute. However, the lead proved short-lived. A surging run from Lucas Vazquez into the box saw him brought down by Pau Cubarsi, a rash challenge that left the referee with no choice but to point to the spot. The ever-reliable Vinicius Junior stepped up and calmly slotted the penalty home to restore parity.

The first half continued to be a tactical chess match, with both sides trading blows. Barcelona thought they had their noses back in front when Lamine Yamal bundled the ball home, but a VAR intervention extinguished their celebrations. Replays showed Andriy Lunin had made a magnificent fingertip save just before the ball crossed the line, keeping Real Madrid in the game.

The second half mirrored the first, with both sides creating chances but failing to convert. The deadlock was finally broken in the 69th minute, albeit in fortuitous circumstances. Lunin’s attempted clearance cannoned off Fermin Lopez and looped into the net, handing Barcelona an unlikely lead. Yet, Real Madrid’s fighting spirit never wavered. Three minutes later, Vazquez found himself unmarked again in the box and emphatically volleyed home the equalizer.

With the clock ticking down, the game seemed destined for a draw. However, drama unfolded in stoppage time. Substitute Jude Bellingham, echoing his heroics from the October El Clasico, rose highest to meet a cross and planted a powerful header past the despairing Marc-Andre ter Stegen, sending the Bernabéu into raptures.

Barcelona’s misery was compounded by a potentially serious injury to Frenkie de Jong, who was stretchered off just before halftime with an ankle problem. The extent of the injury and his recovery timeline remain unclear, adding to the Catalans’ woes on a night of disappointment in the Spanish capital.