Bellingham clinches Real Madrid ‘dramatic’ Clasico win over Barcelona | EUROtoday

Issued on: 22/04/2024 – 01:20

3 min

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti hailed the England midfielder’s decisive intervention to take Los Blancos to the brink of the Spanish title.

Madrid twice got here from behind with Vinicius Junior and Lucas Vazquez netting to degree Andreas Christensen and Fermin Lopez strikes, earlier than Bellingham rammed dwelling the winner in stoppage time.

“He arrived at just the right time, he worked so hard in the game, it’s been a while since he scored and today he scored a goal that could be fundamental in winning the league,” stated Ancelotti.

Barcelona, second, bounced again with a robust efficiency after their Champions League exit by the hands of Paris Saint-Germain however their final stand was demolished by Bellingham.

Madrid confirmed the identical grit to remain within the match as they did midweek in opposition to Manchester City on the way in which to the ultimate 4 in Europe, earlier than Bellingham’s knock-out blow left the Santiago Bernabeu crowd delighted.

Madrid’s high scorer with 21 targets throughout all competitions, the previous Borussia Dortmund man netted twice in Madrid’s Clasico win over Barcelona in October and is shining in his first season in Spain at solely 20 years previous.

“We took a huge step towards La Liga,” Vazquez, key in all three Madrid targets, informed Real Madrid TV.

“We’ve had a very good season, we’re on a very good path, now we just have to polish it off and we’ll go for everything.”

Madrid’s penalty-saving hero in opposition to City, goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, made an early mistake at hand Barcelona the lead.

The Ukrainian strayed from his line to try to cope with a nook however bought nowhere close to the ball and Christensen nodded into the empty web.

However Madrid had been shortly degree by way of Vinicius, who fired over a wonderful likelihood earlier than levelling from the spot.

The sensational Vazquez escaped Joao Cancelo far too simply and was tripped within the space by 17-year-old Barca centre-back Pau Cubarsi.

Barcelona weren’t deterred and made inroads down their proper flank with Lamine Yamal giving Eduardo Camavinga a torrid time.

‘Disgrace’

The 16-year-old starlet thought he had struck with a intelligent flick from a nook however Lunin pushed the ball to security, with Barcelona arguing it had already crossed the road.

La Liga doesn’t contract goal-line know-how and utilizing VAR the officers couldn’t verify the ball had fully entered the purpose, so the Catalans had been left pissed off.

“We deserved much more given the way we played but there’s not much we can do,” stated Xavi.

“(Not having goal-line technology) is a disgrace.”

Barcelona had been dealt a blow on the stroke of half-time when midfielder Frenkie de Jong was taken off on a stretcher after hurting his ankle in a problem by Fede Valverde.

Xavi additionally introduced Lopez on for Christensen on the interval and it paid dividends for the coach after a slower begin to the second half.

The midfielder was in the suitable place on the proper time to complete after 69 minutes when Lunin may solely parry Yamal’s low effort again into hazard.

However Madrid, searching for a fifth league and Champions League double, swiftly struck again when Vinicius crossed to the again submit and Vazquez arrived to complete.

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen made an excellent save to thwart Vinicius with Madrid in search of a winner to nearly wrap up their La Liga title.

Bellingham dealt the killer blow, regardless of largely being stored quiet by the Catalans till he appeared to emphatically resolve the match in stoppage time from Vazquez’s cross.

“Xavi, stay,” mocked Real Madrid’s followers with the Barcelona coach as a result of go away on the finish of the season.

Earlier Atletico Madrid suffered a 2-0 defeat at Alaves to dent their probabilities of a high 4 end and finish a woeful week, following their Champions League exit.

Diego Simeone’s facet, fourth, lead fifth place Athletic by three factors after Carlos Benavidez and Luis Rioja’s strikes consigned them to defeat.

“We’re in a terrible dynamic,” Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak informed DAZN.

“We have to improve and if we don’t, this end to the season will be very tough.”

(AFP)