Real Madrid Silences Barcelona at Santiago Bernabeu
Mansion Sports – Real Madrid triumphed over their eternal rivals Barcelona with a 2–1 victory in the highly anticipated El Clásico of the 2025/2026 La Liga season, held at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
The winning goals for Los Blancos were scored by Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, while Blaugrana’s only response came from Fermin Lopez.
The match unfolded with intense drama from the outset, featuring several controversial moments including VAR reviews, a cancelled penalty decision, and a red card shown to Pedri during stoppage time.
Tensions escalated further when both teams clashed in heated arguments along the sidelines in the dying minutes of the game.
With this result, Xabi Alonso’s side strengthened their position at the top of the standings with 27 points, maintaining a five-point lead over Barcelona, who remain in second place.
Moreover, this victory extended Real Madrid’s flawless home record to nine consecutive wins across all competitions.
First Half: Madrid Dominates in a High-Paced Encounter
From the very first whistle, the match immediately showcased its intensity. Real Madrid almost earned a penalty in the fourth minute when Vinicius Junior was brought down by Lamine Yamal inside the box.
However, after consulting VAR footage, referee Cesar Soto Grado decided to overturn the decision.
Just minutes later, Kylian Mbappe nearly opened the scoring for Madrid with a powerful volley that found the net past Wojciech Szczesny, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside position.
That close call served as an early warning for Barcelona’s defense, which began to struggle against Madrid’s relentless counterattacks.
The opening goal finally arrived in the 22nd minute. Jude Bellingham delivered a precise through ball that was calmly converted by Mbappe into the bottom-right corner, giving Madrid a 1–0 lead.
Barcelona quickly responded, and their efforts paid off in the 38th minute when Fermin Lopez capitalized on a low cross from Marcus Rashford on the left flank. His well-placed shot beat Thibaut Courtois, leveling the score at 1–1.
Real Madrid wasted no time in regaining control. Just five minutes later, a cross from Vinicius found Eder Militao, who headed the ball toward Bellingham. The English midfielder made no mistake, tapping it in to restore Madrid’s lead at 2–1.
The remainder of the first half continued with fierce exchanges from both sides, and after six minutes of added time, Madrid went into the break with a narrow advantage.
Second Half: Intensity Peaks Amid VAR Drama and a Late Red Card
Barcelona entered the second half with renewed attacking intent, but Real Madrid remained disciplined and defensively compact.
In the 49th minute, Madrid once again appealed for a penalty after the ball appeared to strike Eric Garcia’s hand. Following a VAR review, the referee awarded the penalty.
Kylian Mbappe stepped up as the designated taker, yet Wojciech Szczesny produced a brilliant save, diving to his right to deny the French star.
The match’s tempo escalated sharply after that. Barcelona pushed forward through rapid attacks from Fermin Lopez and Marcus Rashford, but Courtois stood firm between the posts.
Meanwhile, the dynamic duo of Vinicius and Rodrygo continued to torment Barcelona’s defense with pace and creativity.
As the final 20 minutes approached, both coaches made several substitutions to inject fresh energy.
Vinicius, showing signs of frustration, was replaced by Rodrygo, while Alonso withdrew Valverde to bring on Carvajal. From the Barcelona bench, Xavi introduced Araujo and Bardghji to add attacking pressure.
The tension reached its boiling point in the 100th minute when Pedri received his second yellow card following a reckless challenge on Tchouameni.
The incident sparked a heated confrontation near the technical area, involving even the substitute players such as Vinicius and Raphinha.
Real Madrid managed to hold their ground until the final whistle in the 102nd minute, sealing their ninth consecutive home victory and widening the gap over Barcelona in the race for the 2025/2026 La Liga title.