A late goal by Franck Kessié sent Barcelona 12 points clear at the top of the La Liga table following their 2-1 win over bitter rivals Real Madrid in the El Clasico at Camp Nou on Sunday evening.
The Catalans are close to winning the title for the first time since 2019 as Madrid’s hopes of retaining the title are dented by Barcelona’s victory.
Real Madrid’s Ronald Araujo scored an own goal to give Carlo Ancelotti’s side the lead, but Barcelona equalized with a Sergi Roberto goal just before halftime.
Marco Asensio scored for Madrid, but the goal was ruled offside by the video assistant referee before Alejandro Balde assisted Kessie in the 92nd minute.
“We came from a Marco Asensio goal that we didn’t know was offside and from losing, we scored Franck’s goal, and the truth is it tastes a bit better, winning like that in the last minute,” Sergi Roberto told Movistar.
“There are a lot of games left and you can never give Madrid up for dead. 12 points is a tricky distance to have to go, but it’s up to us, and that is good.”
The match was overshadowed by Barcelona’s corruption charge in the “Caso Negreira” refereeing scandal.
Madrid joined the Spanish prosecutors’ complaint against Barcelona last week, and their president Florentino Perez skipped the match for the first time in more than two decades, as tensions between the two Spanish giants continue to rise.
It was Xavi’s sixth Clasico as Barcelona’s head coach, but his first at Camp Nou.
Fans responded to Xavi’s request to turn the stadium into a pressure cooker by selling out the venue, whistling Madrid into possession, and creating one of the best atmospheres of the season.
Karim Benzema stung Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s palms in the opening minute of Madrid’s Copa del Rey semi-final first-leg loss to Barcelona in March. Madrid failed to record a single shot on target in that match.
Robert Lewandowski responded at the opposing end by testing Thibaut Courtois as the veteran marksmen traded shots.
It was friendly fire when Barcelona conceded the game’s first goal. Araujo deflected Vinicius’ cross at the near post, rendering Ter Stegen ineffective.
Araujo, who was playing right-back to counter the Brazilian, has previously enjoyed his battles with Vinicius, but the winger prevailed this time, albeit by sheer luck. His enthusiastic celebration in front of them infuriated Barcelona fans.
It was the first goal from open play that Barcelona had conceded at Camp Nou in La Liga this entire season, as well as only the second goal at home and ninth overall.
Photo by EPA/Enric Fontcuberta
