Kylian Mbappé's 87th-minute winner gave Real Madrid a 2-1 victory at Spotify Camp Nou and moved them to within three points of Barcelona in the LaLiga title race. Madrid went ahead in the 41st minute when Gerard Martín's clearance struck Mbappé and found its way into the net. Raphinha levelled in the second half after being picked out by Pedri, but late on a lightning counter-attack driven by Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga ended with Mbappé completing his brace. The finish was clinical, and it brought up a milestone 100th goal in a Real Madrid shirt for the French star.
"Real Madrid play to win the league, not to win at Camp Nou," José Mourinho insisted after the match. He also praised reserve goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who stepped in for the flu-stricken Thibaut Courtois, and stressed that Federico Valverde had played more than 40 minutes through injury. Victory did not stop the Portuguese from rounding on the VAR officials over what he saw as a glaring error. "I believe the referee had a great game," he said, "but I think the VAR room fell asleep at the start of the second half, when they didn't call the ref to see a clear red card on Joao Cancelo for his stomp on Diomande." Real Madrid winger Yan Diomande left the pitch with the help of the medical staff after Cancelo's challenge, yet the referee did not even award a free kick.
