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Barcelona took bragging rights in the first El Clasico of the season, beating Real Madrid 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The hosts thought they took the lead early in the first half, when Kylian Mbappe ran through and chipped over goalkeeper Inaki Pena.
But the goal was ruled out for offside, to the frustrations of the huge crowd in Madrid.
Barca came to life in the second half and were spearheaded by their veteran forward Robert Lewandowski.
The Polish striker first beat the offside trap before calmly passing the ball home and then doubling his side’s lead a few minutes later with a precise header.
Lamine Yamal put things to bed late on, bagging Barca’s third and sending the away end into raptures.
And if that wasn’t enough, Raphinha got in on the action, adding a fourth with a few minutes to go.
Madrid came back at their opponents in the game, but ultimately did not have what it takes to match Barca’s 43-match unbeaten run that they would have equalled by avoiding defeat.
The win moves Hansi Flick’s side further ahead at the top of LaLiga, with Madrid now six points behind the leaders.
🔥 FULL TIME! 🔥#ElClásico pic.twitter.com/EKqouP1Pka
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 26, 2024
How it happened
The opening 45 minutes featured a mix of promising attacks and defensive errors from both sides, with neither able to capitalise on chances.
Real Madrid looked for early breakthroughs through Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe, whose pace troubled the Barcelona defence.
However, offside calls and quick defensive recoveries from Barcelona prevented Real from finding the back of the net.
Meanwhile, Barcelona, led by Lewandowski, also saw close opportunities thwarted by Real Madrid’s backline, keeping the game on edge.
Barcelona made a breakthrough soon after the restart, with Marc Casado’s incisive pass splitting Real Madrid’s defence and finding Lewandowski onside in the 54th minute.
Lewandowski coolly converted the opportunity with a low shot into the bottom corner, putting Barcelona 1-0 up.
The goal invigorated Barcelona’s attack, and just two minutes later, Alex Balde delivered a well-placed cross, which Lewandowski met with a glancing header for his second goal of the night, extending Barcelona’s lead to 2-0 and silencing the Bernabeu crowd.
The Four Seasons — Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
The Four Elements — Earth, Water, Fire, Air
The Four Food Groups — Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein
The Four Goals — Lewandowski, Lewandowski, Lamine, Raphinha
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 26, 2024
Real Madrid attempted to mount a response, with Luka Modric and Brahim Diaz brought on to spark creativity.
Mbappe and Vinicius pushed forward but were denied by either Pena’s saves or offside flags.
Barcelona’s goalkeeper put on an impressive display, consistently blocking Real Madrid’s best efforts to keep them goalless.
In the 77th minute, Barcelona struck again through Lamine Yamal.
The young talent capitalised on a Raphinha assist, sending a powerful right-footed strike into the roof of the net for Barcelona’s third goal.
Ancelotti made defensive substitutions, hoping to avoid further damage, but Barcelona wasn’t finished.
In the 84th minute, Raphinha sprinted down the field after receiving a long pass from Martinez.
The winger stayed onside and chipped the ball over Madrid’s backup goalkeeper, Andriy Lunin, for Barcelona’s fourth and final goal.
Tensions ran high in the closing minutes, with players from both sides picking up yellow cards, including Pedri, who entered the game only minutes before.
Real Madrid’s Eder Militao was cautioned for a challenge on Lewandowski, but the clock soon ran out, sealing an unforgettable 4-0 victory for Barcelona.