Real Madrid secured a crucial 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Barcelona in a thrilling El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabéu, but the post-match headlines were dominated by the sending-off of goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.
Goals from Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham in the first half gave Los Blancos a commanding lead, as Xabi Alonso’s men displayed attacking brilliance and control in front of their home fans. Mbappé opened the scoring with a clinical finish inside 15 minutes after combining well with Vinícius Jr., while Bellingham doubled the advantage with a trademark late run into the box and a composed strike before halftime.
Barcelona attempted a late comeback in the second half, pulling one back through Robert Lewandowski, but their efforts weren’t enough to stop Madrid from taking all three points and strengthening their position at the top of La Liga.
However, tempers flared after the final whistle. Reports confirm that Lunin was shown a red card for aggressively approaching Barcelona’s bench in a heated exchange. The Ukrainian shot-stopper, who didn’t feature in the match, was dismissed by the referee for his “aggressive attitude” towards opposition staff.
