Jude Bellingham delivered Real Madrid in added time in an intense and goal-rich clasico (3-2). A Madrid victory over FC Barcelona almost synonymous with a title for the club from the Spanish capital. This Sunday, April 21, Real struck a big blow to conclude a very good week.
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Real Madrid qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League against Manchester City, Barcelona was just eliminated by PSG. It was after a European week of mixed fortunes that the two Spanish giants met at the Santiago Bernabeu this Sunday evening for a high-stakes Clasico. For Real, it was a question of putting Barça within accounting distance six days before the end of the championship. As for the Catalans, the duty was to win to hope to get closer to first place. In the end, the Blaugranas were defeated and saw the outlines of a white season clearly emerging, when the best enemy was experiencing a prosperous period.
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The men of Carlo Ancelotti and Xavi initially went blow for blow in the first half. Everyone sent big hits on the opposing goal. Hot enough, firstly, to make Andriy Lunin, so brilliant in the Champions League on Wednesday, feverish. On a corner taken too far, the Madrid goalkeeper should have imposed himself in his area, but instead, he got a hole allowing Andreas Christensen to send the ball with his head into the net (6th).
A matter of images and young talents
After that, everything became a matter of images. No question of TV rights, like the French basketball championship in turmoil, but rather of VAR, for lack of anything better. First, the video referee gave Real Madrid a penalty. Lucas Vazquez, after eliminating João Cancelo, was unbalanced by Pau Cubarsi in the area. After a period of hesitation, the fault was confirmed and the penalty converted by Vinicius (19th).
Then, the highlight of the show, the VAR which replaced the “ goal line technology », which does not exist in the Spanish championship. It was necessary to check whether Lunin had intervened after the ball entered his goal, after Lamine Yamal cleverly deflected a corner at the near post. The arbitration body decided no. Or rather realized that it was impossible to prove that the ball had entered, so the presumption of innocence prevailed.
After which, on one side as on the other, the vital forces dried up. Gradually, the offensives were limited to bursts from Vinicius on counter breakaways or accelerations from the young Lamine Yamal, who gave Camavinga headaches in the right lane. It was from these two that the sparks came. Starting with Yamal who, after a reversal of play, unleashed a vicious cross, pushing Lunin to save. The leather, poorly pushed back, benefited Firmin Lopez who finished from close range (69th). And then Vinicius responded immediately, with a precise cross towards Lucas Vasquez, free of any marking at the far post, who took over very accurately with one touch (73rd).
As a symbol, it was Jude Bellingham who delivered the final blow. In added time, on a strong cross to the ground, he appeared at the far post to finish strong under the bar. He, the standard bearer of the new generation of Madrid stars, who has stood still in recent weeks, scored the goal which almost gave his team the title of champion of Spain. Because with 11 points ahead of its runner-up in the championship with six days remaining, the White House can look far ahead, towards the Champions League.