Barcelona are closing in on winning LaLiga after a thrilling 4-3 victory over Real Madrid, despite Kylian Mbappe scoring a hat-trick in a topsy-turvy Clasico. 

Licking their wounds following a heartbreaking Champions League defeat to Inter in midweek, Barca found themselves 2-0 down inside 14 minutes at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Sunday.

Mbappe's early double made him the highest-scoring Madrid goalscorer in their debut season with the club, yet Barca surged back to take a 4-2 lead courtesy of Eric Garcia, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.

With Mbappe's hat-trick goal putting Madrid back in contention, substitute Victor Munoz fluffed his lines 70 seconds after coming on with a golden chance.

Birthday boy Fermin Lopez thought he had capped off a remarkable win with a stunning solo effort, but it was disallowed for offside.

Barca, though, are now seven points clear at the summit, and within one win of the title.

The chaos started in the third minute – Wojciech Szczesny felled Mbappe after Pau Cubarsi's rushed clearance had put the Madrid forward through, with the penalty standing after a VAR check.

Mbappe made no mistake with a drilled finish into the bottom-left corner, and it was a similar story when the France star raced onto Vinicius Junior's throughball and coolly slotted home.

Barca were furious that the goal was allowed to stand, claiming Yamal had been fouled in the build-up, but the Blaugrana translated that frustration into an incredible fightback.

Thibaut Courtois kept out a stunning long-range drive from Gerard Martin, but Garcia popped up to head in from the resulting corner.

Yamal's exquisite first-time finish restored parity, and Barca had the lead two minutes later when Pedri fed Raphinha, who arrowed in beyond Courtois.

Mbappe seemed to have won another penalty when he took a tumble under Frenkie de Jong's challenge, only for it to be overturned due to offside.

Moments later, it was 4-2 - Raphinha robbing Lucas Vazquez, combining with Ferran Torres and side-footing in from close range.

Mbappe and Yamal saw goals disallowed either side of half-time, before the former completed his hat-trick in the 70th minute, tapping home at the end of a sweeping counter-attack.

Barca were unhappy when referee Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez did not change his mind on a potential handball by Aurelien Tchouameni, having consulted the pitchside monitor after waving away the initial penalty appeals.

Munoz should have made Madrid's fortune count, yet blazed over with just Szczesny to beat.

Mbappe turned in from an offside position in stoppage time, prior to Lopez seeing a sublime goal ruled out, as an incredible Clasico finished off in fittingly dramatic fashion.

Four-midable Barca on the brink

Hansi Flick was kicking every ball down on the touchline, and he knows the importance of this victory over Barca's arch rivals.

The German has now won each of his first four Clasicos. Of all coaches in the history of the fixture, only Pep Guardiola (five between 2008 and 2010) has previously guided Barca to at least four straight wins over Madrid.

After the 4-3 loss to Inter on Tuesday, Flick vowed that Barca would not change their approach. It was befitting, then, that they won this game by the same scoreline.

They had to do it the hard way, but their rampant attack has been the best in Europe this season, and against a ramshackle Madrid defence, the Blaugrana's superstars had a field day, even though Robert Lewandowski, still hunting for his 100th Barca goal, did not get on the pitch.

Ferran finished with three assists, while Raphinha has been involved in seven goals in four matches against Madrid this season (five goals and two assists). Only Lionel Messi (eight in 2011-12) has contributed to more goals for Barca in Clasicos in a single season this century.

Barca had 23 shots and finished with a whopping 4.16 expected goals (xG). With six goals having been scored by half-time, this was the Clasico with the joint-second-most first-half goals, alongside encounters in February 1935 and January 1943. 

But that is part of Barca's brilliance. Sure, they give teams a chance, but in attack, they are sensational.

They have equalled their best ever season in terms of Clasico wins (four, alongside 1982-83), and are unbeaten in 16 LaLiga matches.

Barca will be worthy champions, now it is just a case of getting over the line.

Mbappe magic not enough

Mbappe has at times been maligned this season, and it is fair to say that his presence has seemingly disrupted the brutally efficient team that Carlo Ancelotti assembled last season.

Yet on an individual level, Mbappe has shone, and he has now netted 39 times in all competitions this term.

That is a record for a Madrid player in their debut season at the club, with Mbappe overtaking Ivan Zamorano, who scored 37 goals in his first campaign with Los Blancos in 1992-93.

He became the third player to score a Clasico hat-trick in the 21st century, after Lionel Messi (twice) and Luis Suarez, and the first to do so for Madrid in the fixture since Zamorano in January 1995.

But it was not enough for Madrid, whose defensive fragility cost them, even if their 2.66 xG from just nine shots shows they created quality opportunities (albeit one of those was a penalty).

If speculation is to be believed, there will be an announcement coming soon about Ancelotti's future at the club. He is expected to depart, making way for Xabi Alonso, who has confirmed he will be leaving Bayer Leverkusen.

Ancelotti will leave Madrid with 15 trophies under his belt, but he never did like facing Barca.

Indeed, across his illustrious career, Ancelotti has faced Barca 26 times, losing 13 of those matches, which is more defeats than he has suffered against any other team.