BARCELONA: Real Madrid battled back to win 2-1 at Barcelona in a nervy La Liga ‘El Clasico’ on Saturday thanks to a stunning brace by top-scorer Jude Bellingham in the second half.

Barca produced a performance full of verve and skill, with midfielder Ilkay Gundogan opening the scoring from close range in the sixth minute by taking advantage of a bad defensive mistake by the visitors.

However, Barca were punished for failing to convert their dominance into goals as Bellingham made the most of the two chances he had in the second half.

First he unleashed an unstoppable strike from range into the upper left corner in the 68th minute and then, in stoppage time, he scored the winner after collecting a Luka Modric pass inside the box to reach 10 goals in the top flight this season.

“He seems like a veteran... the goal to level it totally changed the game,” said coach Carlo Ancelotti of Real’s 20-year-old match-winner. “What was surprising today was his shot, he’s always arriving in the box, today he scored a stupendous goal from in front of the area.”

Bellingham’s brace sent Real to the top of the standings on 28 points, ahead of Girona on goal difference, with both teams four points ahead of Barcelona in third.

Girona had provisionally gone top of Friday after midfielder Yangel Herrera scored a last-gasp goal to snatch a 1-0 home win over Celta Vigo.

Herrera lit up the crowd with a precise low shot from the edge of the box into the corner of the net in the first minute of stoppage time to secure the victory.

Girona have emerged as the season’s unexpected success story so far, with only one loss. Celta are 18th with six points.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2023