Mbappe double gives Mourinho’s Real Madrid Clasico win over Barcelona

Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid beat La Liga leaders Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou on Sunday, moving within three points of the champions and reaching 100 goals since joining from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024.

Mbappe put the visitors ahead before half-time and restored their advantage late on after Raphinha had equalised. The result ended Barcelona’s unbeaten domestic start and gave Madrid a fifth consecutive victory in all competitions.

Real remain third, behind Atletico Madrid and Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, who had won their opening nine league matches. The defeat was Barcelona’s second in a row following Tuesday’s Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain. They had won six of the previous seven Clasicos since Flick became manager.

Mourinho said his side had shown discipline and composure in his first Clasico since returning to the Madrid job.

“My team had an extraordinary game, very organised, good concentration, with courage to play out from the back against a team that presses you a lot,” he told reporters.

“We had chances for the second goal… obviously Barca had a strong reaction but we were calm and organised and at 1-1 we never lost our tranquility.”

Flick felt Barcelona had been below their best. “You saw today, we lacked freshness,” he said. “It’s the first defeat in La Liga, we won nine in a row. This is what we have to see.

“Defeats are a part of the game. We have to analyse, we have to make things better. Now it’s important that we make a reaction.”

Madrid were without suspended winger Vinicius Junior, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois withdrew from the squad with flu, allowing Andriy Lunin to start.

The opening half was cautious. Pau Cubarsi twice denied Mbappe, while Marc Cucurella repeatedly tugged at 19-year-old Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal’s shirt. Anthony Gordon, making his first Clasico appearance since moving from Newcastle, backheeled to Raphinha, who shot narrowly wide.

Barcelona defender Xavi Espart went off injured before the half-hour mark and was replaced by Alejandro Balde. Lunin then saved from Gordon before Mbappe opened the scoring when Gerard Martin’s attempted clearance struck him and deflected into the net. It was his 10th league goal of the season.

Yamal missed a chance to level, firing wide, while Yan Diomande struck the side-netting for Madrid.

Raphinha equalised shortly after the hour. Pedri found the Brazilian, La Liga’s leading scorer with 13 goals, and his shot went through Jude Bellingham’s legs before beating Lunin.

Lunin denied Martin at a corner, then watched Yamal shoot wide. Frenkie de Jong’s effort was blocked by Dean Huijsen.

Madrid won it after Gabriel Jesus lost possession. Eduardo Camavinga went past Cubarsi and squared for Mbappe to score into an empty net with Joan Garcia out of position.

“(Winning) is a good message today, but we can’t think the season is done — next week (at Racing) Santander we have to put in the same intensity,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.