The key facts
- Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2:1 in El Clásico on October 25 at Camp Nou; Kylian Mbappé scored a brace.
- Mbappé reached the 100-goal mark for Real Madrid and became the 24th player in the club's history with such a tally.
- According to AFP, Barcelona suffered their first defeat in the championship, and Real Madrid's gap to the leader was reduced to three points.
Course of the match
Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2:1 in an away match of the tenth round of the Spanish championship, held on October 25 at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. The victory was secured by a brace from French striker Kylian Mbappé, Life.ru reports. According to Anadolu, the first goal was scored four minutes before the break: after a cross from Yan Diomande, defender Gerard Martín's attempt to clear the ball led to a deflection off Mbappé into the goal. AFP specifies that it was Mbappé's 10th goal in the current championship.
Second half and the decisive goal
Barcelona equalized in the second half: according to Life.ru, in the 61st minute Brazilian striker Raphinha scored, while Anadolu and AFP indicate that the goal was scored in the 16th minute after the break following a pass from Pedri, with the ball going between Jude Bellingham's legs. AFP notes that Raphinha is La Liga's top scorer with 13 goals. Real Madrid's goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who started in place of the ill Thibaut Courtois, made a spectacular save after Martín's shot. The decisive goal was scored by Mbappé in the 87th minute: according to AFP, Eduardo Camavinga got past Pau Cubarsí and passed to the Frenchman, who struck into an empty net.
Standings and records
The victory brought Real Madrid three points and reduced the gap to Barcelona. According to Anadolu, after the match Barcelona remained in first place with 25 points, two points ahead of Atlético and three ahead of Real Madrid. AFP also indicates that Real Madrid remain third and trail the leader by three points. Barcelona failed to break the record of nine consecutive wins at the start of the season, set by Real Madrid in the 1968/69 season, Anadolu notes. According to AFP, this is Barcelona's first home defeat in the championship this season and their second consecutive loss — on Tuesday the team lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. In addition, according to Anadolu's calculations, Real Madrid moved ahead in the all-time head-to-head balance for the first time; before the game it was level — 106 wins each with 52 draws.
Mbappé's milestone and reactions
The brace allowed Mbappé to bring his tally to 100 goals for Real Madrid in all competitions since his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2024; according to Life.ru, he became the 24th player in the club's history to reach this mark. The player himself called the milestone 'just a detail' against the backdrop of the team's victory, adding that 'the real star of the match is the team,' and emphasizing that winning La Liga requires many more points to be earned. Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho, who said this was his first El Clásico since returning to the club, praised the team for its organization and composure at 1:1. Barcelona midfielder Pedri admitted in a comment to DAZNthat the team 'did not show its best game,' but noted that 'the championship is not won in this match.' AFP also notes that Real Madrid played without the suspended Vinícius Júnior and claimed their fifth consecutive victory in all competitions.
Significance of the result
The victory in a head-to-head meeting with a direct rival changed the picture at the top of the La Liga table: Real Madrid's gap to Barcelona was reduced to three points, and the Catalans' streak of nine wins at the start of the season was ended. For fans of both teams, this means the title race remains open over the long league distance — as Pedri noted, 'the season is very long.' For Mbappé, the personal consequence was reaching the 100-goal mark for the club; at the same time, according to AFP, he has not yet won any trophies since his move to Real Madrid.
