Kylian Mbappe scored twice, including a late winner, to help Real Madrid defeat Barcelona in a thrilling El Clasico clash and strengthen their push for the La Liga title.

The French forward struck in the 41st minute before finding the net again in the 87th minute to seal the victory. His performance denied Barcelona the chance to set a new record for consecutive wins at the start of a Spanish top-flight season.

Barcelona, coached by Hansi Flick, had hoped to surpass the record of nine straight victories set by Real Madrid during the 1968-69 campaign. However, their plans suffered a setback against their fierce rivals.

Mbappe Gives Real Madrid the Lead

Real Madrid broke the deadlock four minutes before half-time through a fortunate goal from Mbappe.

Gerard Martin attempted to clear a low cross from Yan Diomande, but the ball struck the French striker and flew past Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

Both teams had created opportunities earlier in the game, but the contest became more open after the opening goal.

Mbappe came close to scoring again when his effort struck the post. Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal also missed a promising chance after sending his close-range effort wide.

Raphinha Restores Barcelona’s Hope

Barcelona returned to the contest 16 minutes into the second half when captain Raphinha levelled the score.

The Brazilian collected a pass from Pedri before firing through Jude Bellingham’s legs and into the far corner.

Gerard Martin nearly made amends for his earlier mistake shortly afterwards. However, Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin produced an excellent one-handed save to keep the score level.

Lunin started in place of first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who missed the match because of illness.

Mbappe Delivers Late Winner for Real Madrid

Just when the match appeared destined to end in a draw, Real Madrid found the decisive breakthrough.

Bellingham began the move with a fine piece of skill around the halfway line. Substitute Eduardo Camavinga then surged forward before squaring the ball for Mbappe to finish into an unguarded net in the 87th minute.

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho celebrated the goal with a knee slide and a fist pump beside the dugout.

The victory came despite the absence of suspended forward Vinicius Junior and Courtois.

Mbappe Maintains Impressive El Clasico Record

Mbappe continued his impressive scoring form against Barcelona since joining Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024.

The 27-year-old has now scored eight goals in seven El Clasico appearances across all competitions.

His latest strikes also took his La Liga tally for the season to 11 goals. Only Raphinha, with 13, had scored more in the league at the time of the report.

Real Madrid had previously struggled to turn Mbappe’s goals into victories against Barcelona. The Frenchman had scored a hat-trick in a 4-3 league defeat in May 2025.

Lunin also played a crucial role in the latest win, making three first-half saves from England winger Anthony Gordon before denying Martin after Raphinha’s equaliser.

La Liga Title Race Remains Tight

Despite the defeat, Barcelona remained top of La Liga after 10 matches, holding a two-point advantage over second-placed Atletico Madrid.

Real Madrid moved into third place, one point behind Atletico, keeping the title race closely contested.

The result handed Real Madrid a valuable victory over their biggest rivals, while Barcelona were left to reflect on missed opportunities and their failure to extend their winning run.

Source: BBC.