The decisive moment came in the 87th minute when Mbappe tucked in a cutback from Eduardo Camavinga following a sequence of skillful play by Jude Bellingham. The goal secured a crucial three points for the visitors, who had trailed after Raphinha equalized in the second half. Real Madrid’s head coach Jose Mourinho celebrated the win with a knee slide, marking his sixth consecutive match without defeat against Barcelona, a record shared with only Miguel Munoz and Vicente del Bosque in the club’s history.
Real Madrid took the lead in the 41st minute through a fortuitous deflection. Gerard Martin slammed a clearance against Mbappe from a cross by Yan Diomande, putting the visitors ahead. Barcelona responded in the 61st minute when Raphinha scored from close range after Pedri delivered a reversed pass. The hosts pushed for a winner, with Lamine Yamal narrowly clipping a shot wide in the 78th minute, but Real Madrid’s defense held firm to secure their first win at Barcelona in three years.
The victory extends Real Madrid’s winning streak to five consecutive games in all competitions. Mourinho, who has now won six and lost six El Clasicos across two stints, praised his squad’s composure. “We could win with luck, but we won with calmness and with all merit,” Mourinho said. “The credit goes to the players. When you win, the credit goes to the players. But when you lose, the blame falls on you.” He added that the team’s midfield mix provided both defensive balance and attacking quality.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick acknowledged his team’s lack of freshness following a demanding schedule. “We missed the freshness,” Flick said. “In big games, small things are important and they decide the games and today, it wasn’t on our side.” The defeat follows Barcelona’s earlier loss to Paris St-Germain in the Champions League, which ended their 11-game winning streak in all competitions at the start of the season. With Atletico Madrid now just two points behind Barcelona, the top of the La Liga table remains competitive.
Real Madrid will look to build on this momentum in their next La Liga fixture, maintaining their position within striking distance of the leaders. The result preserves their title hopes and demonstrates their ability to perform under pressure in high-stakes encounters.
