Raphinha scored twice as he overcame the two-target deficit at Barcelona to score a crucial 4-3 home victory in Sunday's Pulse Clasico to beat rival Real Madrid and bring them closer to the Laliga title.
The victory extended Barcelona's lead to No. 1, reaching seven points over second-place Real Madrid's lead with three games left. Another victory will win the Catalan's 28th Spanish League title.
Barcelona beat Madrid for the fourth time in all games this season, and both sides showed their usual defensive weaknesses in less than a month.
"At this level of game, you have to defend well, attack well," said Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti after the game. "We attacked well, but in those 30 minutes, we made some obvious mistakes. They cost us."
Barcelona appears to be a stronger and well-organized team that dominated possession and created several opportunities that were rejected by the inspiring goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who prevented Real from losing more.
Hansi Flick's side could win the Laliga title as early as Wednesday if Real Madrid fails to win in Mallorca. But regardless of Madede's outcome, Barcelona's Barcelona victory against Espiro on Thursday will guarantee the Catalans' title.
Madrid made a start at the Montzuck Olympic Stadium, with support from Kylian Mbappé giving them a two-goal advantage.
In the fifth minute, he opened up from free throw percentage after goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny fouled in the box and expanded his lead with a nine-minute quick counter in Vinicius Junior's assist.
However, Barcelona responded quickly to Eric García, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, all of which found the network in 15 minutes to overturn the deficit.
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Garcia came home from a corner in the 19th minute, while Yamal scored the equalizer in the 32nd point and showed him with another great skill to bend a great shot at the right corner of the box outside the box while in the distance inside and within the distant post.
Two minutes later, Mbappé made a bad mistake in the midfield, bringing Barca the Ball to the ball, Raphinha quickly launched the counter and put his lead through the helpless Courtois with a neat result.
"We have to defend better," Ancelotti added. "It's obvious that we defend it, that's it. It's not about low barriers. We gave them some chances, and they punished us."
Madrid thought they won the second fine in the 43rd minute, but it was overturned due to offside of the seat, and one minute later Captain Lucas Vazquez's expensive mistake gave Raphinha the goal to lead.
Barcelona returned strongly in the second half and denied several chances due to a series of amazing saves by Courtois.
However, when Mbappé reduced the deficit in the 70th minute after Vinícius made a quick counterattack, they were shocked, and Vinícius ran to the right and placed it on the plate to get France forward to complete his hat trick.
However, last year’s championships were unable to recover, putting them on the brink of a season without silverware.
Yamal told Movistar Plus that they were eliminated in the semifinals and lost to Inter Milan in the heartbreaking mid-week mid-week.
“Pain is what makes you strong and what teaches you to correct the mistakes you make. They don’t create any clear opportunities other than their goals.
"It's very important to win closer to the league title today. We're very happy."