Robert Lewandowski scored twice in quick succession as Barcelona thrashed Real Madrid 4-0 on Saturday, handing the defending La Liga champions their first defeat in over a year.
Lamine Yamal, the teenage sensation, and Raphinha added to the tally, while Madrid star Kylian Mbappe had two goals disallowed for offside in his debut Clasico. The loss leaves Real Madrid trailing Barcelona, who now lead La Liga by six points.
Barcelona snapped Madrid’s 42-match unbeaten La Liga streak, just one short of the record held by the Catalan side, marking a significant achievement for manager Hansi Flick, who has revitalised Barcelona in mere months.
Madrid, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, played a defensive game while looking to capitalise on long balls for Mbappe and Vinicius Junior to exploit Barcelona’s aggressive formation. But Barcelona’s offside trap held firm, catching Madrid players offside eight times in the first half alone.
The second half saw Barcelona increase control, bringing on Frenkie de Jong and opening the scoring through Lewandowski, who found the net twice within two minutes, quieting the Bernabeu crowd. Yamal later fired in a third, and Raphinha finished with a skilful lob over Madrid’s goalkeeper, sealing a decisive win and sending a powerful message in La Liga’s title race.