Late goal by Messi gives Barcelona dramatic win over Madrid
Lionel Messi scored in the last minute to give Barcelona a dramatic 3-2 win over 10-man Real Madrid on Sunday, leaving the Spanish league title race wide open.
Messi netted from inside the area after a cross by Jordi Alba two minutes into stoppage time of the "clasico," leaving the rivals level on points.
Barcelona is ahead on the head-to-head tiebreaker, but Madrid still has a game in hand.
Casemiro had put the hosts ahead in the 28th and Messi equalized five minutes later after evading two defenders inside the area for his first goal at the Bernabeu since 2014.
Ivan Rakitic put Barcelona ahead with a powerful left-footed shot from outside the area in the 73rd, but Madrid still found the strength to equalize with substitute James Rodriguez in the 85th. That was despite playing a man down from the 77th after a foul by Sergio Ramos on Messi.
It was the second consecutive win by Barcelona at the Bernabeu. It had routed its rival 4-0 last season in a game that left Madrid in crisis and eventually led to the replacement of coach Rafa Benitez by Zinedine Zidane.
