Real Madrid fell 4-0 to Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu, but the Clasico was marked by tensions both on and off the field. Carlo Ancelotti was visibly irritated by what he deemed overly provocative celebrations from the Barcelona bench following the fourth goal. This emphatic victory secures Barcelona a comfortable six-point lead over Madrid in La Liga, and the match turned into a much bigger spectacle than expected.
The game took a turn during Barcelona’s fourth goal, scored by Raphinha. Several members of the Barcelona bench crossed over into Madrid’s technical area to celebrate exuberantly. Rather than a discreet acknowledgment of a significant goal, substitutes and certain technical staff members openly displayed their joy towards the Madrid personnel. This gesture was perceived as disrespectful and did not sit well with Ancelotti, who made his dissatisfaction known to Barça coach Hansi Flick.
Assistant coach Marcus Song at the center of the controversy
Ancelotti primarily directed his frustration at Marcus Song, Flick’s assistant. In a post-match press conference, the Italian coach acknowledged Barcelona’s joy in their victory but criticized certain behaviors as inappropriate. “The issue came from one of Barça’s assistants, not Flick,” he clarified. Song’s celebratory approach toward Madrid’s bench was seen by Ancelotti as crossing the line beyond the spirit of the game. Following the match, the Real Madrid coach discussed the incident with Song and referee Sánchez Martínez, stressing his view of the incident as lacking sportsmanship.
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