The confrontation marred an otherwise hard-fought contest at the Santiago Bernabéu, which saw the hosts secure a vital league victory.
Early dominance from Real Madrid was rewarded when Kylian Mbappé slotted home a through ball from Jude Bellingham in the 22nd minute. Barcelona responded just before the break, with Fermín López capitalizing on a defensive error to level the score in the 38th minute.
The parity was short-lived, however, as Jude Bellingham restored Real Madrid's lead minutes later, tapping in from close range in the 43rd minute after an inspired run and cross by Vinícius Júnior. The second half saw a penalty save from Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny denying Mbappé a brace, keeping the visitors in the game.
Tensions, which had been simmering throughout the second half, reached a boiling point after the final whistle. The catalyst appeared to be the dismissal of Barcelona midfielder Pedri in the dying moments of the match for a second bookable offense.
As the referee brought the match to an end, players from both sides immediately engaged in a heated post-game confrontation near the center circle. The altercation quickly escalated, involving shoves and verbal altercations among the players and staff, forcing the rapid deployment of security personnel onto the field to separate the rivals.
The match result solidifies Real Madrid's position at the top of the LaLiga table, moving them five points clear of their Catalan adversaries.
The football federation is expected to review the incident, which resulted in further bookings and a straight red card for Real Madrid's substitute goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who left the bench to join the fray. The victory ends a run of four consecutive El Clásico defeats for Real Madrid and is a significant achievement for manager Xabi Alonso.
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