In the season’s first El Clasico at Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid endured a heavy 4-0 loss to their fierce rivals, Barcelona.
Though they managed to hold Barcelona to a scoreless draw in a hard-fought first half, the defending champions faltered in the second half, with Barcelona capitalizing on key opportunities to secure a commanding win.
The first half was closely contested, with Real Madrid keeping a compact defensive shape and Barcelona effectively using the offside trap.
Kylian Mbappe did manage to score for Madrid, but his goal was narrowly ruled offside. However, after halftime, Barcelona took control.
About ten minutes into the second half, Robert Lewandowski broke the deadlock with a precise finish, giving Barcelona the lead.
Moments later, he doubled the score, putting Real Madrid under heavy pressure.
Barcelona extended their dominance as Lamine Yamal and Raphinha each added goals in the closing minutes, sealing a decisive win and leaving Real Madrid on the back foot.
Individually, Madrid’s goalkeeper, Andriy Lunin, had a tough outing. While he made several saves, including one from Yamal early on and another from Pedri, Lunin had little defensive support and ultimately couldn’t stop Barcelona’s goals.
Lucas Vazquez, the right-back, showed improvement over his last game against Borussia Dortmund, keeping his side of the pitch secure in the first half and moving forward at times.
However, his performance declined after halftime; he left Lewandowski unmarked for the first goal and struggled to contain Raphinha, who exploited Vazquez’s side late in the game.
Eder Militao also had a mixed performance. He was solid and attentive in the first half, making important interventions, including blocking a shot from Fermin.
But his performance slipped in the second half; he was out of position for Barcelona’s second goal and struggled to manage Lewandowski as Real Madrid’s defense collapsed, especially leading up to the third and fourth goals.
Antonio Rudiger played well initially, closely marking Lewandowski and using his physicality to contain the striker.
However, his form dropped after halftime as he left Lewandowski too much space for Barcelona’s second goal and was caught out of position, contributing to defensive disorganization.
On the left flank, Ferland Mendy initially handled pressure from Lamine Yamal but offered little going forward.
He struggled more in the second half, especially when he inadvertently played Lewandowski onside for the opening goal.
Jude Bellingham, stationed on the right of the midfield, worked hard but had minimal impact, particularly in the first half.
He did test Barcelona’s keeper, Inaki Pena, though Mbappe was offside in the buildup. Bellingham continued to look uncomfortable in the second half, missing a chance to score when Madrid was trailing 0-2, making it a frustrating outing for the English midfielder.
Overall, Real Madrid’s defense couldn’t sustain their structure and intensity in the second half, allowing Barcelona to exploit the gaps and secure a resounding 4-0 win.
The defeat underscored Madrid’s defensive issues and left them seeking solutions before their upcoming matches.
