The last 10 El Clásicos, retold
Few fixtures in world football carry the same weight, history and global intrigue as El Clásico. For over a century, Barcelona and Real Madrid have done battle, not just for points or titles, but for pride, identity, and legacy.
In recent years, the rivalry has evolved beyond Messi and Ronaldo, yet it remains as fiercely competitive and narratively rich as ever. From dramatic seven-goal thrillers to cold, clinical demolitions, the last ten clashes between these two Spanish giants have delivered moments of genius, heartbreak, and tactical brilliance.
Here, we revisit the ten most recent El Clásico encounters, from October 2020 to May 2025, each retold with nuance and clarity. Whether you're a seasoned fan or a curious newcomer, this is a story of football at its most passionate.
Madrid outclass Barcelona in dominant showing – October 24, 2020
Real Madrid delivered a composed yet clinical performance to defeat Barcelona 3–1 in a pulsating El Clásico at Camp Nou. Federico Valverde opened the scoring inside five minutes, latching onto a sharp Karim Benzema through-ball, only for Ansu Fati, just 17 at the time, to level the match moments later with a composed finish following Jordi Alba’s incisive pass. The early chaos set the tone for an end-to-end encounter that kept both goalkeepers busy.
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Barcelona had penalty claims waved away after Lionel Messi tumbled under Casemiro’s challenge, but it was Madrid who pulled ahead in the second half when Sergio Ramos both earned and converted a penalty following a VAR-confirmed foul by Clément Lenglet. Luka Modrić sealed the win in the final minutes, weaving past Neto before slotting into an open net. The result was a significant relief for Zinedine Zidane, whose side had entered the match under pressure after two disappointing defeats in league and European play earlier that week.
Rain-soaked Clásico ends in Madrid victory – April 10, 2021
In a night marked by torrential rain and unrelenting drama, Real Madrid triumphed 2–1 over Barcelona in a high-stakes Clásico that propelled them to the top of LaLiga. Karim Benzema opened the scoring with an audacious backheel finish following a swift counter involving Federico Valverde and Lucas Vázquez. Not long after, Toni Kroos doubled the lead with a deflected free kick that left Marc-André ter Stegen helpless.
Barcelona struggled to impose themselves early but improved after the break, finding a lifeline through Óscar Mingueza on the hour mark. Ronald Koeman’s side pressed for an equaliser and were left furious when a penalty shout, after Martin Braithwaite collided with Ferland Mendy, was dismissed. The match ended in chaotic fashion as Ilaix Moriba rattled the crossbar deep into stoppage time.
It was a week to remember for Zinedine Zidane’s men, who had just beaten Liverpool 3–1 in Europe. With this victory, Madrid joined Atlético Madrid on 66 points, leapfrogging Barça into first place, if only briefly. Though the Catalans rallied late, the slippery pitch and resolute defending saw Madrid hold firm in one of the most compelling Clásicos in recent years.
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Madrid take narrow win in El Clásico – October 24, 2021
Real Madrid claimed a measured 2–1 victory at Camp Nou, intensifying the pressure on Barcelona’s under-fire manager Ronald Koeman. In a match where both sides created opportunities, it was David Alaba who struck first, capping a swift counterattack with a thunderous finish into the top corner midway through the first half. The move was sparked by a Barcelona turnover, with Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo orchestrating the break.
Barcelona’s clearest early chance fell to Sergiño Dest, who fired over from close range in a miss that would prove costly. Madrid, by contrast, were disciplined and composed, especially in the second half, where they focused on managing tempo and closing down space. Lucas Vázquez extended the lead in stoppage time, finishing off another quick break after Barça committed numbers forward.
Although Sergio Agüero netted his first goal for Barcelona in the dying seconds, it arrived too late to change the outcome. The win was a milestone for Carlo Ancelotti, marking his first managerial victory at Camp Nou, and it briefly took Madrid to the top of the table. For Barcelona, however, it was a third consecutive Clásico loss under Koeman, further compounding an already turbulent campaign.
Catalan masterclass at the Bernabéu – March 20, 2022
Barcelona produced a dazzling performance in Madrid, thrashing their arch-rivals 4–0 in a statement victory that marked the club’s most emphatic El Clásico win in years. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang led the charge with two goals, while Ronald Araújo and Ferran Torres also found the net in a performance that underlined Barça’s resurgence under Xavi Hernández.
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From the opening whistle, Barcelona asserted control over a disjointed Madrid side missing key figures such as Karim Benzema and Ferland Mendy. Ousmane Dembélé, enjoying a remarkable return to form, tormented Madrid’s right flank and assisted both first-half goals. His inch-perfect cross to Aubameyang in the 29th minute broke the deadlock, followed by a pinpoint corner nine minutes later that Araújo powered past Thibaut Courtois.
