Kylian Mbappé scored twice, including an 87th-minute winner, as Real Madrid secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou. The result dealt a blow to Barcelona’s hopes of making La Liga history and strengthened Madrid’s position in the title race.
Barcelona entered Sunday’s clash hoping to become the first team to begin a season in one of Europe’s top five leagues with 10 consecutive victories. They also had a chance to extend their lead over Madrid, but Mbappé’s late strike ensured the visitors claimed all three points.
Mbappé Gives Real Madrid the Lead
Real Madrid started aggressively, looking to silence the home crowd and take control of the contest.
Their pressure paid off in the 41st minute when Gerard Martín’s attempted clearance deflected off Mbappé and found the back of the net. Although the French forward benefited from a fortunate deflection, the goal gave Madrid a crucial advantage before half-time.
Barcelona struggled to contain Madrid’s counter-attacks, with Mbappé and Yan Diomande creating dangerous opportunities. Mbappé also struck the inside of the post, although the assistant referee had already flagged him offside.
Barcelona had opportunities of their own, but Lamine Yamal failed to convert a promising first-half chance.
Raphinha Brings Barcelona Back Into the Game
Barcelona increased their attacking pressure after the break and eventually found an equaliser shortly after the hour mark.
Raphinha scored his 13th league goal of the season after Pedri picked him out on the right side of the penalty area. The Brazilian’s powerful effort proved too difficult for Madrid goalkeeper Andrii Lunin to handle.
The equaliser lifted the home crowd and gave Barcelona renewed hope of securing a victory.
Lunin responded with an excellent one-handed save to deny Martín’s header. He also benefited from some fortune as Yamal failed to find the target with two further attempts.
Mbappé Strikes Again to Secure Madrid’s Victory
Just when Barcelona appeared to be gaining momentum, Real Madrid delivered the decisive blow in the 87th minute.
Jude Bellingham played a crucial role in the move before substitute Eduardo Camavinga surged down the right flank and delivered a pass across the goal. Mbappé finished from close range into an unguarded net to restore Madrid’s lead.
The goal sparked celebrations among the Madrid players and coaching staff, while Barcelona were left with little time to respond.
Mbappé’s late strike completed his brace and secured a valuable victory for the visitors.
Mbappé Strengthens His Ballon d’Or Credentials
The El Clásico victory came just 24 hours before the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London, with Mbappé and Yamal among the leading contenders for the award.
Although the voting had already closed, Mbappé delivered a timely reminder of his quality with a match-winning performance against Madrid’s biggest rivals.
His two goals took his tally to five across two appearances against Barcelona as a Real Madrid player. According to the match report, that is the highest total by a Madrid player against Barcelona over that span since the start of the 2013-14 season, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, who scored four each.
Lamine Yamal Struggles to Make an Impact
While Mbappé enjoyed a memorable evening, Yamal endured a difficult outing for Barcelona.
The young forward missed a significant first-half opportunity and failed to score with any of his five attempts. His efforts carried a combined expected goals (xG) value of 0.51, the highest among Barcelona players in the match.
Yamal also failed to create a chance and completed 47 of his 76 passes, recording a pass completion rate of 76.6%.
His performance contrasted sharply with Mbappé’s decisive contribution, as Madrid capitalised on their opportunities to secure the victory.
Mourinho Maintains Impressive El Clásico Record
Real Madrid’s victory also extended José Mourinho’s unbeaten run in El Clásico matches to six games, with four wins and two draws, according to the match report.
He became the third Real Madrid coach to achieve such a run, following Miguel Muñoz and Vicente del Bosque, who each recorded seven-match unbeaten streaks against Barcelona.
The result denied Barcelona the opportunity to open up a nine-point lead over Madrid and achieve a historic start to the league season.
Real Madrid Claim Crucial Three Points
Mbappé’s brace proved decisive in a fiercely contested El Clásico, with Real Madrid showing their attacking quality at crucial moments.
Barcelona fought back through Raphinha but could not prevent the visitors from securing a late victory. With Mbappé delivering under pressure and Madrid extending their impressive record in the fixture, the result could prove significant in the ongoing La Liga title race.