Madrid Strikes Back in El Clasico: Mbappe and Bellingham Sink Barca at the Bernabéu
26 October 2025
Match Snapshot
After a Clasico setback, Barcelona sent a bold message to their squad, while Real Madrid seized the moment with a 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu in La Liga’s tenth round.
Madrid struck first in the 22nd minute when Kylian Mbappé finished a precise feed from Jude Bellingham, though an earlier Mbappé goal at 11 minutes was chalked off by VAR for offside.
Barça answered in the 38th minute through Fermín López, leveling the score as the visitors sensed an avenue back into the game.
Moments before halftime, Bellingham restored Madrid’s lead in the 43rd minute with a well-timed header from a cross, and the stadium erupted as Madrid held a 2-1 advantage into the break.
Benched tactical tweaks dominated the second half as Barcelona pressed for another equalizer and Madrid defended stoutly to preserve their advantage.
In the second half, a penalty was awarded to Madrid in the 50th minute, with Mbappé executing the kick in the 52nd minute—but Szczęsny produced a sensational save to keep it at 2-1.
Barça continued to push, with López testing Courtois and Madrid’s defense repelling late threats. In the 68th minute, a potential third Madrid goal was ruled offside, maintaining the two-goal margin and heightening the drama around the referee’s decision.
As the match wore on, Madrid made a late substitution that sparked a visible flare-up on the sidelines, while Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and the rest of the forward line kept pressing for a third, though the chances did not materialize.
Barça’s late efforts produced chances but the final whistle confirmed Real Madrid’s 2-1 win, lifting them to the top of the Liga table with 27 points while Barcelona remained on 22, five behind the leaders.
From the opening seconds, the pace was electric, with Barcelona threatening early and Madrid answering with surgical counter-attacks. The match showcased the tactical chess between Xavi and Ancelotti, the resilience of Madrid’s defense, and the sharper edge of Madrid’s finishing in key moments.
In summary, Madrid snapped a recent Clasico drought of losses in this fixture, claiming victory in the most strategically tense setting of Spanish football.
Events of the match
Madrid ended a sequence of four straight Clasico losses to Barca as they claimed a precious three points at the Bernabéu. Despite Barca’s historical superiority over the last seasons, the current setup under Ancelotti and the improvement in players like Mbappé and Bellingham made the difference.
Mbappé’s 52th-minute penalty save by Szczęsny kept the Barcelona dream alive for a while, while the late-phase Madrid holds, and the final whistle sealed a crucial win for the home side.
Two punchlines for the road: 1) If defense were dessert, Barca served a crusty, flaky hope with a side of offside. 2) Madrid’s victory was so smooth, even the net didn’t see it coming until it happened.
