In the season’s first El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against their fierce rivals, Barcelona.
Despite a resilient first-half display, which saw them holding Barcelona to a goalless draw, the defending champions couldn’t withstand the pressure in the second half, and Barcelona capitalized on key chances to secure a dominant win.
The opening half was a tightly contested affair, with Real Madrid staying compact defensively and Barcelona using the offside trap effectively.
At one point, Kylian Mbappe managed to find the net for Madrid, only to have his goal ruled offside by a narrow margin. However, things took a drastic turn in the second half when Barcelona took control of the game.
Around ten minutes after the break, Barcelona broke the deadlock, with Robert Lewandowski netting a well-executed goal to put his team ahead. Just minutes later, Lewandowski struck again, doubling the lead and putting Real Madrid under intense pressure.
Later on, Barcelona further asserted their dominance as Lamine Yamal and Raphinha added two more goals in the closing stages, sealing a comprehensive victory and leaving Madrid reeling.
Assessing individual performances, Andriy Lunin, Madrid’s goalkeeper, had a challenging evening. While he made a few saves, including an early one from Yamal and another from a powerful shot by Pedri, Lunin couldn’t prevent Barcelona’s goals, largely due to a lack of defensive support.
Lunin finished the match having conceded four goals, although there was little he could have done to prevent them.
Lucas Vazquez, Madrid’s right-back, showed some improvement from his previous performance against Borussia Dortmund, keeping his side of the field secure in the first half and occasionally pushing forward.
However, his performance declined in the second half, leaving Lewandowski free for the first goal and struggling to contain Raphinha, who consistently exploited Vazquez’s side of the pitch, particularly during the lead-up to the fourth goal.
Eder Militao also had a mixed game. He was attentive and solid defensively in the first half, making critical interventions, including a block to deny Fermin a scoring chance. But Militao’s performance deteriorated after the break.
He found himself out of position for Barcelona’s second goal and was unable to prevent Lewandowski’s impact as Real Madrid’s defense fell apart, especially in the buildup to Barcelona’s third and fourth goals.
Antonio Rudiger was solid in the first half, closely marking Lewandowski and effectively using his physicality to limit the striker’s influence. However, in the second half, Rudiger couldn’t maintain his level. He allowed Lewandowski too much space to score Barcelona’s second goal and was drawn out of position, leading to lapses in Madrid’s defensive structure.
On the left flank, Ferland Mendy faced early challenges from Lamine Yamal but held his ground initially. His contributions going forward were minimal, and he struggled after halftime, particularly after he played Lewandowski onside for the first goal.
Jude Bellingham, stationed on the right of the midfield, worked tirelessly but struggled to make a significant impact, especially in the opening half.
He managed to test Barcelona’s keeper, Inaki Pena, though Mbappe was offside in the lead-up. In the second half, Bellingham remained uncomfortable on the right side, missing a good opportunity when Madrid was trailing 0-2, resulting in a frustrating outing for the English midfielder.
Ultimately, Real Madrid’s defense struggled to maintain their shape and intensity in the second half, allowing Barcelona to exploit gaps and secure a convincing 4-0 victory. The defeat highlighted Real Madrid’s defensive vulnerabilities and left them looking for solutions ahead of their upcoming matches.
