How Jude Bellingham's stoppage-time El Clasico winner extended Real Madrid's La Liga lead over Barcelona

Barcelona's La Masia academy was considered by many as the driving force behind the all-conquering team of the late noughties and early 2010s.

Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi were all graduates of that academy and all went on to the become the best players in the world in their respective positions.

It is now looking like having a similar effect on the newest iteration of Barcelona with Yamal and Cubarsi among those still a part of the famous set up in Catalonia.

The Athletic's Pol Ballus did a deep dive into Barcelona's treasure trove of talent — which you can read by clicking below.

Carlo Ancelotti and Real Madrid had to watch on as Barcelona lifted the La Liga trophy last season, but they are within touching distance of wrestling back the crown.

"We're very close," Ancelotti said of his side's title chances.

"But Barcelona are a very competitive opponent. It's going to be the same old Clasico."

A disappointing Champions League exit in midweek leaves Barcelona facing a rare season without a trophy.

They will need to win today if they want any chance of lifting silverware at the end of the campaign.

"For us it's the most important game of the season," said Xavi. "We have to win to put pressure on the leaders. If we win, we move within five points (of Real Madrid) and that's the scenario we'd like.

"We have extraordinary respect for Real Madrid. We have four points less than last season when we were leaders.

"We're going to give everything to try and compete against a great team."

On a night when Real Madrid gave absolutely everything on the pitch, exhausted bodies were suddenly transformed at the sight of Antonio Rudiger’s penalty sealing their place in the Champions League semi-finals.

Some embraced the scorer, others went for the man who stopped two of Manchester City’s spot kicks, but everyone ran — except, that is, for their hero goalkeeper. Far from celebrating effusively, Andriy Lunin simply walked calmly back to the centre of the pitch, apparently unfazed.

Jude Bellingham was heading in the opposite direction, towards where the 3,000-plus Madrid fans were gathered. On reaching the away section, the England midfielder leapt into the seats to embrace and sing with them — and he wasn’t alone.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side had fought hard and they would celebrate hard. Once again, the Madridistas had made it to a semi-final — their 12th in 14 years. In total, they have done it 33 times. The most successful club in the history of the European Cup/Champions League, with 14 trophies to date, and City — who beat them so soundly last season — were their latest victim.

How did they do it? For manager Ancelotti, it was all about "survival".

It was touch and go as to whether Ferland Mendy would be fit to be part of the the Real Madrid squad for today's game, but he has been cleared for inclusion.

The full squad reads like this:

Goalkeepers: Lunin, Kepa, Mario de Luis.

Defenders: Carvajal, Militao, Nacho, Vazquez, Fran Garcia, Rudiger, Mendy.

Midfielders: Bellingham, Kroos, Modric, Camavinga, Valverde, Tchouameni, Ceballos, Guler.

Forwards: Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, Joselu, Brahim.

The Bernabeu looks vey different now to how it looked a few years ago.

In recent years, Barcelona have not fared too badly on their visits there.

The 4-0 win just over two years ago will stand out while they will remember winning the last time they visited.

• March 2, 2023 (Copa del Rey): Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona (Militao [OG])
• October 16, 2022 (La Liga): Real Madrid 3-1 Barcelona (Benzema, Valverde, Rodrygo; Torres)
• March 20, 2022 (La Liga): Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona (Aubameyang [x2], Araujo, Torres)
• March 1, 2020 (La Liga): Real Madrid 2-0 Barcelona (Vinicius Jr, Mariano Diaz)
• March 2, 2019 (La Liga): Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona (Rakitic)

In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to reflect on the Champions League quarter finals; which concluded this week.

First up, Bayern Munich let their experience show by knocking out Arsenal 3-2 on aggregate at the Allianz Arena.

We then head to Manchester as reigning European champions Manchester City failed to retain their crown as they were knocked out on penalties by the perennial Kings of Europe Real Madrid.

We also assess Paris St Germain progressing against a poorly disciplined Barcelona as well as discussing Borussia Dortmund doubling the German contingent in the semi-finals with their win over Atletico Madrid.

And it’s in Germany we remain for the rest of the episode to reflect on the incredible achievement of the Bundesliga’s new champions, Bayer Leverkusen.

Barcelona cannot play at the under-renovation Camp Nou, Xavi is leaving at the end of the season and who knows what is going on financially?

Barca fans would be forgiven for worrying what the future holds for them. But a core of brilliant young talent is helping them through a bleak period.

If they can keep it together, without having to sell to satisfy financial shortcomings, glory will never be far away.

Barcelona's best young talent

• Pedri – 21 years and three months
• Alejandro Balde – 20 years and six months
• Gavi – 19 years and eight months
• Pau Cubarsi – 17 years and two months
• Lamine Yamal – 16 years and nine months

Ahead of such a big game, we want to know what you — The Athletic subscribers — think.

Will Barcelona narrow the gap to Real Madrid? Will Ancelotti's side put one hand on the La Liga trophy?

Discuss things like that and more with fellow fans and subscribers in our matchday discussion which you can find by clicking on 'Discuss' at the top of this page.

We will be featuring some of your messages before, during and after the match so what are you waiting for?

The reason the gap to Real Madrid has stayed at just eight points is because Barcelona have put together a strong run of domestic form themselves.

They have won each of their last four La Liga games, extending their unbeaten run to 10 matches.

And in their last six games in the league, they have not conceded a single goal.

• Barcelona 4-0 Getafe (Raphina, Felix, De Jong, Fermin)
• Athletic Club 0-0 Barcelona
• Barcelona 1-0 Mallorca (Yamal)
• Atletico Madrid 0-3 Barcelona (Felix, Lewandowski, Fermin)
• Barcelona 1-0 Las Palmas (Raphinha)
• Cadiz 0-1 Barcelona (Felix)

There is no surprise to see Real Madrid streaking clear at the top of La Liga when you consider that they have not lost a league match since September 24.

In fact, they have only lost two games all season.

Atletico Madrid have been their kryptonite on both occasions; beating them 3-1 in the league and then 4-2 (after extra time) in the Copa del Rey in January.

If Barcelona want any chance of leapfrogging them in the league between now and the end of the season, they will have to snap that 25-match unbeaten run.

As the club's top goalscorer (and the second top goalscorer in La Liga overall), there surely shouldn't be any criticism of Bellingham... should there?

Well, for the first time in his short career in the Spanish capital, he is just struggling for a bit of form.

Bellingham hasn't scored a club goal since February 10 and that hasn't gone unnoticed. Although, it must be said that this employers are not worried.

As The Athletic's Mario Cortegana wrote prior to the penalty shootout victory against Manchester City on Wednesday — it is still well worth a read.

Barcelona arrived at the first Clasico of the season in excellent form; they had won seven and drawn three of their opening 10 La Liga matches.

But, after scoring inside six minutes thanks to Gundogan, they were handed their first defeat of the season in October.

Jude Bellingham, who could not have started life in Madrid any better, single-handedly turned the game on its head with two goals.

The first of those came in the 68th minute before he secured the victory in the second minute of stoppage time.

Cue the celebration...

You can expect Real Madrid to play more expansively than they did on Wednesday night against Manchester City. Real are used to getting on the front foot and attacking their opponents — but after their Champions League win Carlo Ancelotti confessed the thread of City’s offence had forced him to mix up his tactics.

Ancelotti said: “We defended really, really well. This was about survival. Madrid is a club based on always fighting to stay in situations where there seems to be no way out — but we always find a way.

“By the time the penalty shoot-out came, we were totally convinced we'd go through.

“This is about the only way you can come to City and win. You work, sacrifice and win however you can.”