Righto, Sid Lowe’s match report is with us.
That means we’re done here, so thanks all for your company and comments, sorry I couldn’t use them all. Otherwise, though, enjoy the rest of the weekend and peace out.
I wonder, though, what changes Alonso will make. Ancelotti tends to let the players find solutions, whereas he will give them a structure then empower them. He’ll need to find a way of getting Mbappe and Vinicius working well together on a regular, but most of all he’ll want to establish midfield control. With Valverde and Bellingham already in situ, that should be fairly easily achievable, but he might need to find a passer to complement them.
Back to our game, it’s easy to see how Madrid improve: they hire Xabi Alonso. Barca, though, aren’t about to sign a back four nor change how they play, so it feels like they’re mainly hoping their young defenders get better in a system designed to leave them exposed. It’s a gamble, at best.
Also going on:
Grown adult action:
“Coming belatedly to the Gerrard/Bellingham comparisons,” begins Geoff Wignall, “perhaps the best summation of Stevie G that I ever came across was that he could always win a game but he could never run one.* As yet, neither can Bellingham.”
*That was never better illustrated than in Istanbul. One half with SG in central midfield: 3-0 down. One half with Dietmar Hamann brought on to do his thing and Gerrard roaming free: 3-3.
I think I may have written that; you’ll be unsurprised to learn that I concur. Bellingham is a player I’d want taking the ball in deep buildup because he’s so press resistant, after which he has the ability both to drive and pass. But instead, he’s loitering, reliant on others to get him into the game. That should not be the case.
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Lamine says Barca needed to bounce back in front of their own fans after what happened in Europe. They’ve suffered sometimes but they need to correct that – the had opportunities to extend their lead – but though can’t wait to play in Camp Nou, it’s a special moment to hear the crowd singing.
Travis Scott enjoyed himself today.
Grim reading for Madrid, elating feeling for Barca.
Ah, Neil Way reminds me that in Spain, when teams have the same number of points, they’re split according to head-to-head goal difference. With Barca having won both league clásicos – and the two in the cups – they officially need two points for the title.
Elsewhere…
FULL TIME: Barcelona 4-3 Real Madrid
A wild game full of some of the best and worst play you’ll ever seen. An at the end of it, Barcelona have more or less secured the title thanks to a comeback for the ages. Madrid were and are well beaten.
NO GOAL! Barcelona 4-3 Real Madrid
Fermin is penalised for a handball in the initial challenge.
90+6 min But VAR wants a look…
WHAT A GOAL! Barcelona 5-3 Real Madrid (Fermin 90+6)
A ball out to Fermin, 0n the left, which he loses to Valverde … only to win it back immediately! He bursts inside and into the box, leaving Modric trailing, before hammering a curler into the far side-netting! What a way to cap one of the great comebacks!
90+5 min You’ve got to credit Barca who, at 2-0 down, could easily have felt sorry for themselves, but did not. They are simply devastating going forward.
90+3 min If Barca hang on, they’ll need three points from three games to be certain of the title though, given the goal difference differential – if that’s not tautology – two will do it.
90+2 min Modric’s corner is a goodun, Tchouameni wins first contact and Mbappe, back to goal, leaps to flick home … but the flag goes up. He was, a replay shows, well offside.
90+1 min And again, Barca’s high line get them into trouble, Diaz slipping Mbappe away down the left! He cuts inside, opens his body, punches low and hard … but Szczesny shovels behind. Madrid can’t say they’ve not had the chances to save themselves
90 min We’ll have six added minutes.
89 min Diaz does really well on halfway, left-hand touchline, to draw men then find Mbappe, who immediately slides across for the onrushing Endrick and Victor Munoz, who takes the ball on, AND HE’S IN! But as Szczesny comes out, he snatches at his shot, slicing wide of the near post, and that might be Madrid’s last chance to save their title. It was Munoz’s first touch of the game and he’s only 21, but he was sent on for precisely that kind of moment and I’m afraid it got big on him.
88 min A limping Vinicius is removed, Victor Munoz replacing him; Barca, meanwhile, send on Gavi for Ferran Torres, who’s had a brilliant afternoon. I’m not sure he’s played better in blaugrana.
