Barcelona’s grip on the El Clásico fixture finally slipped at the Santiago Bernabéu, where Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham inspired Real Madrid to a 2-1 victory in the first showdown of the 2025 26 La Liga season.
After four straight Clásico wins, Barça came into the match eyeing a fifth consecutive triumph, something they’ve achieved only once before. But from the first whistle, it was clear this was Madrid’s night.
Madrid Take Control
Los Blancos thought they had struck early when Vinícius Júnior won a penalty inside two minutes, only for VAR to overturn the call. Moments later, Mbappé found the net with a brilliant strike, but an offside flag again spared Barcelona.
Persistence eventually paid off in the 22nd minute when Bellingham sliced open the defense with a clever through ball that Mbappé finished calmly, his seventh straight league game with a goal and his 16th in all competitions this season.
Barça briefly fought back before halftime, with Marcus Rashford setting up Fermín López after capitalizing on a defensive error by Arda Güler. But Madrid restored their lead almost immediately. Éder Militão’s looping header across goal found Bellingham, who tapped home to become the first Englishman in La Liga history to both score and assist in a Clásico.
Missed Chances and Late Drama
Eric García’s handball gave Madrid a chance to extend their lead early in the second half, but Wojciech Szczesny denied Mbappé from the penalty spot. Barcelona tried to rally but struggled to break through, and their hopes evaporated when Pedri was sent off for a second yellow in stoppage time.
The result sealed Real Madrid’s ninth consecutive home win in La Liga, a run they last matched under Carlo Ancelotti in 2015, and pushed them five points clear at the top of the table. For Xabi Alonso, it marked his first league Clásico victory as manager, joining an exclusive club of Madrid bosses to do so.
Post Match Facts and Stats
Mbappé’s mastery: The Frenchman has now netted 12 times against Barcelona, more than any other active opponent except Montpellier with 15 and Lyon with 13.
Bellingham’s record: At 22 years and 119 days, he became Real Madrid’s youngest player in the 21st century to score and assist in a Clásico, surpassing Vinícius Júnior’s 2023 mark.
Consistent impact: Bellingham has contributed six goal involvements with four goals and two assists in eight appearances versus Barcelona, his best record against any team.
Fermín’s form: Since debuting in 2023 24, López’s 17 La Liga goals trail only Lewandowski with 50, Raphinha with 27, and Ferran Torres with 21 among Barça players.
Elite company: Mbappé joins Ronaldinho and Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players this century to score in four straight El Clásico clashes.
The Santiago Bernabéu crowd left roaring as Madrid reclaimed the bragging rights and perhaps signaled a new phase in Spanish football’s fiercest rivalry.
Should we send you latest update about your favourite sports and team?
Enter you email in the box below and hit the subscribe button to join our teaming 876+ sports community.
