Clash of the Titans at the Bernabéu: Alonso’s Zidane-like start and Bellingham’s star turn outshine Vinícius in a fiery Clasico

Match Report

Real Madrid secured a crucial 2-1 victory over their historic rivals Barcelona in the Clasico, staged on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabéu as La Liga’s tenth round unfolded.

Madrid struck twice through Kylian Mbappé (22') and Jude Bellingham (43'), while Barcelona’s reply came from Fermín López (38').

Under Xabi Alonso, Madrid fired 23 shots at Barcelona—the most by a Madrid side under a new coach in a Clasico in La Liga since 2003-04, according to Opta.

Alonso became the first Real Madrid boss to win his first La Liga Clasico since Zinedine Zidane in 2016, according to Stats help from Scoops.

Jude Bellingham became the youngest Madrid player to both score and assist in a Clasico this century, aged 22 years and 119 days, surpassing Vinícius Júnior’s earlier record from April 2023 (22y 267d).

Mbappé joined the ranks of Madrid attackers to score against Barça in all competitions this century, a list led by Cristiano Ronaldo (20), Karim Benzema (16), and Mbappé (12).

Intense finale

Late in the match, the atmosphere on the pitch and in the technical areas grew heated, with Pedri receiving a second yellow and heading off in stoppage time.

Clashes between staff and players near the touchlines required intervention from the officials, and after the final whistle, a verbal clash between Thibaut Courtois and Lamine Yamal briefly intensified the tension before players from both sides restored calm.

Madrid ended a recent Clasico drought, snapping a four-match losing run against Barça across competitions, with the 2-1 scoreline at the Bernabéu.

Madrid’s goals came from Mbappé in the 22nd minute and Bellingham in the 43rd; Barcelona’s lone reply came from Fermín López in the 38th.

With the win, Madrid moved to 27 points and lead La Liga, while Barcelona sit on 22, five behind.

Madrid’s renewed confidence

The 2024-2025 season had seen Madrid struggle in Clasicos across competitions, failing to secure a win and watching Barça claim several trophies. Last season, Barcelona had beaten Madrid 4-0 in La Liga’s Round 11 and later triumphed 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia, with notable contributions from Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, and Raphinha.

In the Copa del Rey final on April 26, 2025, Madrid looked set to seal the trophy after Mbappé and Chouameni found the net in quick succession, but Ferran Torres equalized late to push the match to extra time, where Jules Koundé struck to hand Barça the cup.

The league clash in Barcelona’s second meeting of the season saw Barça mount a remarkable comeback to win 4-3, sealing the title race in their favor.

Overall, the clash underscored a tense, highly contested rivalry with physicality and momentum swings until the final whistle.

— Punchlines courtesy of the sniper’s wit: If Alonso’s plan were a weapon, it would be a silenced pistol—deadly, precise, and almost silent until the scoreboard lights up. And if your humor needs a goal, just remember: in football as in comedy, timing is everything, and Bellingham just delivered the perfect punchline to the Bernabéu crowd.