Mbappé's double gives Real Madrid a 2-1 win at Camp Nou in El Clásico

Mbappé's second goal settles the match

Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou on Sunday, 25 October, in the tenth round of La Liga. Kylian Mbappé scored both Madrid goals, the second arriving at 87 minutes. According to one report, Barcelona had been in front in the first half, and Raphinha was credited with an equaliser at 61 minutes, a detail that does not square with the 1-2 final score given in the same report. The result ended Barcelona's run of nine consecutive league wins and gave them their first league defeat of the season. Madrid remain behind Barcelona in the table, but the gap has narrowed, and El Confidencial described Madrid as the superior side, especially in defence.

Madrid's run since the Atlético defeat

The win came after a defeat by Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano, and it was Madrid's fifth straight win since then. The run started with Villarreal, followed by Roma, Sevilla, Leipzig and Barcelona. The Villarreal game saw Vinicius sent off and later given a four-match suspension. The turning point was Roma, where Madrid recovered from 3-1 down with two substitutes introduced and Valverde playing at right-back. The squad had also faced friction between the coaching staff and some players, including a clash between Tchouaméni and Valverde.

Lamine Yamal and Marc Cucurella

Marc Cucurella was tasked with shutting down Lamine Yamal, and the match largely went his way. Cucurella recorded six recoveries, five clearances, two tackles won and three interceptions. Yamal completed four of nine dribbles, lost possession 25 times and took five shots, none of them on target. He also missed a one-on-one with the goalkeeper Lunin after receiving the ball alone in the small area, generating 0.51 expected goals without scoring. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick saw his side struggle to find its rhythm in attack, and Madrid supporters recalled a remark Yamal had made to the broadcaster Cope during the World Cup, when he joked that Cucurella would start one match and be a substitute the next.

Recoveries6

Clearances5

Tackles won2

Interceptions3

Recoveries

6

Clearances

5

Tackles won

2

Interceptions

3

Data from the article text

Mourinho's reaction and record

Mourinho dropped to his knees on the pitch after the second goal, the same gesture he made thirteen years earlier when Internazionale knocked Barcelona out to reach a Champions League final. He called the victory the most significant of the season for his side, adding that it was also Madrid's most difficult match against a team that had won every league game until then. He praised Yamal as very good and hard to stop, and said Cucurella had played probably the most difficult match of his career. Mourinho's record in his 18th El Clásico as coach stands at six wins, six draws and six defeats. The win made him the third Madrid coach to close six consecutive Clásicos without defeat, after Miguel Muñoz and Vicente del Bosque. Former Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas praised Mourinho's approach on social media.

Wins6

Draws6

Defeats6

Wins

6

Draws

6

Defeats

6

Data from the article text

What comes next

Mbappé and Yamal were both in the Ballon d'Or race, with the ceremony taking place on Monday, 26 October. Mourinho pointed to Madrid's next league match at El Sardinero against Racing as the next test, warning that the win would count for little if Madrid slipped up there.