Ruthless Barcelona delivered a masterclass at the Santiago Bernabeu, overwhelming Real Madrid 4-0 to move six points clear at the top of La Liga and end their rivals’ 42-game unbeaten run.
After a tight first half, Robert Lewandowski ignited the contest with two goals in three minutes. The 36-year-old Polish striker opened the scoring in the 54th minute, clinically converting Marc Casado’s through ball, before quickly doubling the lead with a precise header from Alejandro Balde’s cross.
Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal wrote his name into El Clasico history, becoming the youngest-ever scorer in the fixture at 17 years old with a powerful drive into the top corner. Raphinha completed the rout with a delicate lob for his first goal against Real Madrid.
The defeat proved a frustrating introduction to El Clasico for Kylian Mbappe, who saw two goals ruled out for offside and was denied by Barcelona goalkeeper Inaki Pena. The French striker, who joined Real Madrid in the summer, has now scored six league goals this season after failing to find the net in his first three appearances.
Ruthless Barcelona ‘s victory showcased Hansi Flick’s successful blend of youth and experience, with six academy graduates in the starting lineup alongside the evergreen Lewandowski, who has now netted 14 goals in 11 La Liga matches this season.
“We always play with the back four very high,” Flick explained post-match. “It looks dangerous – but it’s not dangerous.” The high defensive line proved effective, repeatedly catching Madrid’s attackers offside.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti reflected: “We played a first half with intensity. We could have scored but we lacked some accuracy. When they scored they hit two goals that took all of our energy away. For 60 minutes we competed very well and we have to forget the last 30.”
The result extends Barcelona’s impressive start under Flick, with 10 wins and just one defeat from their opening league fixtures, while ending Madrid’s hopes of matching Barcelona’s record 43-game unbeaten run set between 2017 and 2018.
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