[Scoreboard: Real Madrid 3-2 Barcelona]
The scoreboard blinked under a ceiling of noise.
Seventy minutes had gone at the Bernabéu, and the air tasted of iron and adrenaline even as white flags rolled like waves. In the thin strip of blaugrana hidden high up in the stands, the away fans never stopped singing.
No one in the building believed this would finish quietly.
Real Madrid were leading again, and they were determined to dig deep and grind out the win. They came out gnashing. That did not mean they tried to defend though, rather, they continued playing their game.
Arda Güler dropped into the right half‑space, calling for the ball, pirouetting away from Pedri and threading a dagger toward Vinícius.
Koundé matched the run, hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder, forcing the Brazilian wide. And yet, somehow, Vinícius still managed to wriggle free before lashing the ball across goal.
