Player Ratings and Match Highlights

Real Madrid’s last gasp strike from Jude Bellingham stretched their lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga to 11 points, edging them ever closer to the La Liga title once again.

A rare scorer, Andreas Christensen, opened Barcelona’s scoring account in just the fifth minute with a bullet header at the near post, coming from a Raphinha corner, with Lunin’s decision to come out to meet the ball punished by the 28-year-old, who started the game in central midfield.

While Madrid almost equalized straight away, with a toe effort from Vinícius Jr. glazing just over the bar, their attacking press paid dividends when full-back Lucas Vazquez made a run into the box, gliding past João Cancelo, before 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi stuck out a leg bringing him down, which saw the referee blow his whistle and point to the spot.

Vinícius Jr converted the spot kick with vigor, with Barcelona goalkeeper Ter Stegen unable to get a hand to the strike, despite guessing the right way.

Barcelona were devastating on corners throughout the first-half, with a slight touch from 16-year-old Lamine Yamal thought to have crossed the line when the game was tied 1-1, though the referee’s watch deemed Lunin to have saved it from fully going over the line, to which VAR agreed with after a lengthy look.

Perhaps the turning point in the game for Barcelona came with the ankle injury to Dutchman Frenkie de Jong, who was stretchered off in stoppage time of the first half, after being on the receiving end of a lunge from Federico Valverde.

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The second half was largely quiet until substitutions made by Barcelona with half an hour remaining upped the tempo of the game, and half-time substitute Fermín López tapped in Barcelona’s second after a shot from outside the box by the impressive Lamine Yamal could only force Ter Stegen to parry it into Fermín’s path at the 68-minute mark.

Madrid once again provided an immediate response, with Vazquez notching Madrid’s equalizer, and the game’s fourth goal from right-back on an assist from Vinícius Jr.

But Real Madrid would show championship pedigree, taking charge of the game from then on, and a 90th minute strike from Jude Bellingham sealed a 3-2 win for Los Blancos in emphatic fashion.

With that, he all but certainly wrapped up Madrid’s La Liga title campaign, with them 11 points clear at the top of the table with seven games remaining of the 2023-24 season.

Real Madrid Player Ratings

GK – Andriy Lunin – 7/10

Despite coming out for, and missing, the ball on the corner kick which led to Barcelona’s opener, Lunin pulled off a miraculous save to prevent Barcelona from scoring a second goal in the first half. Aside from his gift for Barcelona’s second goal, he had little to do in the second half.

LWB – Eduardo Camavinga – 6/10

Had his work cut out for him all night, and at times, struggled to deal with the pace of Lamine Yamal. Was substituted for Fran García with 15 minutes to go.

CB – Aurélien Tchouaméni – 7/10

Started the game at centre-back, though made his way back into his more natural midfield position after Carlo Ancelotti’s second-half substitutions.

CB – Antonio Rüdiger – 7/10

Coming off his spot-kick winner against Manchester City in the Champions League, Rüdiger showed no signs of fatigue, and put in a solid back-line performance, keeping Lewandowski quiet until his eventual substitution, and put him some goal-saving blocks throughout.

RWB – Lucas Vázquez – 9/10

The wing-back who made his name as a winger had his attacking prowess on full display, and his darting run into the box won Madrid their penalty in the 16th minute, which Vinícius Jr. converted with ease. Vinícius Jr. would then repay the favor by crossing the ball into the back-post, to which Vázquez pounced on to equalize the game 2-2.

CDM – Toni Kroos – 6/10

Very quiet night. Looked a little fatigued after a long mid-week outing in the Champions League.

CM – Federico Valverde – 5/10

The talking point of his evening was his challenge on Frenkie de Jong which forced the Dutch midfielder off the field on a stretcher in stoppage time of the first-half.

CM – Luka Modrić – 8/10

Outside the foot passes, gliding runs through the midfield channels, Modrić at 38-years-old is still one of the world’s best midfielders. Came alive in the second half.

CAM – Jude Bellingham – 9/10

The Englishman did it again. A late strike in the 90th minute capped off a 3-2 win, and all but secured the title for Madrid in his first season with the club.

ST – Rodrygo – 6/10

A quiet night for the Brazilian. Came off in the 74th minute for Éder Militão as Madrid sought to finish the game strong in defence.

ST – Vinícius Júnior – 9/10

Got Madrid back in the game with his 17th minute penalty, with an emphatic strike which Ter Stegen couldn’t get a hand to, despite going the right way. Energetic all game, and his dangerous cross into the box gave him his only assist of the game. Withdrawn in the 80th minute.

