Barcelona’s promising start to the La Liga season faltered as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice to secure a victory in the highly anticipated Clasico encounter. The match marked Jose Mourinho’s return to the venue as Real Madrid’s coach, and his side closed the gap to within three points of league leaders Barcelona.
Mbappé opened the scoring in the 41st minute under fortunate circumstances when Barcelona defender Gerard Martín’s clearance attempt inadvertently bounced off the French forward and into the net. Barcelona responded early in the second half through Raphinha, who converted a precise pass from Pedri by firing the ball between the legs of Madrid goalkeeper Jude Bellingham to make it 1-1.
The game’s defining moment for Barcelona came just before halftime when 19-year-old Lamine Yamal missed a close-range opportunity to equalize. Yamal, who has been instrumental this season with 10 goals and 10 assists across La Liga and the Champions League, was left devastated after failing to capitalize on a clear chance, influencing the overall momentum of the match. Despite his promising individual performances, Yamal’s miss underscored Barcelona’s struggles to convert chances in key moments.
Madrid ultimately secured the win in the 87th minute when substitute Eduardo Camavinga advanced down the field, drew out Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García, and assisted Mbappé, who easily finished the goal. The victory was a significant boost for Mourinho, who celebrated emphatically in the dugout, drawing attention given his contentious history with Barcelona from his previous coaching stint at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013.
Barcelona had previously achieved a record-tying run of nine consecutive wins to start the league season, matching a record set by Madrid in the 1968-69 campaign. Sunday’s loss ended their pursuit of a 10th straight win and extended their recent run of setbacks to two, following a 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick emphasized the importance of small margins in "big games," acknowledging the team’s first league defeat of the season.
The result maintained a competitive title race, keeping the pressure on Barcelona while providing a timely lift for Real Madrid, which had faced increasing scrutiny after a derby loss to Atletico Madrid earlier in the season. Both Mbappé and Yamal remain leading contenders for the Ballon d’Or, with the winner to be announced in London on Monday, though this match saw Mbappé emerge decisively on the pitch.