Real Madrid have taken a huge step toward winning the Spanish league title after beating Barcelona 3-2 with a stoppage-time goal by Jude Bellingham in the final "clasico" of the season.
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Barcelona twice took the lead at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium but Madrid came back to win for a comfortable 11-point cushion over their second-placed rivals entering the final six rounds.
Bellingham scored the winning goal one minute into stoppage time with a left-footed strike into the top of the net after a cross toward the far post by Lucas Vazquez.
"He hadn't scored in a while but scored a goal that could be crucial for us winning the Spanish league," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said of the 20-year-old England midfielder.
It was the third straight win for Madrid over Barcelona this season. Madrid are unbeaten in 26 league games, since losing at Atletico Madrid in September.
"The title is a lot closer now. It was a vital match, we had to win it, and we did it," added Ancelotti.
Barcelona, the defending league champions, came to the Spanish capital looking to revive their title chances and took an early lead with a goal by Andreas Christensen six minutes into the match.
The hosts equalised with Vinicius Junior converting an 18th-minute penalty kick before Barcelona went ahead again with Fermin Lopez's goal in the 69th. Vazquez, who also set up the penalty converted by Vinicius, evened the match again after a cross by Vinicius in the 73rd.
The clasico came four days after Madrid eliminated Manchester City on penalties in England to advance to the Champions League semi-finals. Barcelona had been eliminated a day earlier by Paris Saint-Germain after a loss at home, leaving the league as their only title opportunity for the season.
Goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, the hero for Madrid in the shootout against City, miscalculated a cross into the area in Barcelona's first goal and failed to fully clear a ball in front of the goal in the second.
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong left the field on a stretcher late in the first half after hurting his right leg in a clash with Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde.
Atletico Madrid followed up their Champions League elimination with a 2-0 loss at Alaves in the Spanish league, missing a chance to strengthen their hold on fourth place.
The defeat against 13th-place Alaves kept Atletico only three points ahead of fifth-place Athletic Bilbao in the fight for a Champions League spot next season. Athletic had been held to a 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Granada at home on Friday.
Atletico failed to advance in the Champions League after losing to Borussia Dortmund 5-4 on aggregate following a 4-2 loss in Germany on Tuesday.
Alaves won with goals by Carlos Benavidez in the 15th minute and Luis Rioja in second-half stoppage time.
In other results, sixth-place Real Sociedad were held 1-1 at midtable Getafe, while ninth-place Villarreal won 2-1 at last-place Almeria.
Australian Associated Press