Despite changes at the break, Madrid struggled to contain Barça’s rhythm. Torres made it 3–0 with a curling finish into the top corner, before Aubameyang added a fourth, initially flagged offside, but awarded following a VAR review.
The scoreline could have been even more lopsided, but the message was unmistakable: Barcelona were back. The victory ended a five-match losing streak against Madrid and extended Barça’s unbeaten run across all competitions to 13 games. For the hosts, it was a humbling night at the Bernabéu and a sobering reminder of their vulnerability without their talismanic striker.
Madrid overpower Barça in clinical display – October 16, 2022
Real Madrid delivered a controlled and clinical performance at the Bernabéu, defeating Barcelona 3–1 to move three points clear at the top of LaLiga. In a match that carried heavy implications for the title race, Madrid asserted their authority early, racing to a 2–0 lead before weathering a late push from their rivals.
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Karim Benzema opened the scoring after just 12 minutes, pouncing on a rebound from Marc-André ter Stegen after Vinícius Júnior’s effort was parried. It ended a five-match scoring drought for the French striker and set the tone for Madrid’s aggressive approach. Federico Valverde doubled the lead with a composed strike from outside the area, exploiting space at the edge of the box and placing his shot beyond Ter Stegen’s reach.
Barcelona’s attack failed to ignite for much of the match, though a late surge offered a glimmer of hope. Substitute Ferran Torres reduced the deficit with a neat finish after smart work from Ansu Fati and Robert Lewandowski. But any hopes of a dramatic comeback were dashed when Sergio Busquets fouled Rodrygo in the dying minutes, and the Brazilian calmly converted the resulting penalty.
The win not only reaffirmed Madrid’s domestic dominance but also served as a form of revenge for their 4–0 home defeat to Barça earlier in the year. For Xavi Hernández, it was a second consecutive disappointment in a week that had already seen his side stumble in Europe.
Barcelona triumph at the Bernabéu – March 19, 2023
Barcelona edged out Real Madrid 2–1 in a dramatic El Clásico at Camp Nou, thanks to a stoppage-time strike from Franck Kessié that sent the home crowd into raptures. The result extended Barça’s lead at the top of LaLiga to a commanding 12 points with just 12 games remaining, putting them firmly on course for their first league title in four years.
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The match opened with intensity, and it was Madrid who struck first, albeit through a slice of fortune. A looping cross from Vinícius Júnior deflected off Ronald Araújo’s head and nestled inside the near post for an early own goal, marking the first open-play goal Barcelona had conceded at home all season.
Despite the early setback, Barça responded with growing urgency and were rewarded on the stroke of halftime. After sustained pressure, a blocked shot fell kindly to Sergi Roberto, who calmly guided the ball past Thibaut Courtois to level the score.
The second half ebbed and flowed, with both sides creating half-chances. Madrid believed they had found a late winner when Marco Asensio turned in Dani Carvajal’s cross, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside after a lengthy review. It was a turning point.
Moments later, with Madrid pressing high in search of a decisive goal, Barcelona struck on the counter. Alejandro Balde cut the ball back from the left, and Kessié arrived unmarked to side-foot home in the second minute of added time. The goal, only the third stoppage-time winner in El Clásico history, sealed Barça’s 100th victory against Real Madrid in all competitions, and perhaps the league title itself.
Bellingham brilliance stuns Barcelona – October 28, 2023
Jude Bellingham delivered a performance for the ages in his Clásico debut, scoring twice, including a stoppage-time winner, to hand Real Madrid a thrilling 2–1 comeback victory over Barcelona. The result kept Madrid level on points with Girona at the summit of LaLiga, while Barça slipped four points off the pace in third.
Barcelona made a blistering start and took the lead just six minutes in, as Ilkay Gündogan netted his first goal for the club following a quick exchange that cut through Madrid’s defence. The hosts dominated much of the first half, rattling the frame of the goal twice, but failed to capitalise on their momentum.
For over an hour, Bellingham had been largely neutralised by Barcelona’s midfield press, particularly the tireless Gavi, but the England international only needed one moment to change the game. In the 68th minute, he unleashed a powerful, swerving strike from distance that soared past Marc-André ter Stegen into the top corner.
With the match seemingly destined for a draw, chaos inside the box in added time saw the ball ricochet kindly into Bellingham’s path, and he made no mistake from close range. It was his 13th goal in as many appearances since joining Madrid, and arguably his most significant yet.
The 20-year-old’s heroics not only decided the Clásico, but also reaffirmed his rapid ascent as Madrid’s new talisman, and possibly LaLiga’s most influential player this season.
