In Xabi Alonso’s first Clásico on the touchline, Real Madrid snapped their four-game losing streak to Barcelona with a 2–1 victory on Sunday afternoon.

Los Blancos came into the all-important fixture with redemption on the mind after suffering four defeats to their biggest rivals last season. An electric atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabéu set the perfect stage for the biggest match in Spanish football.

A flurry of drama and goals in the first half ultimately determined the game. Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham got on the scoresheet for Real Madrid while Fermín López bagged Barcelona’s lone goal of the match.

The victory for Alonso’s men puts the 15-time European champions five points clear of their bitter rivals, firmly retaining their place atop the La Liga standings.

Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Barcelona (4-2-3-1)

Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé
Jude Bellingham (left) and Kylian Mbappé starred for Real Madrid. | Maria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Thibaut Courtois—6.9: Did not have much to do at the Bernabéu thanks to his defense’s strong performance.

RB: Federico Valverde—7.3: Filled in admirably on the right flank. The Uruguayan did well to limit Marcus Rashford’s impact on the game, but will be an injury concern moving forward.

CB: Éder Militão—8.0: An unsung hero. Militão stopped everything that came in his path, making key blocks and tackles to preserve Real Madrid’s victory.

CB: Dean Huijsen—7.4: Rose to the occasion of his first Clásico. Huijsen hunkered down in the second half to completely stifle Ferran Torres.

LB: Álvaro Carreras—7.0: Had the hardest assignment on the pitch and delivered. Carreras silenced Lamine Yamal in key moments in a redemptive performance after his struggles in the Madrid derby.

DM: Eduardo Camavinga—7.5: Produced defensive efforts that won’t show up on the scoresheet, but deserve praise. Camavinga’s tackling and speed tracking back saved Real Madrid on more than one occasion.

DM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—7.8: Hardly put a foot wrong. Tchouaméni was an effective shield as any in front of his backline on Sunday afternoon.

RW: Arda Güler—6.4: A nonfactor. Güler all-but gifted López his goal and lacked quality service in the final third.

AM: Jude Bellingham—8.3: Back to his best. Bellingham delivered a vintage performance, bagging a goal and an assist thanks to his tenacious runs into the box and elite vision with the ball at his feet.

LW: Vinícius Júnior—7.2: Got the better of Jules Koundé when it mattered most, but his night will be remembered for heading down the tunnel in hysterics after being subbed off.

ST: Kylian Mbappé—7.7: His missed penalty stains an otherwise dominant performance in which the Frenchman used his speed and finishing ability to punish Barcelona.

Subs not used: Andriy Lunin (GK), Ferland Mendy, Fran García, Raúl Asencio, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Endrick, Franco Mastantuono.

Barcelona (4-2-3-1)

Starting XI: Wojciech Szczęsny; Jules Koundé, Eric García, Pau Cubarsí, Alejandro Balde; Frenkie de Jong, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Fermín López, Marcus Rashford; Ferran Torres.

Subs used: Ronald Araújo, Marc Casadó, Gerard Martín, Roony Bardghji.

Real Madrid Player of the Match: Jude Bellingham

Player of the Match: Wojciech Szczęsny (Barcelona)

Real Madrid 2–1 Barcelona—How It Unfolded at the Santiago Bernabéu

Kylian Mbappé
Kylian Mbappé has now scored six goals against Barcelona since joining Real Madrid. | Mateo Villalba/Getty Images

Controversy took center stage in El Clásico just minutes after the opening whistle sounded. Lamine Yamal executed a poor tackle on Vinícius Júnior inside the penalty area that promoted referee César Soto Grado to immediately point to the spot, seemingly giving Real Madrid the early edge.

Yet after a VAR review, the official waved away the penalty and called a foul on Vinícius in a rather perplexing decision, one that dismayed the sea of white shirts at the Bernabéu.

VAR stole the show once again in the 12th minute. Mbappé looked to put the hosts in front with a sensational strike on the half-volley, but the Frenchman’s goal was disallowed in a tight offside decision.

Still, it felt like only a matter of time before Mbappé got the better of Barcelona’s high line. At his next opportunity, the 26-year-old timed his run to perfection and got on the end of a brilliant ball from Jude Bellingham to bag his sixth career El Clásico goal.

Real Madrid kept the pressure on Barcelona, sending shot after shot the way of Wojciech Szczęsny, but could not find a second goal. Instead, it was the visitors to get on the scoresheet next thanks to a poor mistake by Arda Güler.

The Türkiye international was indecisive in possession at the edge of his own box and lost the ball to Pedri, which ultimately led to the Catalans’ equalizer. Marcus Rashford found a streaking López, who calmly made it 1–1 in the 38th minute.

Los Blancos had the last laugh before halftime, though. Vinícius displayed a brilliant bit of skill to get past Jules Koundé on the left flank before lofting a hopeful ball into the box. Éder Militão headed it back across the face of goal to find Bellingham waiting to tap in the go-ahead goal.

Real Madrid had the opportunity to take a two-goal lead almost straight out of the tunnel when Eric García was whistled for a controversial handball inside the penalty area. Mbappé, though, saw his effort from 12 yards out saved by Szczęsny.

The hosts’ biggest adversary on the night was the offside flag. Mbappé saw a second goal wiped away for offsides at the end of the first half and Bellingham was also denied a brace in the 70th minute.

Barcelona had a golden chance to bag an equalizer via Koundé, who found himself through on goal thanks to a brilliant ball from Yamal, but the defender squandered the chance, effectively ending any opportunity the visitors had of getting back into the game.

The contest ended in late drama as tensions boiled over both on the pitch and the touchline, with Pedri receiving a second yellow card in the dying seconds of El Clásico. Still, Real Madrid will only care about collecting three points.

Real Madrid vs. Barcelona Halftime Stats

Real Madrid vs. Barcelona Full Time Statistics

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Barcelona: Bellingham Back to His Best in Cathartic Clasico .