SUB – Fran García – 6/10

Came on for Camavinga in the 71st minute. Failed to make much of an impact on the game.

SUB – Brahim Díaz – 6/10

Came on for Kroos in the 71st minute. Had a late chance to take the lead from a free-kick, but sent it wide.

SUB – Éder Militão – 5/10

Came on for Rodryo in the 74th minute to provide some defensive cover with the game tied at 2-2 and Barcelona looking the more lively.

SUB – Joselu – 6/10

Came on for Vinícius Jr., who looked as though he had run out of gas after another strong outing. Made little impact in the 10-plus minutes he had on the pitch, though his dummy in the box which led to Bellingham’s last-minute winner was his biggest contribution.

Barcelona Player Ratings

GK – Marc-André ter Stegen – 6/10

Dived the right way for the penalty, but couldn’t get his hands to Vinícius Jr’s shot. Not much he could have done differently for Madrid’s equalizer, nor their winner.

LWB – João Cancelo – 5/10

Looked every bit of a player out of form, though he did continue to drive Barcelona forward and put in some good crosses.

CB – Pau Cubarsí – 5/10

The 17-year-old was given a big task at centre-back, and stuck out a leg against Lucas Vazquez, which sent him down and led to the penalty equalizer. Aside from that, he played beyond his years, and recovered very well.

CB – Ronald Araújo – 6/10

Arguably Barcelona’s best defender at the back, taking command with the inexperienced teenager, Cubarsí, by his side as his partner for the evening.

RWB – Jules Koundé – 7/10

The better of Barcelona’s two wing-backs. Was always looking to get forward, and linked up well with Lamine Yamal in front of him. Solid outing.

CM – Ilkay Gündoğan – 7/10

One of Barcelona’s best players this season, he had the chance to help his team regain the lead on the stroke of half-time, but his set piece effort from just outside the box, sailed over the bar and rustled the top of the net.

CM – Andreas Christensen – 7/10

Grabbed Barcelona an early lead with a header, jumping over Toni Kroos to nod it into the back of the net, but facing pressure from Bellingham on the stroke of half-time, he lost the ball, which almost led to his team conceding, though he recovered the position well. He was subbed at half-time.

CM – Frenkie de Jong – 6/10

De Jong was on the receiving end of a thunderous tackle by Federico Valverde on the stroke of half-time which saw him sustain an ankle injury. Despite trying to walk off, he was inadvertently stretchered off, with Pedri coming on to replace him in stoppage time of the first half.

LW – Raphinha – 8/10

His crosses into the box from corners caused problems for Real Madrid’s defense, registering the assist for Barcelona’s opening goal. Aside from that, he had little impact on the game and was subbed in the 62nd minute for Ferran Torres.

RW – Lamine Yamal – 8/10

The 16-year-old sensation got his own way right from the start, gliding past Madrid left-back Camavinga on multiple occasions with his pace proving tough to handle, and once again showed why Barcelona have a star talent on their hands.

ST – Robert Lewandowski – 6/10

A relatively quiet game for the centre-forward, and had little-to-no impact on attacking passages of play, which led to his substitution in the 62nd minute. He was replaced by João Félix.

SUB – Pedri – 6/10

Came on for the injured Frenkie de Jong in stoppage time of the first-half, and tried his best to keep Barcelona on the attack, but to little effect.

SUB – Fermín López – 8/10

Came on at half-time for goalscorer Andreas Christensen, taking his place in the middle of the park alongside Pedri and Gündoğan. Scored in the 68th minute off a parry from the keeper from a previous shot by Lamine Yamal.

SUB – Ferran Torres – 7/10

Came on for Raphinha with 30 minutes remaining, and had a shot which glazed past the post after handball appeals in the box on the other end, though it would have been tight for offside had it gone in.

SUB – João Félix – 6/10

Came on for Lewandowski and had 30 minutes to register his first ever goal or assist against Madrid. Failed to do so once again and was a non-factor in Barcelona’s eventual loss.

Man of the Match

Lucas Vázquez

With a driving run into the box which forced the penalty to be given, as well as a stunning strike coming latching onto the ball off of Vinícius Jr.’s cross toward the back-post, Vázquez had already locked up the man of the match award before the clock reached the 90th minute.

But, his assist, which led to Bellingham’s winner, topped off a stellar night for the Spaniard, and he was the outright standout candidate for the El Clásico man of the match.