Real Madrid Stuns Barcelona with 5-1 Triumph at Camp NouReal Madrid Stuns Barcelona with 5-1 Triumph at Camp Nou In a pulsating Clasico encounter at Camp Nou, Real Madrid delivered a stunning performance to thrash Barcelona 5-1, leaving their bitter rivals reeling. The match started as a cagey affair, but Madrid seized the initiative in the 27th minute when Karim Benzema coolly slotted home from the penalty spot. The goal ignited the match, and just two minutes later, Federico Valverde doubled the visitors’ lead with a sublime long-range strike. Barcelona struggled to respond, and Madrid continued to pile on the pressure. Ferland Mendy made it 3-0 with a brilliant finish in the 35th minute, leaving the home side in disarray. Xavi’s men looked desperate after the restart, but their hopes of a comeback evaporated in the 51st minute when Benzema struck again, this time with a clinical header. Rodrygo completed the rout in the 91st minute, tapping home from close range to seal a historic victory. Real Madrid’s victory marked their first triumph at Camp Nou since 2019 and extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to seven matches. It also dealt a crushing blow to Barcelona’s title hopes, as they now trail their arch-rivals by 11 points in the La Liga standings. Karim Benzema was the star of the show for Madrid, scoring twice and assisting another. The French striker has now scored 16 goals in 14 appearances against Barcelona, making him the highest-scoring player in the history of the Clasico. Barcelona, meanwhile, were left shell-shocked by the result. Manager Xavi admitted his team were “not good enough in many aspects of the game.” The defeat raises serious questions about the team’s progress under the Spaniard, who has now suffered his heaviest loss as a coach. The Clasico victory was a statement of intent from Real Madrid. They proved that they are still the dominant force in Spanish football and will be a formidable opponent in the Champions League this season. Barcelona, on the other hand, have work to do if they want to challenge for major honors anytime soon.