86 min I guess, thinking further about Kari’s email, that replacing one of the great midfields – Casemiro, Kroos, Modric – is not easily done, even with all the money in the world. You can buy brilliant players, but chemistry and balance are more delicate, so much harder to replicate.
85 min “It is remarkable, considering their resources, that Modric is still Real Madrid’s most reliable creative outlet,” returns Kári Tulinius. “More even than their defence, that’s what Xabi Alonso will need to sort out next season. Though I assume Alexander-Arnold was bought with that in mind.”
He’s a funny one, him: a tremendous player with some incredible strengths, but every team he’s in has an obvious weak point any opponent can exploit: him.
84 min Change for Madrid, Endrick replacing Vazquez. Valverde will go to right-back, I imagine, with the new man sliding into midfield.
82 min The ref is called over for a look and though the arm was by Tchouameni’s side, it was a little bit raised. Still, though, he was in no way seeking to block – if anything he was trying to withdraw his arm … and the ref makes the correct call. Well done him, the pressure was on there.
80 min VAR wants a look but that’s never a pen. It hits the hand but Torres leapt into his shot and if that’s a penalty you can literally kick the ball at people and appeal.
79 min Fort retreats towards his own goal then turns into a fine pass down the line for Lamine, who cuts inside, shoots … and Courtois flings up an arm to save, then Torres shoots into Tchouameni’s arm. Barca want a penalty, but that was at very close range and he couldn’t get out of the road.
79 min Ah, Olmo has also gone off, Fermin replacing him.
78 min Change for Barca, Fort replacing Garcia.
77 min “Patrick Vieira is the model I’d like to see Bellingham be allowed to follow,” reckons Iain Chambers. Vieira really was the complete midfielder with the tenacity and physique to dominate games. And Declan Rice can be his Manu Petit!”
The ball-carrying is definitely a similarity, and though I don’t think Bellingham has quite the same explosive drive, he does have better feet.
76 min Madrid push, Diaz having a shot blocked, but if I had to guess, I’d say the next goal, if there is one, will be scored by Barca.
74 min Nearly a hat-trick for Raphinha! One pass sends Lamine running into space down the right, again he crosses beautifully with the outside of his right boot, and on the slide, Raphinha can only get under it, unable to direct his finish goalwards.
73 min Vinicius looks to take a free-kick quickly, instead gives it away, and Lamine shoots from distance, Courtois forced to tip away.
72 min That goal was not coming, but for the fact that it arrived.
GOAL! Barcelona 4-3 Real Madrid (Mbappe 70)
And there’s that high line! Modric, on halfway, plays one simple pass into space and suddenly Vinicius is away with Mbappe square; shonuff he advances, delays, and slides across, allowing Mbappe to punch home for a hat-trick that’ll will be bringing him every bit as much joy as the one he scored in the World Cup final. But can Madrid build on it?
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70 min I don’t want to say Madrid have given up, but they know it’s done.
69 min It’s Barca with the famously high line but Madrid constantly ceding space in behind; they feed Torres in but he slips, knowing the flag is coming.
67 min Another right-wing corner from Raphinha, this time claimed by Courtois.
66 min Barca push for a fifth, Pedri finding Torres, whose shot is blocked behind. Madrid aren’t really in this.
65 min Raphinha’s cross is kicked clear by Bellingham at the near post. But can he affect the game further forward?
65 min And Barca are still dominating, winning another corner down the right…
63 min This half doesn’t – perhaps yet – have the tempo of the first. More likely, though, Barca are relaxing in possession following their midweek exertions and Madrid don’t have the wherewithal to rush them.
61 min Madrid send Vinicius away down the right, Mbappe’s in the middle, and this looks like the livener they’re after, but the cross is low, allowing Christensen to slide in and intercept. Great defending, but Vinicius ought to seen happening what did happen and adjusted his plan accordingly.
61 min Pedri unloads Bellingham and the crowd sing his name. What a player he is, for my money the best midfielder in the world. Let’s hope Barca protect him.
60 min Balde carries forward, finds Raphinha outside him, the cross is low … and Asencio clears.
