Lorraine Williamson
On Saturday, October 26, 2024, Real Madrid hosted FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium for the highly anticipated El Clásico. With Barcelona topping the La Liga table, Real Madrid sought a win to level the points with their rivals. However, Barcelona, under new manager Hansi Flick, aimed to extend their lead, having secured victories in all but one league game this season.
El Clásico match marked Barcelona’s return to the Bernabéu, where they last won in March 2022. The last La Liga game that Real Madrid lost was over a year ago in September 2023.
First half: Early opportunities but No goals
Real Madrid kicked off with an early chance as Mbappé’s attempt hit the side netting, though it was ruled offside. In the 13th minute, Barcelona’s Lewandowski flicked a pass to young talent Yamal, whose soft shot was easily saved by Lunin.
Just minutes later, Mbappé broke through, setting up Vinícius, but the play was called offside. Further efforts from Real Madrid’s Vinícius and Mbappé went wide or were flagged for offside. Despite several attempts, both teams remained scoreless as the first half closed at 0-0.
Second half: Lewandowski and Barcelona dominate
The second half began evenly, but momentum soon shifted in Barcelona’s favour. In the 54th minute, Lewandowski scored with a precise shot from the edge of the box, putting Barcelona ahead. Just two minutes later, Lewandowski struck again, heading in a cross from Balde.
Mbappé attempted a low shot, but keeper, Peña, made a crucial save. Ancelotti brought on Modrić around the hour mark to change the pace, but despite his impact, Real Madrid struggled to break through.
With 20 minutes remaining, Mbappé tested Peña again, only for the keeper to deny him. A foul by Martínez gave Real Madrid a free kick opportunity, but Peña intercepted the cross from Modrić. Barcelona quickly countered, with Raphinha setting up Yamal for a clean strike into the top of the net, extending Barcelona’s lead to 3-0.
In the 84th minute, Raphinha chipped a pass from Martínez over Lunin, sealing a 4-0 victory for Barcelona.
Upcoming matches
Both Real Madrid and Barcelona prepare for their next La Liga matches. Real Madrid will travel to face Valencia on Saturday, while Barcelona hosts Espanyol. These matches mark the 12th round of the La Liga season and are critical as both teams push forward in the league. Barcelona currently top the table and are 6 points clear of second place Real Madrid.