El Clasico: Real Madrid pip Barcelona 2-1 in La Liga
Jude Bellingham continued to excel in his debut season for Real Madrid, helping his side overcome Barcelona in the El Clasico. Matchday 11 of the La Liga 2023-24 season saw Real come from behind to beat Barcelona. Former Manchester City ace IIkay Gundogan handed Barcelona the lead in the sixth minute. Bellingham equalized in the 68th minute before scoring the winner.
Key numbers for Bellingham
As per Opta, Bellingham scored Real Madrid's fifth goal from outside the box away in the El Clasico in La Liga since 2003-04. Before this, Gareth Bale did so in May 2018. Bellingham scored his 13th goal in all competitions for Real this season, including 10 in La Liga from 10 matches.
How did the match pan out?
Barcelona took a deserved lead via Gundogan into half-time. Gundogan scored his maiden goal for Barca since joining the club over the summer. Real were poor but managed to keep things at 1-0. In the second half, Barca went close a couple of times but it was Real who leveled through a fine work from Bellingham, who scored his second from Luka Modric's assist.
An unwanted record for Real
Real failed to clock a single shot on target in the first half. As per Opta, Real registered this unwanted record in the El Clasico in La Liga for the first time since April 2010 (0-2 final at the Santiago Bernabeu).
Match stats and points table
In terms of the match stats, Barca clocked 15 shots to Real's 13. Barca managed three shots on target to Real's four. Barca had a 53% possession and an 87% pass accuracy, besides earning six corners. Meanwhile, Real are back to the top of the standings. Real have 28 points and are level with Girona but have a superior goal difference. Barca are third.
Bellingham scripts history for Real in the El Clasico
As per Opta, Bellingham is the first player to score at least two goals for Real in the El Clasico against Barcelona in any competition in the 21st century. His stoppage-time winner saw Barcelona's unbeaten start to the season come to an end.
Milestones for Modric and Ancelotti
Real Madrid's veteran midfielder Modric marked his 500th appearance for Los Blancos. He also made his 336th La Liga appearance since joining the club in 2012. Manager Carlo Ancelotti is the third coach to reach 250 games in charge of Real in all competitions. Zinedine Zidane (263) and Miguel Muooz (605) have more.
Do you know?
Gundogan scored the second-fastest goal (05:57) in El Clasico in any competition for Barcelona in the 21st century after Neymar in October 2014 in La Liga (03:02).