59 min Mbappe squares up Garcia, beats him … and De Jong anticipates nicely, quickly confiscating possession.
58 min Lamine drifts a little deeper, looking to lightly curl a low pass towards the back post, but there’s just too much on it for Raphinha to catch up. Lovely idea, but.
57 min Changes for Barca: Martinez and Cubarsi, who’s spent the last few minutes receiving treatment, are withdrawn, with Balde and Christensen replacing them.
57 min I meant to say, Martin was booked a moment ago for fouling Bellingham.
56 min Vinicius comes deep a slides a fine reverse-pass in behind for Mbappe, who holds off his man, shoots … and Szczesny and tips away, though the ref awards a goalkick.
54 min “I’m no huge Gerrard fan either,” says Robbie Hancock, “but I doubt he ever had a season as bad as Bellingham’s current one. His only contribution to this game has been a terrible pass behind Mbappe, and that’s still better than most of what he’s been up to in 2025.”
To clear up any ambiguity, I think Gerrard was a fantastic footballer, one of the best big-game players I’ve ever seen; he just couldn’t do everything. Bellingham, though, has the ability to, he’s just not exploiting most of his strengths most of the time.
52 min Torres again does well, coming deep spinning and sending Raphinha away down the left. He crosses, Lamine taps home … and the flag goes up. Barcelona look far more likely to add to their lead than Madrid do to reduce it.
50 min Asencio volleys Torres from behind and is booked; he and De Jong mutually appreciate before the ref intercedes. Shame, but they’re ticking.
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49 min Raphinha gets away down the left and crosses, Torres just unable to get on the end of it, Asencio doing just enough. But the ball drops for Lamine, who shoots … and sees his effort blocked.
49 min Credit too Hansi Flick, by the way: I said at the start that I thought he’d have picked Lewandowski today, but Ferran Torres has been excellent, not just making runs but looking after the ball and finding teammates inside crowded boxes.
47 min “The purist in me can’t help but be appalled at the defending on show,” says Kári Tulinius. “The traditionalist in me refuses to believe that teams coached by a German and an Italian play this wildly. The viewer in me is thrilled to bits by what I’ve seen so far.”
I know what you mean. It’s enjoyable stuff, but the lack of defensive quality allied to the immense attacking class, means goals are too easy to come by.
46 min Madrid need to score at least three, a draw no use to them; they’ll hope the changes give them more midfield control. I’m not so sure.
46 min We go again…
Changes for Madrid: off go Guler and Ceballos, on come Modric and Diaz.
Check out all the reaction to the early Premier League games:
“I don’t agree on the Gerrard point,” says Paul Field. “He played wide right when he was young but Houllier gave him plenty of games in the middle as he developed. Rafa only moved him around because of the lack of quality in the rest of the squad. He often said he played Gerrard where it was best for the team rather where it was best for him, because he was the one player in the squad capable of playing anywhere.”
I could not agree with this less. Houllier didn’t play him centrally in big games unless he had to; Benitez had Alonso and Mascherano in the middle of midfield, and the difference between Gerrard and the former was glaring in the extreme. But the eye test tells you just as much – Gerrard never had the soft feet or football brain to control a game, which is why he couldn’t adjust when his physical powers waned. Compare that to Scholes and Giggs, say, neither of whom had his drive but both of whom were bossing Premier League games well into their late 30s, instead of marking time in MLS.
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Half-time email: “Wow what a match!” enthuses Osman Ozsalar. “Only the first half yet! This Barcelona team is a joy to watch. I think you said this before the game Real Madrid needs to score at least 3 to beat this team, how right were you?”
I’m afraid this is no reflection of my footballing knowledge. Barca are just so good in attack – not just creatively, but in terms of their pressing – and Madrid don’t have the tools to hold them off.
HALF-TIME: Barcelona 4-2 Real Madrid
Just the six first-half goals and a comeback for the ages from Barcelona. An absolutely ridiculous football match, between two ridiculous football teams.
45+7 min Bellingham slides Mbappe in, he sweeps into the far corner … and the flag goes up.
