According to a report by Flashscore on Sunday, October 25, 2026, Real Madrid entered half-time of their El Clasico encounter against Barcelona with a crucial 1-0 advantage, courtesy of Kylian Mbappe’s 42nd-minute goal. The French international capitalised on a loose ball inside the penalty area and calmly directed his shot beyond the goalkeeper, giving Madrid a significant boost before the break.

While Mbappe provided the decisive moment in attack, Andriy Lunin played an equally important role in protecting Madrid’s lead. The goalkeeper produced several impressive saves to deny Barcelona opportunities to equalise during an entertaining first half.

Mbappe was undoubtedly one of Madrid’s standout performers. The forward demonstrated his sharp instincts by reacting quickly to a loose ball in Barcelona’s penalty area before placing his effort inside the left post. His finish rewarded Madrid’s attacking persistence and gave the team an advantage shortly before half-time. Earlier, in the 24th minute, he attempted to create an opportunity for a teammate, but Barcelona’s defence intercepted his pass. He also sent an effort over the crossbar in the 34th minute before eventually finding the breakthrough.

Lunin’s performance between the posts was equally impressive. The goalkeeper denied Anthony Gordon’s attempt from the edge of the penalty area in the seventh minute before making another important intervention in the 16th minute. Gordon threatened again in the 35th minute, but Lunin reacted brilliantly to stop his effort from inside the box. His timely interventions helped Madrid maintain their narrow advantage.

Arda Guler also contributed positively to Madrid’s attacking play. The Turkish midfielder created space for himself in the fifth minute but sent his shot narrowly over the crossbar. He tested the goalkeeper again in the 18th minute, although his effort was comfortably collected. Guler subsequently delivered a dangerous chipped pass and produced a threatening corner, demonstrating his creativity and ability to generate opportunities from set pieces.

Yan Diomande offered additional attacking support through his movement and involvement in dangerous situations. In the 13th minute, his acceleration towards goal forced a Barcelona defender to intervene. He later participated in a short corner routine before delivering a pass into the penalty area in the 41st minute, although Barcelona’s defence managed to clear the danger.

Overall, Madrid’s first-half advantage reflected Mbappe’s clinical finishing, Lunin’s outstanding goalkeeping and the attacking contributions of Guler and Diomande. However, Barcelona remained capable of responding after the interval, leaving the contest open as both teams prepared for the second half.