Barcelona took a huge step toward their 28th La Liga crown with a 4-3 victory over Real Madrid in a sensational El Clasico on Sunday. The result opened a seven-point lead with only three games to go, bringing Barca within two points of the title.
The match looked bleak for the hosts when Kylian Mbappe scored inside five minutes and again in the 14th to put Madrid 2-0 up. But Barcelona roared back, with Raphinha's brace and first-half goals from 16-year-old Lamine Yamal and defender Eric Garcia turning a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 halftime advantage.
Mbappe completed his hat trick in the 70th minute to finish as La Liga's top scorer with 27 goals, two more than Robert Lewandowski. His 39 goals across all competitions also set a new debut-season record for Real Madrid.
The result cements Barcelona's dominance this season with wins over Madrid in La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup, and the Copa del Rey final. Coach Hansi Flick celebrated the performance and urged the squad to stay focused, reminding them that the title is not secured until the final whistle.
Barca can clinch the championship by beating Espanyol on Thursday or if Madrid fails to win against Mallorca. Remaining fixtures include home matches against Villarreal and a trip to Athletic Bilbao. Meanwhile, Real Madrid shifts focus to the FIFA Club World Cup next month.
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Barcelona rally to beat Real Madrid to move closer to La Liga title
cgtn.com
