Real Madrid beats Barcelona 2-1 — Mbappe double ends Barca's unbeaten run

Real Madrid edged Barcelona 2-1 at the Nou Camp Sunday, handing the LaLiga champions their first defeat this season. Kylian Mbappe scored both Madrid goals — the first a deflection off a Barcelona defender, the second a clinical finish with three minutes remaining — while Raphinha briefly equalised for the hosts.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick blamed fatigue after his side played four matches in 12 days across LaLiga and Champions League. "We were not playing at the highest level because of the lack of freshness," Flick said. The loss snaps a 10-game unbeaten run since he took charge.

Barcelona still leads the table but Madrid cuts the gap to three points with a game in hand. Mbappe now has 12 goals in 11 league appearances since joining Madrid — immediate impact in the biggest fixture. Barca has a full week before their next match to recover and address squad rotation issues Flick highlighted.

For Nigerian fans tracking the title race: Can Barcelona maintain their lead with a thin squad, or will Madrid's depth and Mbappe's form take over?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/10/26/laliga-why-barcelona-lost-2-1-to-real-madrid-hansi-flick/