FC Barcelona - Real Madrid: Summary of the league match at Montjuïc

Real Madrid says goodbye to LaLiga after a painful defeat at Montjuïc against FC Barcelona (4-3). The Madrid team started by taking the lead thanks to a brace from Mbappé, but Barça replied forcefully. Before the break, goals from Eric García, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha—twice—sealed the match.

In the second half, Kylian Mbappé brought Real Madrid closer with his third goal with twenty minutes remaining. However, Chamartín's team couldn't turn the match around after a disastrous first half that took its toll.

Carlo Ancelotti made several changes to the starting eleven, but Real Madrid once again showed a very concerning image. The Italian, in what will be his last clásico, opted for a defense formed by Lucas, Tchouaméni, Asencio, and Fran García. However, the biggest surprise was the appearance of Arda Güler, who started ahead of Rodrygo.

Mbappé, the only positive note

Real Madrid had to go all out, and they did. Four minutes into the game, a mistake by Cubarsí was taken advantage of by Mbappé, who won a penalty out of nowhere committed by Szczesny. The Frenchman scored from the penalty spot, despite the efforts of the Polish goalkeeper, to put the Madrid team ahead.

Little by little, Carlo Ancelotti's pupils began to hold possession well and create dangerous chances. In another Barça loss, Vinícius delivered a perfect ball for Mbappé's second goal in just 14 minutes. The culé team claimed a previous foul, but Hernández Hernández decided to validate the goal.

Meanwhile, Barça didn't lose sight of the match despite a rather negative start. The attacks on Courtois's goal began to happen, and the local goal finally came from a corner kick. Ferrán flicked Dani Olmo's delivery, and Eric García, who was passing by, was able to finish to make it 1-2 in the 19th minute.

An unsustainable image

With the goal, Barça surged forward, and Real Madrid stopped being the team of the first few minutes. The suffocating pressure from Hansi Flick's boys became very present, causing very quick turnovers. It seemed that the equalizer was a matter of time, and so it happened.

Pedri combined with Ferrán, who passed the ball to Lamine Yamal, and his shot, impossible for Courtois, made it 2-2. The concern on Real Madrid's bench was growing, and the biggest blow was yet to come. A minute later, Raphinha, with a powerful low shot, managed to turn the match around.

Real Madrid was ahead on the scoreboard in the 32nd minute and found themselves behind in the 34th. Chaos in the Madrid team, which ended up conceding the fourth before the break after a defensive loss that Raphinha took advantage of.

Minutes earlier, Real Madrid players requested a penalty on Mbappé where there was no contact. Valverde also gave a scare, and his physical condition is uncertain after a play where his knee got stuck. Before the break, the referee disallowed Mbappé's third goal for a previous offside by the Frenchman.

Without any kind of reaction

Carlo Ancelotti made several changes for the second half. Real Madrid was 45 minutes away from saying goodbye to LaLiga, and the substitutions had to come imminently. Brahim Díaz came on for Arda Güler, while Dani Ceballos left the field for Luka Modric.

However, desperation began to take hold of Real Madrid players, who saw the comeback as very distant. Meanwhile, Barça, eager to make it worse, could have added a fifth in a play that was disallowed for offside. The arrivals of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha kept happening, and the Madrid defense continued to look very vulnerable.

Mbappé was the only one who wanted to turn the situation around. The Frenchman was the only player who tried, but not every shot can end up inside. Meanwhile, Vinícius and Bellingham left the concerning image that has been seen several times during the season.

Mbappé chose to die standing

Real Madrid showed clear ineffectiveness in the second half. However, having Kylian Mbappé on your team is extremely differential. The Frenchman, on a dark day, scored a hat-trick without breaking a sweat.

Barça got completely tangled up in the exit, Iñigo Martínez failed, and Mbappé, after a gift from Vinícius, pushed the ball for 4-3. There were more than 20 minutes left, and Real Madrid was two goals away from keeping their options in LaLiga.

Meanwhile, Barça also had their chance to score the fifth, but Raphinha wasn't entirely accurate. Real Madrid started to go all out, aware that it was now or never.

However, fatigue and the feeling that they still had to score two goals began to take their toll. In fact, Vinícius couldn't finish the match due to cramps, and Víctor Muñoz, a Castilla player making his LaLiga debut, came on for him. The winger, very fast in space, could have scored the equalizer in a one-on-one, but his shot went wide. Tchouaméni also had a chance, scoring from a set piece in a play disallowed for Mbappé's positional offside.

Finally, Barça won the clásico against a Real Madrid that tried until the end with an outstanding Mbappé. Three rounds remain, and both teams are separated by seven points. LaLiga could be decided next Wednesday if the white club loses more points or on Thursday if the culé team wins against RCD Espanyol.