Barcelona 4-3 Real Madrid: Raphinha at the double as Barça edge closer to La Liga crown

TDT | Manama

Email : hussianm@newsofbahrain.com

Barcelona moved to within touching distance of their 28th La Liga title after a rollercoaster 4-3 victory over Real Madrid in a breathless Clásico at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.

Raphinha struck twice in a furious first-half turnaround that saw Barça come back from 2-0 down to take command, before surviving a late Kylian Mbappé hat-trick to seal a potentially decisive win in the title race.

With three games to go, Xavi’s men now sit seven points clear of their arch-rivals and could be crowned champions as early as Wednesday should Madrid drop points in Mallorca. Regardless, a win in Thursday’s city derby against Espanyol would officially return the league crown to Catalonia.

“It was obviously very important to win today,” said teenager Lamine Yamal, who scored a stunning equaliser. “It’s great to have this game after the Champions League. I think that’s already forgotten.”

Real came out flying, with Mbappé converting from the spot in the fifth minute and then finishing off a blistering counterattack to make it 2-0 inside 14 minutes.

But Barcelona hit back emphatically. Eric Garcia nodded in from a corner before Yamal curled a beauty into the far corner to level the scores. Minutes later, a Mbappé giveaway in midfield saw Raphinha put Barça in front with a composed finish, and a mistake from Lucas Vázquez gifted the Brazilian his second to make it 4-2 before the break.

Courtois kept Madrid in the game with a string of fine saves in the second half, before Mbappé completed his treble with 20 minutes to go after being teed up by Vinícius Jr.

But despite a nervy finish, Barcelona held firm.

“It was a great game between two great teams,” said Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti. “We could have scored the equaliser but it is what it is. I have nothing to reproach my team for.”

A season that threatened to unravel after their Champions League exit against Inter may now end with silverware—and bragging rights.