Mbappé scores twice as Real Madrid end Barcelona's perfect start in the Clásico

Real Madrid became the first side to beat Barcelona in La Liga this season, winning on matchday 10. The opener was a fortunate one: after a cross from Yan Diomande, a Barcelona clearance rebounded off Mbappé and went in on 41 minutes. Raphinha equalised on 61 minutes from a Pedri pass, his 13th LaLiga goal of the season. The winner came three minutes from time, when Jude Bellingham started a counter-attack and Eduardo Camavinga, a second-half substitute, set up Mbappé to score into an empty net.

Barcelona had 18 shots to Madrid's 10, 11 of them from inside the box, but could not find a second goal. Lamine Yamal was left alone with the goalkeeper during a goalmouth scramble and missed the target completely, and Madrid's goalkeeper made a fine save from a Barcelona header after the equaliser. Madrid also had chances before half-time: Mbappé hit the inside of the post but was flagged offside, and Diomande hit the side-netting.

Hansi Flick said his side lacked freshness and physical sharpness after their midweek defeat in Paris. "It's two defeats so of course we are not happy; we are disappointed... We missed a little bit of luck. But they played well, they didn't give us much space," the Barcelona coach said. Pedri said: "In general, we didn't play well. We were not ourselves in the first half."

José Mourinho knee-slid on the touchline after the winner, and his decision to bring on Camavinga for the final ten minutes was called "a masterstroke" by OneFootball. The Madrid coach left his technical area several times to protest refereeing decisions, and afterwards praised the referee but criticised VAR. "Real Madrid doesn't play to win at Camp Nou. Real Madrid plays to win championships," he said.

Barcelona's run of nine straight LaLiga wins is over. They had been trying to become the first team on record in Europe's top five leagues to start a season with 10 straight wins. Mbappé's double brought up his 100th goal for Real Madrid and took him to 8 goals in 7 Clásicos. It was Madrid's first win at Barcelona's ground since 2021. Barcelona's Xavi Espart went off in the first half, and Madrid's Valverde went off injured on 62 minutes.

Barcelona stay top on 27 points, with Madrid three behind on 24. Mourinho said his players would not be allowed to get carried away, pointing to the game at El Sardinero: "If we win today and lose at El Sardinero, today's victory doesn't hold the same weight." Flick said his team had to "disconnect a little bit" and recover its energy, and called the defensive injury list the biggest challenge. Mbappé and Lamine Yamal are among the main contenders at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London on Monday 26 October.