Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid beat La Liga leaders Barcelona 2-1 in El Clasico at Camp Nou on Sunday. The win cuts the gap to the top of the table to three points.
Mbappe opened the scoring before half-time and struck again late in the match. His second goal came after Raphinha had equalised for the champions, and it gave Barcelona their first domestic defeat of the campaign.
Mbappe’s double lifts Real Madrid back into the title race
Real Madrid remain third, behind Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Their result was their fifth straight win across all competitions, and they achieved it without suspended winger Vinicius Junior.
Also read: El Clasico: Barcelona vs Real Madrid rivalry explained
Madrid turned back to Mourinho after two seasons without a trophy, hoping he could stop Barcelona’s dominance. According to the report, the result will give them confidence that they are heading in the right direction under the veteran Portuguese coach.
Mbappe’s second goal was his 10th league goal of the season, and it was also his easiest. Barcelona defender Gerard Martin cleared a cross straight at the Frenchman, and he deflected the ball into the net.
Barcelona’s difficult week under Hansi Flick
Barcelona had won their first nine games before a chastening week. They suffered a second straight defeat after losing to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday in the Champions League.
Since Hansi Flick arrived, Barcelona had won six of the previous seven Clasicos. Against Mourinho’s side, however, they were surprisingly subdued for much of the match.
Midfielder Pedri admitted the team had not played well. “In general, we didn’t have a great game. In the first half, we weren’t ourselves; there were a lot of things we could have done better,” he said in post-match comments.
He added: “We wanted to win the Clasico in front of our fans, but the season is very long… a league is not won here.”
How the Clasico turned at Camp Nou
The opening period was cagey, with few chances for either side. Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi twice reacted well to shut down Mbappe, while Madrid’s Marc Cucurella constantly grabbed at 19-year-old winger Lamine Yamal.
Anthony Gordon, playing in his first Clasico since joining Barcelona from Newcastle, back-heeled the ball to Raphinha, whose effort went narrowly wide. The hosts then suffered a setback when young defender Xavi Espart pulled up hurt, and he was replaced by Alejandro Balde before the half-hour mark.
Andriy Lunin, who started in goal for Madrid after Thibaut Courtois withdrew from the squad with flu, made a save at his near post to deny Gordon. Shortly afterwards, Madrid took the lead through Mbappe’s easy finish.
Barcelona then created a glorious chance to equalise, but Yamal miscued in front of goal and fired wide when poised to level. Yan Diomande came close to doubling Madrid’s advantage before half-time, drilling the ball into the side netting.
Martin made amends early in the second half by holding off Jude Bellingham, who could neither beat the defender nor find a free Mbappe. Raphinha, who had been quiet in the first half, then levelled just after the hour mark. Pedri supplied the pass, and the Brazilian, La Liga’s top scorer with 13 goals, fired through Bellingham’s legs for a shot Lunin could not keep out.
Lunin made a superb save to deny Martin a corner as Barcelona pushed forward. Yamal bent an effort wide with Lunin at full stretch, and substitute Frenkie de Jong had a shot blocked by Dean Huijsen.
Madrid struck on the counter-attack when substitute Gabriel Jesus lost possession. Eduardo Camavinga beat Cubarsi and cut the ball back for Mbappe, who tucked it into an empty net after Joan Garcia had been drawn out of position.