45+5 min It’s hard not to be pleased for Raphinha, who thought he’d sent Barca into the Champions League final just a few days ago, only for Francesco Acerbi to have other ideas. He’s developed so much this season, a constant threat but also augmenting that with numbers. At 28, these are his peak years, and so far, he’s cashing in to decent extent.
45+3 min Neither of these sides have the remotest clue how to defend. Madrid can, at least, plead injuries; Barca are just wild.
45+1 min We’ll have six additional minutes. That’s enough time for at least 17 more goals and three more penalties.
GOAL! Barcelona 4-2 Real Madrid (Raphinha 45)
Oh my absolute, complete and utter days! Guler passes backwards to Vazquez, plating him into potential trouble, his touch is dreadful and Raphinha mugs him, squaring to Torres inside the box. Torres does really well to draw men to him, returning the square-pass, and Raphinha tucks into the net! What a mad, moronic, wondrous half this has been!
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NO PENALTY!
44 min Not for no foul, but because Bellingham was offside. For some reason or other, Araujo, on the bench, is booked.
43 min But was there actually contact? I’m not sure there was…
PENALTY TO MADRID!
42 min One second, Barcelona are in total control, the next Bellingham announces himself, timing his run and playing into the box; Mbappe’s first touch isn’t great, but as he looks to retrieve, De Jong lunges and that’s another penalty!
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40 min Looking again at the Raphinha goal … in fact Lamine has just found him with a gorgeous outside-of-the-boot cross, he’s in front of goal and he heads over! That should’ve been 4-2!
38 min “Weird how our lenses determine of whom footballers remind us,” writes Ettiene Terblanche. “I think you’re trying to say that peak-Bellingham reminds one of Gerrard circa 2001-2009. There are, of course, days where his strops are more evident than his footballing faculties, in which case he’s pure Madridista.”
I see the similarities, but Gerrard was like that because he had to be. He talked big words about playing “the Scholes role” when he lost his legs, but he couldn’t do it and even at his peak, neither Gerard Houllier nor Rafael Benitez trusted him in the middle – Houllier used him on the right, Benitez in the 10. Bellingham, though, has the smarts and the soft feet, he’s just being used differently.
36 min A ball into the outside-left channel for Torres, Tchouameni shoves him over, and though Barca want a red card, he wasn’t close enough to goal for that, so it’s a yellow. If the home side keep up their intensity, though, they’ll be very hard to beat here. Madrid are a rabble.
GOAL! Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid (Raphinha 34)
Mbappe runs into Ceballos, Garcia snaffles the loose ball and with one pass puts Raphinha in on goal! He has a look, opens his body, rolls past Courtois, and the comeback is complete in just 20 minutes!
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GOAL! Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid (Lamine Yamal 32)
Ahahahaha, what even is this game?! De Jong intercepts as Madrid try playing out and Pedri runs towards the box, punching a pass and following it. But Torres opts to ignore him, instead sending the ball backwards to Lamine, who immediately unfurls his finish, low, curling, and into the far corner!
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31 min More Barca pressure, but Madrid have men behind the ball and there’s no way through.
29 min It now feels like thew equation of this game is simple: can Barca score more goals due to pressure than Madrid can on the counter? Anyroad, Lamine skirts around the outside of Valverde, who ploughs through him and is booked. Free-kick from the right touchline, Bellingham heading Olmo’s delivery away then blocking the second ball.
27 min Meantime, Barca win a free-kick35 yards out, it’s curled into the box and yields a corner, which Raphinha whacks beyond everyone.
25 min We’ve barely seen Bellingham these first 25 minutes, which makes no sense. The first time I saw him play, I thought he was the closest thing I’d seen to Bryan Robson in a very long time – and there’s no higher praise than that. But once he started scoring goals, Ancelotti started using him to do just that – something similar happened to Cesc Fabregas around 2006-07 – but he’s not the best no 10 in world football or anywhere proximate, whereas he could and should be the best box-to-boxer in the world.
24 min Barca win it high, find Lamine, and he sways to create a shooting lane but can only pass through it; Courtois saves easily enough.
24 min There’s all sorts going on in our Premier League games.
22 min Olmo plays a fine pass across the face of the box with everyone expecting one into the mixer, Martin crosses, the ball is blocked back to him, he goes again, and Torres can’t quite get at it. It’s all Barca now – until it isn’t.
