Barcelona turn on the style to rout Madrid in El Clásico

La Liga

Real Madrid 0-4 FC Barcelona

Robert Lewandowski scored twice while Lamine Yamal and Raphinah also got in on the act to ruin Kylian Mbappé’s first El Clásico as FC Barcelona routed Real Madrid 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday night.

The Catalans ended Madrid’s unbeaten run in La Liga at 42 games by dealing Carlo Ancelotti’s side its first loss since September 23rd last year.

Lewandowski scored from a superb pass by Barcelona’s latest youth talent Marc Casadó in the 54th minute and with Madrid still reeling he headed in a second goal three minutes later to silence Bernabeu.

Those were goals 16th and 17th overall for the Polish striker this season, taking his league-best tally to 14. He also missed a glorious chance to clinch a hat-trick with an effort hitting the post.

Yamal made it a rout in the 77th when the teenage phenom rifled a shot from an angle over goalkeeper Andriy Lunin to become the youngest goalscorer in Clásico history. Raphinha got involved in the burgundy-and-blue party when he broke free with Madrid pressing forward and produced a perfectly weighted chip over Lunin in the 84th minute.

Mbappé had a frustrating first game against Barcelona in a white shirt.

The France star was repeatedly caught offside by Barcelona’s synchronised back four and failed to beat second-choice goalkeeper Iñaki Peña one-on-one with his team down two goals.

Hansi Flick, meanwhile, had a night to remember in the first Clásico for the German coach.

Barcelona still have financial troubles that cast doubt over the club’s future but its team has made huge steps forward since Flick replaced Barcelona great Xavi Hernández in the summer.

Barcelona have now opened a six-point lead at the top of La Liga over second-placed Madrid after 11 rounds.

“We had a tough week with tough games, but we knew how to pull it out. We played a great game,” Casadó, an unknown reserve team player until Flick picked him to be his holding midfielder, said after his impressive outing.

Casadó was one of five homegrown players that Flick put in his starting lineup, the same 11 that beat Bayern Munich 4-1 in the Champions League three days earlier. A total of six players under 22 years old started for Barcelona, led by 17-year-olds Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, and showed no signs of being intimidated by the scenario.

Yamal upstaged Mbappé this summer when Spain beat France en route to winning the European Championship, and he did it again when he displayed the finishing touch that Mbappé was lacking.

Mbappé himself was ruled offside no less than five times in the first half hour, as Barcelona pressed high up the field. Vinícius Júnior, who featured in a fascinating duel with Cubarsí, missed a golden chance in the 21st minute when he shot past the post from close.

Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti appeared disgruntled with celebrations from the Barcelona bench following the fourth goal and will likely come in for harsh criticism in the Madrid press in the morning.

Barcelona face yet another derby next time out when they welcome Espanyol to Montjuïc for the Derbi Barceloní while Madrid will look to re-find their form away to lowly Valencia.