Kylian Mbappe had fortune to thank as the Real Madrid striker put his side on course to end Barcelona’s perfect start to the Liga season with the opening goal in el clasico at Camp Nou on Sunday.

After Marc Cucurella released Yan Diomande on the left, the visiting winger entered the box and had a cross partially cleared by Gerard Martin, ricocheting in off the lurking Mbappe from close range in the 41st minute.

Shortly beforehand, late stand-in Andriy Lunin denied Barcelona forward Anthony Gordon in a one-on-one after home defender Xavi Espart was forced off injured during the first half of the Clasico at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Ukraine international Lunin, who replaced Thibaut Courtois because the first-choice goalkeeper is suffering from flu, made a sharp save to push Gordon’s strike from an angle around his near post after Raphinha sent the England livewire clear.

Espart appeared to be caught on the ankle by Aurelien Tchouameni’s sliding tackle, hobbling off after 30 minutes to be replaced by Alejandro Balde.

Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Yamal torment in Liga clasico

Lamine Yamal will be a contender at Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony and has eight goals this season but the Spain sensation skimmed a glorious chance to equalise wide before half-time.

A deflection off Fermin Lopez dropped for the 19-year-old in space in front of goal, bobbling his effort wide of the near post from the right with Lunin off his line in anticipation of being called into emergency action or seeing the net billow.

The flurry of chances continued when £115 million new signing Diomande – a scorer in the 4-1 home win over Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday – fired a shot against the side netting.

Barca have won all nine of their league matches this season but Madrid, who started six points behind their fierce rivals in third, reached the break ahead courtesy of Mbappe’s goal.

Barcelona confirmed el clasico starting team vs Real Madrid

Barcelona made two changes from their 4-2 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, bringing in Rodri and Fermin Lopez in midfield.

Dani Olmo was replaced during the first half of that game with an injury to his left adductor. Marc Bernal moved to the bench.

Barcelona: Joan Garcia, Xavi Espart, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Joao Cancelo, Pedri, Rodri, Fermin Lopez, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Anthony Gordon

Substitutes: Wojciech Szczesny, Alejandro Balde, Brian Farinas, Gavi, Gabriel Jesus, Karim Adeyemi, Frenkie de Jong, Marc Bernal, Dominik Livakovic, Hamza Abdelkarim, Orian Goren, Alex Campos

Real Madrid full line up vs Barcelona in el clasico

Lunin replaced Courtois in one of five Madrid changes alongside defenders Ibrahima Konate and Cucurella, midfielder Tchouameni and Diomande.

Alvaro Carreras, Antonio Rudiger and Eduardo Camavinga moved to the bench. Vinicius Junior was suspended.

Real Madrid: Andriy Lunin, Federico Valverde, Ibrahima Konate, Dean Huijsen, Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Aurelien Tchouameni, Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham, Yan Diomande, Kylian Mbappe

Substitutes: Illia Voloshyn, Sergio Mestre, Eder Militao, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alvaro Carreras, Antonio Rudiger, Denzel Dumfries, Eduardo Camavinga, Thiago Pitarch, Endrick, Carlos Espi, Brahim Diaz

Where to watch Barca vs Madrid: TV channel, live online streams

Kick-off on Sunday was at 20:00 GMT (16:00 ET / 13:00 PT), with live coverage in the UK on Premier Sports 1 and streaming available on a vast range of devices via the Premier Sports app.

A Premier Sports subscription costs £120 a year, £11.99 per month on a 12-month contract or £16.99 per month with 30 days’ cancellation notice required.

Barcelona vs Real Madrid el clasico La Liga stats

• Six of the last seven meetings between the teams in all competitions have produced Barca victories, the exception a 2-1 home win for Madrid last season
• Barca have won three of their last four at home to Madrid in La Liga, interrupted by a 2-1 Blancos victory in October 2023 when Jude Bellingham scored in the 68th and 92nd minutes after Ilkay Gundogan had opened the scoring
• Lionel Messi is the top scorer in the history of the fixture, Barca’s all-time leading marksman netting 15 times against Madrid
• The other two players in double figures in the fixture both played for Madrid: Alfredo di Stefano (13) and Raul (12)
• Hansi Flick’s side have won eight consecutive home games in all competitions since a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals on April 14
• With six assists for Barca, Lamine Yamal has set up more goals than any other player in this season’s Liga. Espanyol’s Javi Hernandez has five, with Barca’s Anthony Gordon and Alaves’ Mariano Diaz on four each
• Barca forward Raphinha is the 12-goal top scorer in the division after eight appearances, having played a game less than the players immediately behind him on nine goals. Mbappe has 10 and Yamal has eight
• Since a Liga draw at Camp Nou in December 2019, each of the last 22 editions of El Clasico has featured at least one goal, with at least two in each of the 12 most recent encounters
• That was also the last draw between the teams, although Barcelona won the 2024/25 Copa del Rey final after extra time, with Madrid prevailing in the 2021/22 Super Cup semi-finals after an extra 30 minutes