For FC Barcelona, Saturday’s Clasico had every ingredient for a letdown. It was played by a team decimated by injuries, in a makeshift formation, at an auxiliary stadium. It was played against the eternal opponent, Real Madrid, a fit squad full of new-age superstars. It was uncomfortably commercialized, and quieter than usual, and — the list of limiting factors seemed endless.
But in the end, only one ingredient mattered: Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham, El Clasico’s latest legend, beat Barcelona almost single-handedly, first with a world-class screamer, then with a stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 Real Madrid victory.
Madrid sputtered for much of the first half. Barca, wounded but resilient, took an early lead, and held it for 62 minutes. But lying in wait was Bellingham, La Liga’s leading scorer, already the toast of the Bernabeu as a 20-year-old English newcomer.
First, he powered his right foot through a nearly-stationary ball, some 30 yards from goal, and rocketed it into the corner.
That was Bellingham’s 13th goal in 16 games at Real Madrid, all of them from his perch as a marauding midfielder.
His 14th in 16 then won the 255th Clasico — Bellingham’s first.
Barca had outperformed expectations for 45 minutes, and led 1-0 via its own new midfield maestro, Ilkay Gündoğan. Gündoğan changed the face of the game in his sixth minute of involvement in this age-old rivalry. He pounced on a weak intervention from Aurelien Tchouameni as Madrid defenders and time stood still. He powered through David Alaba’s indecision, and put Barcelona ahead with a tidy finish.
Madrid, meanwhile, seemed discombobulated, unable to grasp control of the game despite its numerical advantage in midfield. Barca struck the post twice. Vinicius Junior’s frustration was evident.
But Madrid’s quality never fully deserted the game. It roared back to the forefront in the second half, propelled by Bellingham.
Both sides conjured half-chances to win the game throughout the final half-hour. By the 90th minute, a draw felt like a just result.
But Bellingham wouldn’t settle for it. He has taken Madrid, and Spain, and La Liga by storm.
