Barcelona pulled off a stunning 4-3 comeback win over Real Madrid on Sunday, overcoming a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick to move within touching distance of the La Liga title.
Raphinha scored twice, while Lamine Yamal and Eric Garcia also found the net to overturn Madrid’s early lead and give Barca a seven-point cushion with just three games left in the season. The win came just days after their Champions League semi-final exit to Inter Milan, and helped Hansi Flick’s side avoid a late-season collapse.
Mbappe had given Madrid a flying start, scoring a penalty and a clinical second in the opening 15 minutes. He added a third in the second half, but Barcelona’s relentless response secured their fourth Clasico victory of the season and kept Real Madrid trophyless for the campaign.
Post-match, Yamal said the win helped the team and fans quickly move on from their Champions League disappointment: “We’ve opened up an important gap… let’s enjoy this.”
Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, possibly coaching his final Clasico, admitted his team’s defensive frailties cost them the game: “We defended badly, and that’s that.”
Barcelona could seal the league title as early as Thursday if Real Madrid drop points against Mallorca. If not, a win over Espanyol the following day would confirm them as champions.
