Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid: Mbappe Scores Twice as Mourinho Has the Last Laugh in El Clasico

Kylian Mbappe struck twice, including an 87th-minute winner, as Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 away from home in a breathtaking El Clasico.

Barcelona went into the game 6 points clear of their arch-rivals and aiming to become the first team in history to win their first 10 matches of a season in Europe's top 5 leagues.

However, Hansi Flick's side fell behind in the 41st minute when Gerard Martin's attempted clearance struck Mbappe and flew into the net. The Catalan giants levelled shortly after the hour mark through Raphinha's 13th LaLiga goal of the season.

But in the closing stages, Real Madrid broke forward on a superb counter-attack and Mbappe once again took centre stage to silence Camp Nou. Head coach Jose Mourinho's knee-slide celebration on the touchline after the goal became the defining image of the match.

Madrid made a fast start, and goalkeeper Joan Garcia did well to parry a powerful shot from Arda Güler, but there was no Real Madrid player in the box to convert the rebound.

At the other end, the hosts threatened three times through Raphinha, with the Brazilian star firing over from an opening created by Pedri. Andrii Lunin, deputising in goal for Thibaut Courtois, who was ill with flu, denied Anthony Gordon.

Yan Diomande, one of the most effective players in Real Madrid's attack, got into the box from Marc Cucurella's pass. The Ivorian's cross came off Martin's miscued clearance, struck Mbappe and found the net.

Barca wasted a chance to equalise through Lamine Yamal immediately afterwards, and Flick's men faced two more scares before half-time. Mbappe's shot came back off the post, but the offside flag went up, and moments later Diomande hit the side netting.

Early in the second half, Real Madrid squandered a clear opportunity when Jude Bellingham failed to find Mbappe with a pass, and were then punished at the other end. Raphinha collected Pedri's pass on the right side of the box and unleashed a powerful shot that Lunin could not keep out, making it 1-1.

Lunin made a crucial save from Martin's header, while Yamal sent one effort narrowly wide and saw another strike Dean Huijsen in the face.

In the dying moments, Jude Bellingham and substitute Eduardo Camavinga stepped up once more. Camavinga drove into the box and set up Mbappe, who rolled the ball into an empty net to hand the capital club a crucial victory.

Mbappe Outshines Yamal Ahead of the Ballon d'Or

Played just 24 hours before the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony in London, El Clasico pitted the award's two leading contenders, Yamal and Mbappe, against each other.

Although voting had long since closed, Mbappe proved once again on the pitch that he deserves to be called the best in the world. Luck may have been on his side for his first goal, but with his 2 goals the French star was the undisputed hero of the big game.