In a pulsating La Liga El Clasico showdown at Camp Nou on Sunday, Real Madrid secured a landmark 2-1 away victory over long-time rivals Barcelona, with Kylian Mbappe scoring both of Los Blancos’ goals, including a dramatic late match-winner. The triumph marked a historic milestone for returning manager Jose Mourinho, who emulated his iconic past success against Barcelona by extending his unbeaten run across six consecutive El Clasico fixtures, placing him alongside legendary Real Madrid helmsmen Miguel Munoz and Vicente del Bosque as only the third manager in the club’s history to achieve that feat. 13 years on from his last tenure leading Real Madrid in this fierce cross-city rivalry, Mourinho marked the latest win with his signature celebratory knee slide on the Camp Nou turf, a familiar sight for long-time Spanish football fans that underscored his enduring Midas touch against the Catalan giants. The result shattered Barcelona’s nine-match unbeaten domestic streak, and completely upended the La Liga title race landscape: a defeat for Real Madrid would have handed Barcelona a dominant nine-point lead at the top of the table, but the hard-fought three points now cuts the gap between the two title contenders to just three points, revitalizing Real Madrid’s championship aspirations. Post-match, a characteristically measured Mourinho deflected praise to his playing squad, noting, “Real Madrid do not play to win at the Camp Nou, Real Madrid play to win La Liga. We could win with luck, but we won with calmness and with all merit. It’s a very strong group. Everyone works very hard. Everyone was ready to win.” The Portuguese veteran also highlighted the tactical balance his mixed midfield lineup had delivered, providing defensive solidity while unlocking attacking quality against a typically possession-dominant Barcelona side, and urged his team to avoid overconfidence in the wake of the high-profile victory. Across his two separate stints at the Real Madrid helm, Mourinho now boasts an even 6 wins and 6 losses in El Clasico fixtures, with 2 draws in the recent unbeaten run. For defeated Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, no excuses were offered for the upset, though he acknowledged his squad’s visible fatigue after a grueling stretch of packed fixtures across recent weeks. “We missed the freshness,” Flick confirmed. “It’s not easy for our players. We have to recover well, train well and we have to respond from this defeat. In big games, small things are important and they decide the games and today, it wasn’t on our side.” The result extends Real Madrid’s winning streak to five consecutive victories across all competitions, cementing the side’s sharp early-season form as they chase down Barcelona at the La Liga summit. (Image credit: Getty Images)