Mbappe treble in vain as Raphinha nets brace, Yamal, Garcia score
Madrid: Raphinha scored twice while Lamine Yamal and Eric Garcia found the net as Barcelona overcame a two-goal deficit to secure a crucial 4-3 home victory against rivals Real Madrid in a Clasico on Sunday, edging them to the brink of the LaLiga title.
The victory extends Barcelona’s lead at the top of the standings to seven points over second-placed Real Madrid and with three matches remaining, one more victory will clinch a 28th Spanish league title for the Catalans.
After Tuesday’s heartbreaking extra-time loss to Inter Milan saw them exit the Champions League at the semi-final stage, Barca bounced back in style.
“It was obviously very important to win today. It’s great to have this game after the Champions League, I think it’s already forgotten,” Yamal told Movistar Plus.
“Suffering is what makes you strong and what teaches you to correct the mistakes you make. They didn’t create any clear-cut chances other than the goals.
“It was very important to win today to get closer to the league title. We are delighted.”
Barca earned a fourth consecutive victory over Real in all competitions this season, and their second in less than a month, in a chaotic match in which both sides showed their usual defensive weaknesses.
However, Barca seemed a much stronger and well organised team overall, dominating possession and creating several chances that were denied by an inspired keeper Thibaut Courtois who prevented Real’s loss from being by a larger margin.
Real made a blistering start at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium, with a brace from Kylian Mbappe giving them a two-goal advantage.
However, Barcelona responded swiftly with Eric Garcia, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha all finding the net within 15 minutes to overturn the deficit.
Barcelona came back strongly in the second half and had several chances denied by a string of stunning saves by Courtois.
They were shocked, however, when Mbappe reduced the deficit in the 70th minute after a quick counter attack by Vinicius, who ran up the right and put it on a plate for the France forward to complete his hat-trick.
Yet last year’s champions could not recover, leaving them on the brink of a season without silverware.
