Mbappe double gives Mourinho Clasico win as Real close gap on Barcelona
Kylian Mbappe's two goals earned Real Madrid a 2-1 win at Barcelona, cutting the gap at the top of La Liga to three points and extending Jose Mourinho's unbeaten Clasico run to six matches.
Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Real Madrid won 2-1 at Barcelona on Sunday, a result that reshaped the top of La Liga. The victory cut Barcelona's lead over their rivals to three points; a Real defeat would have left the reigning champions nine points clear. The loss also ended Barcelona's nine-game unbeaten domestic run.
Jose Mourinho, back at Real Madrid this summer 13 years after his first spell, celebrated Mbappe's late winner with a knee slide. The result makes him the third Real manager to go six consecutive Clasicos without defeat, alongside Miguel Munoz (1962 to 1965) and Vicente del Bosque (2001 to 2003). His overall Clasico record now stands at six wins and six losses.
Mourinho framed the win as a title statement rather than a one-off upset. He said Real do not play to win at the Camp Nou but to win La Liga, and that his side prevailed through composure rather than luck. He credited the players for the result and pointed to a midfield blend of different qualities as the source of balance in defence and threat in attack, while cautioning against overreacting to a single victory.
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick declined to offer excuses but said his team lacked freshness after a demanding few weeks. He noted that small details decide big games and that the defeat was not on his side's terms, adding that recovery and training must now produce a response.
For Real, the win is only their second in eight games against Barcelona, and it arrives with Mourinho again haunting the Catalans. The three-point gap leaves La Liga's title race far tighter than it appeared before the weekend.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
