Madrid beat Barça 2-1 at Camp Nou as Mbappé brace cuts title gap to three points
Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou this weekend in La Liga's 10th round, handing Hansi Flick's side their first league defeat. Kylian Mbappé scored twice—an early deflected opener and an 87th-minute winner from Camavinga's cutback—sandwiching Raphinha's equaliser. The victory cuts Barcelona's lead to three points, with Madrid third on 24 points, one behind Atlético.
It was José Mourinho's first El Clásico since returning for a second spell as Madrid boss, extending his unbeaten run in the fixture to six matches. Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazário, a two-time Ballon d'Or winner who played for both clubs, praised the performance at Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony in London: "Winning against Barcelona at their stadium is not easy. Real Madrid played very well, they defended very well. Mourinho is shaping the team to his liking."
Barcelona had won all nine previous league games and would have opened a nine-point gap with a win. Instead, the title race tightens. Mbappé now has crucial goals in his first Clásico, answering early doubts about his adaptation.
Can Mourinho's pragmatic approach sustain a title challenge against Flick's high-flying Barcelona, or will Madrid's defensive solidity prove enough over 38 games?