Bellingham's stoppage-time winner gives Real Madrid 2-1 victory at Barcelona in his 1st 'clasico'

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Jude Bellingham won't forget his first “clasico" match after the England midfielder added to his fast-growing status as Real Madrid's new superstar by scoring twice, including a stoppage-time winner, to lead a 2-1 comeback at Barcelona in the Spanish league on Saturday.

They were Bellingham’s 12th and 13th goals in 13 games in all competitions since he joined Madrid this summer, including a Spanish league-leading 10 goals after 11 rounds.

Barcelona went ahead in the sixth minute through former Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan's first goal for his new club. The hosts also hit the woodwork twice before Bellingham equalized.

Bellingham was kept in check by Barcelona's Gavi Paéz until he found space well outside the box to unleash a strike in the 68th that swerved past Marc-Andre ter Stegen and hit the corner of the net.

Bellingham then tapped in the stoppage-time winner when a cross by Dani Carvajal deflected by Luka Modric fell to him in front of the goal.

The rival players and coaches agreed that Bellingham’s sizzling equalizer changed a game that, until shortly before his strike, Barcelona had controlled.

“The equalizer changed the dynamic of the game,” Madric coach Carlo Ancelotti said, adding that the 20-year-old Bellingham plays “like a veteran.”

Bellingham has transformed into a clinical finisher since moving to Spain’s capital. In all of last season he had 14 goals for former club Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

While his equalizer was a precise and powerful strike, his winner was a goal of instinct and knowing where to be in the final seconds just in case the ball came his way.

As Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández put it: “Bellingham is a great player, but he is also in a state of grace.”

Madrid remained top, level on points with second-place Girona. Barcelona is in third place at four points back.

JUDE VS GAVI

Barcelona dictated the first half, and Gundogan’s insistence on chasing a ball that Madrid appeared to be certain to control or clear paid off with Barcelona’s early goal.

Gundogan worked a quick passing combination with Ferran Torres, but it was a poor touch by Aurélien Tchouaméni that let Gundogan continue his run forward past Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba, who were both slow to react. Alaba failed to kick the ball to safety and Gundogan only had to tap it past Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Barcelona went for a second goal and almost found it when Gavi stripped the ball from Toni Kroos near Madrid’s area and set up Fermín López, whose shot hit the post.

Barcelona’s Íñigo Martínez headed off the post in the 51st and Kepa had to turn away Ronald Araújo’s attempt to put in the rebound.

“They had 25 good minutes and scored twice, and we had a good 60 minutes and only scored once,” Xavi said. “I sincerely think that, if one team should have won today, it was Barca. But Madrid is like this. If you don’t finish them off, they come back and kill you.”

The game between the two Spanish powerhouses featured a fascinating showdown between Bellingham and Barcelona’s 19-year-old Gavi, a rivalry that promises to continue for years to come.

Gavi, an expert and aggressive tackler, might have won almost all the individual battles, stripping Bellingham of the ball several times, but it was Bellingham who was celebrating after his decisive brace in one of the world’s most watched soccer games.

“(Bellingham’s) first goal changed the game,” Gavi said, before adding about his own performance: “It didn’t mean a thing since we didn’t win.”

Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona’s top scorer, began the game on the bench and went on for the final half hour to little effect. The striker received a medical clearance before kickoff that he had recovered from an injury that had sidelined him for several weeks.

STONES VS BEATLES

Rock legend

Mick Jagger attended the game

at Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium to see Barcelona’s players wear special jerseys featuring the Rolling Stones’ iconic “hot lips” logo in place of the club's normal shirt sponsor.

Madrid had a bit of fun with the alliance between the Stones and Barcelona after the game. It posted an image of Bellingham with the message “The Beatles were always my favorite band” on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Bellingham's fans have often sung Beatles hit “Hey Jude” to praise the player.

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