Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 in La Liga Clasico

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho stated that his team’s primary objective is winning the La Liga title, not merely securing victories at the Camp Nou, following a 2-1 win over Barcelona on Sunday. The French striker Kylian Mbappé scored both goals for the visitors, including a late winner that inflicted Barcelona’s first domestic defeat of the season. The result narrowed the gap at the top of the Spanish league table to three points. Madrid finished the match in third place, trailing league leaders Barcelona and second-placed Atletico Madrid. The match, played at the Spotify Camp Nou in Barcelona, marked the tenth matchday of La Liga. Before kickoff, Real Madrid confirmed that Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was a last-minute absence due to a flu-like illness. The club announced that 19-year-old Ukrainian keeper Illia Voloshyn would replace him in the squad. However, Andriy Lunin ultimately started the match in goal. Courtois, 34, joined a growing injury list that includes Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy, and Raul Asencio. Additionally, Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior was unavailable, serving a four-game domestic suspension imposed by La Liga following his conduct against Villarreal. The first half was characterized by limited opportunities and defensive intensity. Barcelona defender Pau Cubarti successfully denied Mbappé on two occasions. On the attacking end, Real Madrid’s Marc Cucurella frequently targeted Barcelona’s 19-year-old winger Lamine Yamal, repeatedly grabbing at the younger player’s shirt. Barcelona faced a tactical setback when young defender Xavi Espart sustained an injury and required substitution by Alejandro Balde before the 30th minute. Andriy Lunin made a save at his near post from Anthony Gordon before the break. Mbappé broke the deadlock before halftime. He recorded his 10th league goal of the season when Barcelona’s Gerard Martin cleared a cross directly onto the Frenchman, who deflected the ball into the net. Barcelona attempted to respond immediately, but Yamal missed a chance to equalize, firing wide from a promising position. The game opened up slightly toward the end of the first half, with Real Madrid’s Yan Diomande hitting the side netting with a shot aimed at doubling the lead. In the second half, Martin redeemed his earlier error by holding off Jude Bellingham, preventing the England international from either beating the defender or finding a free Mbappé. Barcelona equalized shortly after the 60th minute. Pedri supplied a pass to Raphinha, who fired the ball through Bellingham’s legs and past Lunin. Raphinha, La Liga’s top scorer with 13 goals, had been quiet in the first half but proved decisive in the restart. Following the equalizer, Barcelona controlled possession, with Lunin making a save to deny Martin from a corner kick. Yamal curled another effort wide with Lunin stretched, and substitute Frenkie de Jong had a shot blocked by Dean Huijsen. The turning point occurred when substitute Gabriel Jesus lost possession, allowing Madrid to launch a counter-attack. Eduardo Camavinga bypassed Cubarti and passed the ball back to Mbappé, who tucked the ball into the empty net as Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia was caught out of position. Post-match interviews revealed contrasting views on the performance. Mourinho praised his team’s organization and composure, stating that Real Madrid does not play specifically to win at the Camp Nou but to secure the league championship. He emphasized that the victory was achieved through calmness and merit rather than luck. "When you win, the credit goes to the players. But when you lose, the blame falls on you," Mourinho said. He added that the squad possesses the quality and mindset to compete effectively, noting that the mix of talents in midfield provides balance in defense and quality in attack. Barcelona midfielder Pedri acknowledged the defeat, telling DAZN that the team was not itself in the first half. "We wanted to win the Clasico in front of our fans, but the season is very long... a league is not won here," Pedri said. Barcelona had previously won six of the seven Clasicos since manager Hansi Flick arrived, but they appeared subdued against Mourinho’s side. This loss followed a 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday, marking the Catalans' second consecutive defeat. Prior to the Clásico, Real Madrid had secured a 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday. That match saw goals from Bernardo Silva, Arda Guler, Mbappé, and Diomande, extending Madrid’s perfect European record. The win against Barcelona gave Madrid its fifth consecutive victory across all competitions. Mourinho, who returned to the club 13 years after his first tenure, has now won six and lost six El Clasicos in his career. The team remains focused on maintaining momentum, with Mourinho warning that any slip-up in upcoming fixtures would diminish the value of the recent success.