Mbappe Brace Ends Barcelona's Run as Real Madrid Wins 2-1

Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou on Sunday, handing the home side its first league loss of the season and ending a nine-game winning run. Kylian Mbappe scored both goals, reaching 100 career goals for the club in the process.

Barcelona had opened the season with nine consecutive victories. A tenth would have surpassed the record Real Madrid set during the 1968-69 campaign for the best start in Spanish top-flight history. The loss also marked Barcelona's second defeat in four days, following a Champions League result against Paris Saint-Gergin earlier in the week.

Mbappe's tally for the season now stands at 14 goals. His two strikes at Camp Nou were his 99th and 100th for Real Madrid since joining from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024. He entered the match as the second-highest scorer in La Liga.

The result shifted the league table. After 10 matches, Real Madrid sits third on 24 points. Atletico Madrid is second with 25 points, and Barcelona leads with 27 points. Real Madrid has won three straight league matches and two Champions League fixtures in its last five games.

Mourinho returned to Real Madrid this season after leading the club to three trophies during his first tenure, which ended 13 years ago. He has not won a league title since the 2014-15 season with Chelsea. Real Madrid turned to Mourinho after two seasons without a trophy.

The head-to-head record between the two clubs now favors Real Madrid, which has 107 wins to Barcelona's 106 across all meetings. The last time the two sides met in the league, Real Madrid lost.

Mourinho addressed the result's place in the larger season after the match. "If we win today but lose at El Sardinero, it counts for nothing, because Madrid isn't playing to win at the Camp Nou," he said. "They're playing to win the championship."

Mbappe enters Monday's Ballon d'Or gala in London as a contender for the 2025-26 award. He finished last season as the top scorer in La Liga and the Champions League, won the World Cup Golden Boot, and became the all-time leading World Cup scorer.

Barcelona's next match is scheduled for the weekend of Nov. 1. Real Madrid hosts El Sardinero on Tuesday.