Achi news desk-
Key events
Corresponding report
Righto, that’s it then; Sid Lowe’s report will be with us soon, and as soon as it is, it will be in here and up on the site. Otherwise, thanks everyone for your company and comments, but I’m afraid we’re at that point again: we’re straight out of football for another weekend. On the other hand, though, what weekend it’s been – and if it’s more sport you follow, don’t worry because we’ve got you covered. Peace out people.
Elsewhere, Girona now lead Atléti, beaten by Alavés by seven points, and they enter the Champions League. What a great win for the little boy.
The Bernabeu is absolutely bouncing, the title was effectively confirmed against the hated enemy. The task for Ancelotti now is to get everyone rested but fit for Bayern; much easier said than done.
“Jude Bellingham is out of this world,” says Colum Fordham. “Brahim Diaz did most of the hard work but Bellingham is always in the right place at the right time. With either foot. When was the last time two of the top five players in the world were English? Foden and Bellingham are sure to be there or thereabouts.”
Hmmm, it depends; do we count keepers and defenders, who are usually absent from such lists? Both need to do more over more seasons, and in the biggest games to insinuate themselves among the elite of the elite, but I’m sure that will happen.
I forgot to say, when Bellingham scored, he and his friends dove into the crowd, then gestured in front of them, reminding anyone who cares that he is that man. I’d still like to see more from him across the 90s, but his ability to change the outcome of games, in so many different ways, is astounding.
Full time: Real Madrid 3-2 Barcelona
Phew! Madrid win, 11 points ahead with six games left, and they have the title.
90+5 minutes But Jude Bellingham. Ages ago, I watched an interview asking him if he was excited to play with all the good players at Dortmund. “Yes, but I’m pretty good myself,” he replied, and that’s the thing with him: so much confidence that can be justified, that when he had the chance to win the clasico and with the title, there was only one possible outcome was .
90+4 min Barça win a corner down the left, Ter Stegen comes up, and nothing comes of it.
90+3 min Madrid have always looked to have what it takes to do what is needed here – Barça are not as good and have had injury problems – and they have been the best team in Spain by miles this season. Can they add to the title with their 69th European Cup?
GOAL! Real Madrid 3-2 Barcelona (Bellingham 90+2)
JUDE BELLINGHAM HAS WON THE TITLE FOR REAL MADRID! Diaz dribbles forward through the middle and finds Lucas Vazquez down the right, Joselu steps over his low cross looking to flick it in, and wouldn’t you know it, the boy , that man, slams an expert finish into the roof from an acute angle! Madrid go 11 points clear with six games to go!
90 minutes We will have four extra minutes.
89 minutes Madrid is almost there. If they see this out, but can’t see eight points ahead with six games to go, it will be one of the big falls, any league.
87 minutes Modric swings in, Militao stretches and fails to divert the ball towards goal, but he sprays square, Bellingham can’t quite reach it, and it runs across Joselu, it’s not able to curl his foot around it, slicing wide instead. He is saved by the offside flag.
86 minutes Diaz makes space down the left and feeds Bellingham squarely, inside the box. He can’t do anything about it, so Madrid keeps the ball, time passes, and when Bellingham feeds Brahim a second time, it turns adroitly and only Fermin can foul; Madrid free kick, left of center, 25 yards out.
84 minutes Gundogan, outside the box, puts in a clever pass in behind, Fermin behind him, but Fran Garcia does very well to slide in from behind, Lunin then can tidy up
83 minutes Felix escapes from Modric, who kicks him into the air and receives his order; or, as my grandmother would have said, book it.
83 minutes Vinicius, by the way, did not look very amused by his successor, but he looks confused throughout the half.
82 minutes Vinicius has run his little polyester socks into the ground, and Joselu has taken his place, and I think Madrid will look to play away, whether in his feet or crossing into the box.
80 minutes Barca know they only need one chance, and in the remaining 10 minutes and extras, they would expect to create at least one; Madrid will fancy themselves to pinch them on the counter.
78 minutes Lunin saves from Felix, passes out of his hands like Sander Westerveld and suddenly Vinicius is gone, Diaz alongside and the defenders in pursuit. But it goes a little wide, a heavy touch narrowing the angle, so when he shoots powerfully, Ter Stegen is able to block away. It shouldn’t have smelled it, but it’s a great save.
77 minutes “Your thoughts on trying to score direct shots from corners took me back to Euro 1996,” wrote Leo. “In Spain-Bulgaria Stoichkov was bridging every corner just like DeBruyne vs Madrid et all.. But yes, for a whole week he has been quite fashionable. However, it doesn’t seem to generate many goals. But done well those kicks bring excitement every time. So all to them.”
if you’re loading men on the keeper and the keeper isn’t great under pressure or high balls, it’s a decent option – even more so if shot to improve the angle.