21 min Again, Raphinha escapes, and again, his cross is kicked away. If Barca can avoid conceding again – an if of enormous proportions – they will not lose this game.
GOAL! Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid (Garcia 19)
At last a decent corner, snapped by Olmo flat and hard to the near post; a flick-on makes it impossible to defend, and Garcia heads home from eight yards to score his second goal in a week. This match could end in any score!
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18 min Raphinha escapes down the left, seizing upon a poor Madrid throw, and his low cross is kicked behind. This time, the corner goes short, and when it’s half-cleared, the ball arrives perfectly into the path of the onrushing Martin, who flows into a drive that Courtois has to tip over!
16 min It’s not that Barca don’t look dangerous – they do – but they just can’t defend.
GOAL! Barcelona 0-2 Real Madrid (Mbappe 14)
Now then! Lamine looks to wriggle forward but Valverde robs him, just about within the laws – BFlick is raging – and Madrid counter, finding Vinicius down the left. The speed of the turnover means Barca aren’t set, Vinicisu curves a square pass with the outside of his boot, and Mbappe, one on one with Szczesny, leans one way, punches the other, and this week is brewing into one of the worst in Barca’s long history!
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14 min Mbappe looks in the mood today, pulling left and putting the ball into the box, but Martin makes the challenge on Vinicius.
12 min Pedri out to Martin, who immediately sticks a low cross into the corridor, but no one is able to connect with it – even Olmo, who went way too early and was actually offside.
11 min Madrid find Mbappe on the right, a burst takes him past his man, and he’s crowded out. Then Olmo sets Torres away, but he’s not got the pace to escape Garcia, who slides in to concede a corner … which again comes to nowt.
10 min Our pattern is set, Barca knocking it about and Madrid kicking them while trying to make like they aren’t.
8 min Nice from Barca, Lamine setting Garcia away, he’s into the box, and rather than cut back he looks to surprise Courtois by going for goal, but the keeper beats his effort behind … and the corner comes to nowt.
7 min We said earlier that Madrid ought really to get among Barca from the off; they didn’t, but Barca invited them in, and they’re in big trouble now, forced to gamble against a side primed to eviscerate on the counter.
GOAL! Barcelona 0-1 Real Madrid (Mbappe pen 6)
Madrid and Mbappe have had problems with penalties this season and he delays, telegraphs, sweeps towards the bottom-left … Szczesny reads it … but can only palm into the net. Barca are tottering!
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5 min No says VAR. Here comes Mbappe…
5 min But was there an offside in build-up?
4 min A terrible error from Cubarsi, a poor pass allowing Mbappe to nick the ball away from Szczesny who, older statesman or not, is who he is, impetuously lunging, taking man not ball, and the ref has no choice but to point to the spot!
3 min There are strong cup-final vibes about this game BUT EXCUSE ME WHILE I INTERRUPT MUSELF, BECAUSE THAT IS A PENALTY TO MADRID!
1 min Immediately, Valverde leaps over Olmo then flings him to the ground. He’s up for this, but Raphinha drifts the free-kick over the by-line for a goalkick.
1 min Away we go!
The picture looks almost like a computer game. It’s quite disconcerting.
Are teams are tunnelled … and here they come! Montjuic is doing its best.
That said, I’m really looking forward to seeing how Guler goes today. He might just be able to set them a modern tempo, dipping and darting between the lines – really, he’s more of a Barcelona player than a Madrid one.
I think Barca will have just enough to win this, but it’s hard to say until we see the effect of the midweek experience on legs and minds. A more proactive team than Madrid would be getting after them from the off, but my sense is they’ll be allowed to settle.
Barca have similarly obvious faults – they don’t know how to defend – but they’re relying on their players developing rather than the coaching and organisation that should make them less open. If Mbappe and Vinicius are at it today, they’re in big trouble.
Those problems Madrid have, which we cited earlier, ought soon to disappear. It looks like it’s a matter of when, not if, Xabi Alonso is confirmed as their new coach, and one thing we know about him is he won’t leave anything to chance. There’ll be no hanging about waiting for something to happen, rather a system inculcated to extract the most from the various ridiculous footballers, with those who don’t like it, or the running it entails, invited to find alternative employment.
