A first defeat in the league
Barcelona’s perfect start to the LaLiga season ended on 25 October. Real Madrid won 2-1 at the Camp Nou in the first Clásico of the campaign, and [1] reports that Kylian Mbappé scored both goals, the winner coming late. Raphinha had levelled on the hour, so Barcelona were on terms until the closing stages.
The result ended a run of nine consecutive league wins, as [2] notes. It also came five days after a 4-2 Champions League defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain, so Barcelona have now lost two matches in a row. Before that, they had beaten Galatasaray 4-1 in Europe and Real Betis 5-2 in the league.
The pre-match picture was one of dominance. [3] described Barcelona as league leaders with nine wins and 39 goals, despite the PSG loss. Afterwards, [4] reported that the players posted messages of unity and determination. Hansi Flick gave the squad Monday off, with training resuming on Wednesday.
Injuries and the full-back reshuffle
The bigger worry may be the treatment room. [5] reports that Xavi Espart left the Clásico around the 30th minute with a leg injury and will undergo medical tests to assess its extent. Alejandro Balde replaced him, with João Cancelo moving to right-back and Balde taking the left. The early change forced a tactical rethink in a match that stayed close until the end.
Espart is not the only absentee. The same report says Dani Olmo and Roony Bardghji were already injured, and that Andreas Christensen and Eric García are also in the infirmary. García missed the Clásico, and [6] says he was also out of an earlier game against Sevilla with knee discomfort.
There is one positive. Jules Koundé is in the infirmary but is described as close to returning, though his status is listed as doubtful. If he is fit, Flick would gain a defender at a time when the back line is stretched. Barcelona have conceded eleven league goals in ten games, nine of them before the Clásico, so the defence has been a strength worth protecting.
Raphinha, Yamal and the goalkeeper
The attack has carried Barcelona all season. [7] has Raphinha on 13 league goals, top of the scoring table after ten matchdays. Lamine Yamal has 8, among the leaders. Mbappé reached ten with his Clásico goals, which puts him ahead of Yamal in that table.
In goal, Joan García has been a steady presence. Marca notes he has four clean sheets in all competitions this season and was expected to start the Clásico. The nine league goals conceded before the Madrid game back that up, even if Mbappé found a way through twice.
Away from the pitch, Yamal’s profile keeps growing. Marca lists commercial ties with Adidas, Visa, Powerade, Beats, Nesquik, McDonald’s and Oppo, and says his possible weakness is overexposure from taking part in many campaigns. That is a point for the club to watch rather than a verdict on his football. On the pitch, his eight goals and Raphinha’s 13 mean Barcelona’s two main scorers still account for a large share of the team’s 40 league goals.
What it means
Barcelona remain first in LaLiga with 27 points from ten games: nine wins, one defeat, 40 goals scored and 11 conceded. One loss does not change the table, but the recent form is less comfortable. Two defeats in five days, in Paris and then against Madrid, show a team that has been tested hard by top opposition.
The form line before that was strong. Wins over Getafe (3-0), Galatasaray (4-1) and Betis (5-2) show an attack that scores freely, and Raphinha’s 13 goals sit at the centre of that. Flick’s rest day on Monday suggests he wants the squad fresh after a heavy week.
The next fixture asks a clear question: how does Barcelona’s depth cope with so many absences? Barcelona v Alavés is on 31 October in La Liga. Espart’s tests, Koundé’s possible return and the long list of injured players will decide how settled the back line looks. The site’s forecast for that match locks 24 hours before kick-off, and it will be graded publicly like every other prediction.
Sources
- The Guardian: Mbappé double secures Real Madrid late victory at Barcelona after Raphinha leveller theguardian.com ↩
- Sky Sports: Euro Debrief: Mbappe and Mourinho expose Barcelona's big problem skysports.com ↩
- The Guardian: El Clásico today: How to watch Barcelona v Real Madrid, TV channels & live stream theguardian.com ↩
- Marca: Los mensajes de los jugadores del Barça tras el Clásico, contundentes marca.com ↩
- Marca: Espart se retira lesionado: Balde, casi inédito este curso, le sustituye en el Clásico marca.com ↩
- Marca: Joan García, un Clásico de triunfos marca.com ↩
- Marca: Así está el Pichichi de LaLiga 2026-27: Mbappé supera a Lamine y acecha a Raphinha tras su gol en el Clásico marca.com ↩