76 minutes And here is Tchouameni, definitely in midfield, shooting low and hard … but straight at Ter Stegen. I believe Diaz is now ahead alongside a tired looking Vinicius.
76 minutes Tchouameni will probably move to midfield with Militao in the center – although five in defense could make some sense to try and see the point.
75 minutes Change to Madrid, Eder Militao to Rodrygo.
GOAL! Real Madrid 2-2 Barcelona (Lucas Vazquez 73)
Valverde creates a spoace in midfield, beating his man and finding Vinicius down the left, who crosses beautifully, bending the ball around Kounde, and at the back post, Vazquez managed a fine finish, one bounced and punched inside the near post. The title is back in Madrid’s grasp!
72 minutes Bellingham slide in, Fifa 98 style, as Ter Stegen tries to clear; he does the necessary, just.
71 minutes Vinicius tries to stir up the crowd; Ancelotti tries Fran Garcia and Brahim Diaz for Camavinga and Kroos.
GOAL! Real Madrid 1-2 Barcelona (Fermin 69)
NOW THERE! Madrid haven’t really got going this half and Torres wides to Yamal who curls cunningly into the box – one of those the keeper can’t move for until he’s sure there’s no another gets a touch. So all he can do is push away, Torres leaps over the ball to confuse things further, and Fermin is there to take the rebound home! The title race is live!
66 minutes Big Pedri heads the corner clear but Madrid recycles possession and Vinicius crosses from the byline; the ball may or may not have hit Kounde’s hand, then moments later someone – Felix I think – controls beautifully and puts Torres away, Camavinga after him! He holds it off really well, looks like he’s done all the hard work, then digs a finish that scrambles wide. He will be pleased to see the offside flag go up.
65 minutes Felix’s first flash, turns a tricky pass in behind, but Tchouameni reads it well and clears, then Madrid roll down the other end and win a corner down the right, Modric to swing out (sister) .
64 minutes Double change for Barca, Joao Felix and Ferran Torres instead of Lewandowski and Raphinha. I doubt the former impressed, but he can’t argue he’s earned the right to stay on – tonight or given his recent levels.
63 minutes Lewadowski’s header finds Yamal down the right but Fermin can do nothing with his cross, then slices his shot wide when the ball comes back to him.
61 minutes Barça are in the summit now but they are struggling to create. Lewandowski has done almost nothing but, as I type, an over the top pass from Araujo sets him off behind. And his first touch is goodun, killing the ball as it arrives from over his shoulder but taking it slightly wide, and all he can do from there is a hoist lob that doesn’t threaten the goal.
59 minutes I think. I have no idea how Rudiger didn’t get a red card for this, and although the Fermin incident wasn’t that horrible, it felt like he had deliberately obstructed his man, but he managed to create enough doubt that the ref couldn’t. give punishment Xavi, as you can imagine, felt differently.
57 minutes Madrid are looking a bit leggy now and Fermin is scrambling in the box, so Rudiger pulls out his tried-and-true move, ensuring an opponent runs into him – ask Kevin de Bruyne for that one – and Madrid clear
55 minutes It’s been a great start to the half, but when the Barca attack breaks down, two straight passes – one to Bellingham, one to release Vinicius – and Madrid are away! But he has Vubarsi and Kunde goal side of him, so an early shot that flies over the top has to be dug out.
53 minutes Madrid move forward and Bellingham, growing in influence, finds Vinicius, whose attempted pass between defenders to Vazquez is intercepted.
53 minutes Vinicius runs at Kounde, who looks beat and then goes back to tackle. It is developing very well.
52 minutes Cancelo turns a ball around the corner so Vazquez yanks his back and gets booked.
50 minutes Modric pins possession halfway and starts towards goal, finding Bellingham, who works a shooting lane and then deludes straight to Ter Stegen.
48 minutes If this remains a draw, Madrid will lead by eight with six to go; Barca must win.
46 minutes Immediately, Barça placed Yamal in Camavinga and he escapes, but with no one at his side, he ends up checking, cutting inside and shooting straight at Lunin.
46 minutes Here we go again…
Half time change: Barca bring on Fermin for Christensen. They need to win, so they’ve gone for a mouse who can recover early balls; I’m not sure who plays in front of the defence, Pedri or Gundogan, but they will have to.
Half time email: “Well, I agree, I’d like Bellingham to be a box-to-box player,” said Cliffi, “but he needs a number 9, Madrid don’t have a 9 and his high play has enabled them to win it’s likely. the league. Next year they will get 9 and its position will change.”
I hope so, but even if they switch to 4-3-3 won’t he still be the striker behind the front man?
