Mbappe scores twice to end Barcelona's nine-game winning run
Real Madrid's 2-1 victory at Camp Nou gives them the all-time series lead and cuts the league gap to three points.
By Robert Ward ·
Kylian Mbappe scored both goals for Real Madrid in a 2-1 victory over Barcelona on Sunday night.
The win stopped Barcelona from extending their nine-game winning streak in La Liga. It also prevented the Catalan club from breaking the record for the best start to a season in Spanish top flight history, a mark set by Real Madrid in 1968-69.
Real Madrid had not beaten Barcelona in the league this season until Sunday. The result gave Real the all-time series lead in El Clasico, 107 wins to 106. For Barcelona, it was their second consecutive defeat after losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League just days earlier.
Mbappe's two goals brought his career total for Real Madrid to 100 across all competitions. He joined the club from PSG in 2024. At 27, he is currently the second-best scorer in La Liga this season. His performance on Sunday added to a run of form that included winning the Golden Boot at the World Cup and finishing as the top scorer in both La Liga and the Champions League last year.
The Ballon d'Or ceremony for the 2025-26 season takes place in London on Monday. Mbappe is considered one of the leading contenders for the award.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho called the team's approach direct. "If we win today but lose at El Sardinero, it counts for nothing, because Madrid isn't playing to win at the Camp Nou," Mourinho said. "They're playing to win the championship."
The victory extends Real Madrid's win streak to five matches, including three in La Liga and two in the Champions League. This run follows losses to Real Betis and Atletico Madrid last month that had unsettled their campaign.
With 10 matches played, Real Madrid sits in third place in the league with 24 points. Barcelona is in first with 27 points. Atletico Madrid is in second with 25 points. The gap between Real and Barcelona is now three points.
Mourinho returned to manage Real Madrid after two seasons without trophies for the club. His previous spell at the club ended 13 years ago. During that earlier tenure, he won three trophies, including a La Liga title.
Real Madrid's next match is scheduled for a trip to El Sardinero, as referenced in Mourinho's post-match comments.
Source: Al Jazeera
