On Sunday 26 October 2025, Real Madrid ended a four-match losing streak in the prestigious El Clásico with a vital 2-1 home victory over arch-rivals FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Goals from Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham either side of a reply from Fermín López secured the win and propelled Madrid five points clear at the top of LaLiga.
From the outset, Madrid pressed aggressively, their opening goal arrived in the 22nd minute when Mbappé finished a through-ball from Bellingham. Barcelona responded when an error by Madrid allowed López to equalise in the 38th minute, but Madrid regained control before half-time via Bellingham’s precise finish, following a clever build-up down the left by Vinícius Júnior.
While Barcelona’s goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny produced a superb penalty save from Mbappé in the second half, his team were reduced to ten men in stoppage time after Pedri received a second yellow. The closing stages were charged with tension: Madrid’s emotion spilled over when Vinícius reacted angrily to being substituted, and a heated confrontation between players required police intervention.
For Madrid’s head coach Xabi Alonso, the victory represented a defining moment early in his tenure. He described the win as “very important for the lads,” emphasising that while the season is long, the statement had been made. Because the club had lost the previous four El Clásicos, this win carried psychological weight as much as points.
On the tactical front, Madrid’s midfield dominance, combined with swift transitions and intense pressing, laid the foundation. Bellingham’s influence stood out ( both in assist and goal ) and Mbappé’s scoring consistency grew more evident: he now joins an elite list of players to score in four consecutive El Clásico fixtures.
Barcelona, meanwhile, will reflect on missed opportunities and the broader cost of recent injury disruptions. Even with a positive spell in other competitions, today’s match exposed vulnerabilities in defence and a reliance on moments of individual brilliance rather than consistent collective control. The defeat also hands Madrid a five-point cushion at the top of the league, shifting pressure onto Barcelona to respond.
Beyond simple rivalry bragging rights, the result has broader implications. It strengthens Madrid’s title position, restores belief among players and supporters, and re-injects momentum into their campaign. For Barcelona, it underlines the challenge of sustaining performance at the highest level and the danger of letting key opportunities slip at historic moments.
Today’s win for Real Madrid is more than three points: it marks a turning point in the early phase of the season, both psychologically and competitively. As the teams move forward, the broader question will be whether Madrid can maintain this level of performance and whether Barcelona can regroup effectively. The stage is set for what promises to be another compelling season in one of football’s greatest rivalries.