Barcelona’s supremacy in El Clásico persists with no indication of waning.
MADRID — For the second time within five days, Barcelona demonstrated their dominance over Real Madrid, securing a 3-0 victory at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, bringing them close to clinching a seventh consecutive Liga F title.
Goals from Ona Batlle, Alexia Putellas, and an own goal by Maëlle Lakrar ensured a win that placed leaders Barça 13 points ahead of second-placed Madrid with only six matches remaining.
This triumph followed Barça’s previous 6-2 rout of Madrid at the same venue in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
– UWCL talking points: How can VAR improve? Can Madrid keep Caicedo?
– Barcelona remind Real Madrid who reigns supreme in UWCL
– Is there extra time, away goals in the Women’s Champions League?
A trilogy of consecutive Clásicos will conclude on Thursday when the teams meet again at Camp Nou for the second leg of that quarterfinal matchup. At this stage, it appears to be a matter of how many goals Barça will score rather than if Madrid can achieve an improbable comeback.
Pau Quesada’s team struggled on Sunday, managing only one shot on target, and they may have been relieved to escape with just a three-goal loss.
What a difference a year can make.
It was around this time in 2025 when Madrid secured their first-ever victory against Barça — and also defeated Arsenal, before ultimately losing the tie in Europe — showcasing a performance that indicated the gap between the two rivals was narrowing.
As Madrid continued to enhance their squad, focusing on Linda Caicedo, who impressed on Thursday but was less impactful on Sunday, Barça opted to reduce spending last summer, allowing squad players to depart and promoting youth to fill the roster.
However, what seemed like a chance for Madrid to gain ground has not materialized.
Barça’s young players have thrived throughout the season, with midfielder Clara Serrajordi and defender Aïcha Cámara excelling as they started both Clásicos this week.
Serrajordi was an unexpected choice in midfield last Thursday, integrating smoothly alongside Putellas and Patri Guijarro, while Cámara, who had played as a full-back earlier in the season, has been outstanding in central defense in Mapi León’s absence.
Sydney Schertenleib and Vicky López are both more seasoned than Serrajordi and Cámara, yet they are still teenagers and have contributed to the victories over Madrid.
This has meant that even in the absence of the world’s best player, three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí, who is currently sidelined due to injury, the Blaugrana have decisively defeated Madrid in their own territory twice within a week.
Sunday’s match differed from Wednesday’s encounter, with Madrid applying less pressure and allowing Barça to maintain possession, but it was never truly competitive after Batlle’s long-range shot was deflected past goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez in the 18th minute.
A goal-line clearance by Rocío Gálvez from a Putellas attempt kept Madrid theoretically in the match heading into halftime, but the situation quickly shifted in the second half.
Captain Putellas netted Barça’s second goal in the 51st minute after Caroline Graham Hansen had outmaneuvered Yasmim, prompting Rodríguez to call an impromptu team meeting for Madrid’s players just outside her box as they regrouped.
This had little impact. Four minutes later, Lakrar redirected a Batlle cross past Rodríguez at her near post, and the final half hour turned into target practice for Barça.
Irene Paredes shot just wide, a Salma Paralluelo attempt was cleared off the line, Rodríguez saved efforts from Esmee Brugts and López, and Clàudia Pina could only find the side netting late on after rounding Rodríguez.
Despite coasting, Barça takes satisfaction in defeating Madrid, maintaining their intensity even when out of reach, and they will anticipate more goals in Thursday’s third encounter between the teams in a week.
Guijarro labeled Wednesday’s 6-2 victory as “historic,” but there must be an understanding that Barça would ultimately gain from a stronger Madrid — and a more competitive Liga F overall.
After a week in which Barça has made significant progress toward winning both the Champions League and Liga F — with 23 wins from 24 matches, two more victories from their final six will secure them an 11th league title — that question has never been more pertinent.
Since Madrid’s win last March, Barça has now claimed five consecutive Clásico fixtures by an aggregate score of 19-2. Any discussions regarding Madrid closing the gap have been decisively silenced.
“Madrid might be getting better,” López remarked last week. “But so are we.”