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Madrid, meanwhile, will want their midfield two to protect their centre-backs, forcing Barca to create from wide rather than central areas. They’ll hope to play off Bellingham, looking to release Vinicius and Mbappe on the counter.
Where is the game? Barca, I imagine, will look to control the ball and stretch the pitch, hoping to get wide overloads or one-on-ones. Their midfield three are so good at finding angles and directing their first touches away from pressure, while Yamal and Raphinha will fancy themselves against Madrid’s full-backs. To beat them, you probably have to score three.
Some reading:
West Ham have taken the lead at Old Trafford. Follow that game along with the rest of the early-afternoon action, here:
I’ve seen a fair bit of Madrid this season, so I wasn’t surprised they were so ruthlessly undressed by Arsenal. They no longer have midfielders able to control a game – or no longer deploy midfielders instructed to control a game – instead kicking about until someone good does something good, or not. That’s enough to win most weeks because the talent is so extreme, but there’s no excuse for the lack of balance and cohesion.
Madrid are also unchanged following last weekend’s win over Celta Vigo. I’m relieved Ancelotti has finally stopped wasting Fede Valverde at right-back – though he may be a better one than this version of Lucas Vazquez, his absence from midfield was more keenly felt, especially in that Arsenal first leg. Otherwise, though, they look extremely vulnerable at the back, shorn of Rudiger, Militao, Mendy, Carvajal and Alaba – against this version of Barcelona, a very significant problem.
Barcelona are unchanged following a brutal 120 minutes in San Siro. I guess that makes some sense – Hansi Flick won’t to suggest to any of his players that he’s disappointed in them, and also wants to field his first XI. But I’m surprised he’s not freshened it up a little, just so there’s are some legs in the side – I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to get Lewandowski going again, for one.
I’ll write these down, then we’ll consider what they might mean.
Teams!
Barcelona (4-3-3): Szczesny; Garcia, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin; De Jong, Pedri, Olmo; Yamal, Torres, Raphinha. Subs: Ter Stegen, Balde, Araujo, Gavi, Lewandowski, Fati, Pena, Christensen, Lopez, Casado, Victor, Fort.
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Tchouameni, Fran; Valverde, Ceballos; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe. Subs: Modric, Rodrygo, Lunin, Endrick, Vallejo, Diaz, Yusi, Ramon, Mestre, Munoz.
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Preamble
It’s amazing, given what we know about football – the pettiest existence in the world save government – that sometimes, we forget there are fall-guys.
We’ve been in raptures these last two-and-a-half weeks, kvelling at all-time great Champions League tie between Barcelona and Inter; rightly so. But because most of us are ambivalent as regards who actually won it, instead centring our experience of watching it, the potentially life-altering manner in which glorious victory turned into – was turned into – devastating defeat, is not our preoccupation.
Make no mistake, though, Barca are nurturing a penetrating sickness they may never fully assuage. So the last thing – but perhaps also the first thing – they need this afternoon is the visit of Real Madrid, league title on the line.
If Barca win today, they go seven points clear with three games to go, their lead almost unassailable. But if they lose it’s down to a point, with a nasty run in to come: an away derby, fifth-placed Villarreal at home, Athletic Club away; by way of contrast, Madrid face Mallorca home, Sevilla away, Sociedad home.
And make no mistake, Carlo Ancelotti’s men know this is their time. They’ll still be smarting after their own Champions League exit, beaten home and away by Arsenal, their structural weaknesses paraded in front of the world. Or, in other words, their season stands on the cusp of failure – they’ve also been walloped 4-0 in their home clásico, then again 5-2 in the Supercopa clásico, and last month they were pipped in extra time of the clásico Copa del Rey final. Not many Real Madrid sides have endured a season of so many humiliations, never mind one comprising some of the best and most expensive players on the planet. This, though, is their chance to save themselves – and if they do, this timer you can be sure we won’t neglect the unfathomable misery of the losers.
Kick-off: 4.15pm local, 3.15pm BST