Real Madrid edge tense battle in Catalonia – April 21, 2024
Jude Bellingham once again delivered in the biggest moment, firing home a dramatic stoppage-time winner to seal a 3–2 comeback victory for Real Madrid over Barcelona in a pulsating Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu. The win moved Los Blancos 11 points clear at the top of LaLiga with just six matches remaining, all but ending Barça’s hopes of retaining the title.
Barcelona struck early through Andreas Christensen, who capitalised on a goalkeeping error from Andriy Lunin to nod in from a corner inside the first ten minutes. Madrid responded swiftly, with Vinícius Júnior levelling the score from the penalty spot after Lucas Vázquez was brought down in the area.
A contentious moment followed when Lamine Yamal’s goalbound effort was reviewed for several minutes, but with no conclusive footage available, play resumed without a goal being awarded, highlighting LaLiga’s continued lack of goal-line technology.
Despite Madrid’s second-half dominance, it was substitute Fermín López who restored Barça’s lead midway through the second half, pouncing on a rebound after Lunin failed to clear. But Madrid hit back once again, with Vázquez volleying in the equaliser just four minutes later.
As Barcelona threw men forward in search of a winner, they left space at the back, and paid the price. Deep into stoppage time, Vázquez surged down the right and squared a pass into the box, where Bellingham rifled the ball into the roof of the net to complete the turnaround.
The result capped off a defining week for Real Madrid, who had just eliminated Manchester City from the Champions League on penalties. For Barcelona, it marked a fourth straight Clásico defeat and another blow in a season overshadowed by inconsistency, injuries, and the looming departure of head coach Xavi Hernández.
A statement victory: Barcelona dismantle Madrid 4–0 – October 26, 2024
Barcelona produced a ruthless display at the Santiago Bernabéu, overwhelming Real Madrid 4–0 in a dominant performance that spoiled Kylian Mbappé’s long-awaited Clásico debut. Robert Lewandowski scored twice, Lamine Yamal netted a historic third, and Raphinha completed the rout as Barça reclaimed the rivalry in style.
After a tight first half, the floodgates opened in the 54th minute when teenage midfielder Marc Casadó, only recently promoted to the first team, threaded a brilliant pass to Lewandowski, who slotted home with precision. Three minutes later, the veteran striker headed in his second to stun the Madrid crowd.
Barcelona’s aggressive high line stifled Madrid’s attack throughout, catching Mbappé offside five times in the opening 30 minutes. The French forward, making his first appearance in the fixture, also failed to beat stand-in goalkeeper Iñaki Peña in a key one-on-one.
Yamal, just 17, added to his growing legend by smashing in a third with his weaker foot, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Clásico history. Raphinha added a fourth late on, chipping Andriy Lunin as Madrid pushed forward recklessly in search of consolation.
Barcelona’s starting lineup included six players aged 22 or younger, including 17-year-olds Yamal and Pau Cubarsí. Under Hansi Flick’s fearless tactics, they showed maturity well beyond their years. Casadó, previously an unknown quantity, was outstanding at the base of midfield, just days after the same youthful XI dismantled Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
The win marked Barça’s first Clásico victory since March 2023 and pushed them six points clear at the top of LaLiga after 11 rounds. For Mbappé and Madrid, it was a sobering night, exposing frailties against a Barça side brimming with identity, balance, and youthful audacity.
Barcelona edge Madrid in seven-goal thriller – May 11, 2025
Barcelona moved within touching distance of their 28th LaLiga title after a sensational 4–3 victory over Real Madrid in a wildly unpredictable Clásico at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium. Down by two goals inside the opening 15 minutes, Barça mounted a stunning first-half comeback, with Raphinha scoring twice and Lamine Yamal dazzling once again on the big stage.
Madrid struck early, with Kylian Mbappé converting from the penalty spot in the fifth minute after drawing a foul from Wojciech Szczęsny. The French forward doubled the lead moments later, finishing off a blistering counterattack initiated by Vinícius Júnior.
Unfazed, Barcelona responded with ruthless precision. Eric García nodded in from a corner to pull one back, Yamal curled in a sublime equaliser from the edge of the area, and Raphinha gave the hosts the lead shortly after, punishing a costly turnover from Mbappé in midfield.
The first half refused to settle. Madrid thought they had earned another penalty, only for it to be overturned due to offside. Within a minute, Lucas Vázquez misplayed a clearance under pressure, allowing Raphinha to pounce and score his second, and Barça’s fourth, before the break.
Courtois kept the scoreline respectable with several top-class saves in the second half, but even he couldn’t deny Mbappé his hat trick, which he completed in the 70th minute after another incisive Madrid break.
Despite the late scare, Barcelona held firm. With three matches left to play, they now sit seven points ahead of second-placed Madrid. A win in their next outing—or a slip-up from Madrid, will officially secure the league title. For Hansi Flick and his youthful squad, the finish line is finally in sight.
