Real Madrid and Barcelona Battle for Supremacy in “El Clasico” 2025
1st Half
The 2025 edition of El Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu opened at a blistering pace, setting the tone for what would be a chaotic and captivating first half. Barcelona threatened early, earning a corner within the first minute after sustained pressure. Rashford’s delivery, however, failed to trouble Madrid’s back line, and within seconds the hosts launched a dangerous counter. Vinícius Jr. was brought down in the box by Lamine Yamal, prompting loud appeals for a penalty. VAR intervened, but to the crowd’s fury, no spot-kick was awarded — the first of several contentious moments. Real Madrid kept up the pressure with a free kick in the 5th minute, though it came to nothing. Barcelona attempted to regain control through their back line but repeatedly ran into Madrid’s relentless press. Vinícius Jr., in electric form, danced past defenders but overcomplicated his runs, allowing Barça to counter. Yamal tested Courtois in the 9th minute with the first shot on target of the night.
In the 12th minute, the Bernabéu erupted when Mbappé rifled a brilliant strike past Szczęsny — only for it to be ruled offside by referee César Soto. Undeterred, Madrid continued to push forward, with the crowd roaring after a confident back-pass to Courtois symbolised the home side’s composure under pressure.
Their persistence finally paid off in the 21st minute. Bellingham sliced open Barcelona’s defence with a through-ball to Mbappé, who calmly lifted it over Szczęsny to give Madrid a deserved 1-0 lead.
Valverde went into the book two minutes later after a late challenge, and Madrid nearly doubled their advantage soon after through Carreras and Camavinga, as chaos reigned in Barcelona’s penalty area around the 27-minute mark.
But just as Real seemed to be taking full control, Barcelona found a lifeline. Against the run of play, Ferran Torres’ strike was parried by Courtois — a warning sign Madrid failed to heed. In the 37th minute, Fermín López pounced in the box, sliding the ball past Courtois to level the match at 1-1. The equaliser ignited Barcelona’s confidence, and they began to control possession. Pedri’s cynical tug on Vinícius Jr.’s shirt earned him a yellow card, but Madrid struck back almost instantly.
In the 40th minute, Bellingham restored the home side’s lead with a composed finish after another wave of pressure. Madrid thought they had a third just before halftime, but once again the flag was raised for offside. After six minutes of added time, both sides headed into the break having traded blows — Madrid leading 2-1, yet with everything still to play for.
2nd Half
The second half of El Clásico resumed at full throttle, with Barcelona immediately probing Madrid’s defence. Courtois handled the early pressure calmly, setting the tone for what would become a tense and tightly contested 45 minutes. Real Madrid responded quickly, earning a corner after a promising spell of possession. Controversy soon followed when Bellingham’s effort appeared to strike García’s hand inside the box. Under loud protests from both players and fans, referee César Soto paused play, consulting VAR after a long discussion with De Jong and Valverde. The decision: penalty to Real Madrid.
The Bernabéu erupted in anticipation — only for Mbappé to miss from the spot, his effort drifting wide as a stunned silence fell across the stadium. The miss seemed to breathe new life into Barcelona, who tried to hit back through a Rashford free kick, but Madrid’s defence — marshalled by Valverde and Courtois — remained resolute.
Momentum shifted back and forth, neither side able to seize clear control. Huijsen went into the book in the 57th minute after a late challenge on Fermín López, before Madrid made their first change: Güler off for Brahim Díaz, adding fresh energy to midfield. Vinícius Jr. came close moments later but sent his shot sailing wide of the far post.
Madrid thought they had extended their lead in the 68th minute when Bellingham slotted home, but once again, the flag went up for offside — a recurring theme in this frenetic fixture. Frustration grew when Vinícius Jr. was substituted alongside Valverde in the 71st minute, replaced by Rodrygo and Carvajal. The Brazilian’s visible anger boiled over as he stormed straight into the dressing room. Barcelona also turned to their bench, bringing on Casado and Araújo in place of Ferran Torres and García (74’), while Real’s persistence continued. A pinpoint long ball from Tchouaméni found Mbappé, whose shot was deflected for another corner in the 79th minute.
Flick’s assistant coach sought more stability, introducing Roony for Cubarsí in the 83rd, as the match’s intensity began to take a toll — Camavinga required medical attention after a rough challenge. Mbappé, desperate to make amends for his earlier miss, created another chance late on but dragged his shot wide. Barcelona nearly stunned the Bernabéu when Koundé attempted an audacious lob over Courtois, only for the Belgian keeper to claw it away with a vital save. In the dying moments, Madrid made final substitutions — Bellingham and Mbappé off, Gonzalo and Ceballos on — as both managers looked to protect legs and perhaps settle for control rather than chaos.
Nine minutes of added time were announced, the crowd on edge as both sides searched for one last decisive moment in a match that had delivered everything but calm. As the clock ticked into stoppage time, the El Clásico chaos reached its crescendo. In the 92nd minute, Courtois once again came to Madrid’s rescue, diving low to deny a sharp Barcelona attempt. Two minutes later, Brahim Díaz nearly sealed the game for Los Blancos, breaking free on the counter and firing toward goal — only for Szczęsny to match Courtois’ brilliance with a crucial save.
With the seconds slipping away, Barcelona threw everything forward in search of an equaliser. Tension flared when Camavinga was brought down roughly 20 metres from goal, setting up one last free-kick opportunity for Real. The crowd roared as the shot curled toward the top corner, but Szczęsny was equal to it again, parrying the danger away.
In the dying moments, frustration boiled over. Fermín López earned a yellow card for a late challenge as tempers began to snap. Moments later, Pedri — already on a booking — lunged into another reckless tackle, drawing a second yellow and a red. The dismissal sparked a full-scale confrontation, with players from both sides clashing as officials struggled to restore order. The final whistle is blown and the crowd erupts. And just like that the sun sets on yet another exhilarating Clasíco.
