Barcelona weaps Real Madrid in their first El-Clasico for 2024/2025 league season

It's the first Clasico of the season, and the Catalonians have punished the Galacticos on their home ground, Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid could not withstand the pressure of Barca, and the scoreboard in Bernabeu after 90+5 minutes of action showed "Real Madrid 0 - Barcelona 4."

Real Madrid were aiming to stretch their unbeaten league run to 43 games, which would have matched Barcelona’s record from April 2017 to May 2018. However, those ambitions were dashed by a dominant second-half performance from their opponents at the Bernabeu.

“It’s a difficult moment to lose, especially after staying unbeaten for so long,” said Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Following a scoreless first half, Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring in the 54th minute with a precise finish after receiving a through ball from Marc Casado. He soon doubled the lead by heading in a cross from Alejandro Balde. The Polish forward came close to a hat trick, striking the post once and later missing from a promising position.

Seventeen-year-old Lamine Yamal added a third for Barcelona with a brilliant shot into the top corner, making him the youngest scorer in El Clasico history. Raphinha sealed the victory with a late lob, scoring his first goal against Madrid.

Kylian Mbappe, playing in his first El Clasico, had two goals ruled out for offside and was also denied by goalkeeper Inaki Pena. Despite joining Madrid over the summer, the French forward couldn't make an impact this time around.

Barcelona, who trailed Madrid by 10 points last season in La Liga, have been relying on a youthful squad this year, and it’s paying off. Hansi Flick's side has now won 10 out of 11 league matches. Yamal stands out among the young talents, but Casado and Balde, both 21, also made key contributions with assists.

Watch match highlights (LALIGA YouTube Channel): 

Remarkably, six of Barcelona's starting players are products of their famous academy. Still, it was veteran striker Lewandowski, at 36, who led by example with his two goals, bringing his league total to 14 in 11 games this season.

The team's mix of young energy and experienced leadership overwhelmed Real Madrid in the second half. Defensively, Barcelona also stood firm, playing a high line that repeatedly caught their opponents offside.

“We always keep a high defensive line,” said Flick. “It might look risky, but it’s actually quite effective.”

Mbappe, who had previously starred against Barcelona with a Champions League hat trick in 2021 while at PSG, couldn’t replicate that form here. His attempts to break past the high line were largely unsuccessful, and he’s had a relatively quiet start in Spain, scoring six league goals so far and none in his first three appearances.

Full Time Scores (Photo: LaLiga media)

Jude Bellingham also struggled to find the net. After scoring 19 league goals last season, he has yet to score this campaign.

“We played with intensity in the first half and created chances, but our finishing lacked precision,” Ancelotti said. “Once they scored twice, it drained our energy. We pushed higher, which left us open to counterattacks. We played well for 60 minutes, but we need to move past the last 30.”