Barcelona stuns Madrid 4-0 at Bernabéu to end losing streak

MADRID: Barcelona’s losing run against Real Madrid is finally over as the Catalan club enjoyed a stunning 4-0 win Sunday and showed its title hopes in the Spanish league maybe aren’t finished just yet. Barcelona kept its good momentum under coach Xavi Hernández in the last “clásico” of the season, ending a five-match losing streak to its rival and maintaining an outside chance of fighting for the title after a difficult start to its first season without Lionel Messi.

The victory — its first against Madrid since 2019 — came in style, like a few others it got at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium with Messi in his prime. It was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who thrived this time, scoring twice to continue his great streak since being signed in the final minutes of the winter transfer window.

Ronald Araujo and Ferran Torres added a goal each to give Barcelona its seventh win in the last eight matches in all competitions. The result moved Barcelona within 12 points of league leader Madrid with nine rounds to go, and it could further cut the gap to nine points if it wins its game in hand against Rayo Vallecano.

Barcelona is level on points with fourth-place Atlético Madrid and is three points behind second-place Sevilla, which was held 0-0 at home against Real Sociedad earlier Sunday for its third straight draw in the league. Madrid, which badly missed the injured Karim Benzema, was unbeaten in its last eight games in the league, with six wins.

It had beaten its Catalan rival 2-1 at Camp Nou in their first league game last year. Barcelona has been revitalized by Xavi and its attack has been red hot, outscoring opponents 24-5 in its last eight matches, with Aubameyang and Torres combining for 15 goals since arriving at the club this