BARCELONA: Kylian Mbappé scored twice, including an 87th-minute winner, as Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 away on Sunday to close the gap on the La Liga leaders to three points.
Ivory Coast forward Yan Diomande played a prominent role in Madrid’s victory, troubling Barcelona’s defence and supplying the cross that led to the opening goal.
Barcelona had entered the Clásico seeking a 10th consecutive league win. They remain top with 27 points, but Atlético Madrid are now just two points behind, with Real a further point back.
Diomande helps Madrid take control
Diomande threatened early, hitting the side netting after getting behind Barcelona’s defence.
His persistence helped produce the breakthrough in the 41st minute. Marc Cucurella played him into the penalty area, and his cross ricocheted off Gerard Martín and Mbappé before finding the net. Opta credited the goal to Mbappé.
Barcelona responded after the hour when Raphinha finished from Pedri’s pass, taking his league tally to 13 goals.
But Madrid struck again with three minutes of normal time remaining. Substitute Eduardo Camavinga surged down the right and delivered a cross for Mbappé to finish from close range.
According to Opta, Mbappé has scored five goals in two away appearances against Barcelona as a Madrid player, the highest tally by a Madrid player over that span since 2013/14.
The victory also extended José Mourinho’s unbeaten run in Clásicos to six matches, comprising four wins and two draws.
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Lamine Yamal had five attempts for Barcelona but could not find the net.
Lookman endures another difficult outing
Atlético Madrid kept pace with a 1-0 home victory over Deportivo La Coruña, courtesy of Julián Álvarez’s goal three minutes after half-time.
The strike ended Álvarez’s goal drought, but Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman endured another frustrating evening.
Lookman was substituted at half-time for the third time in four matches after failing to register a shot or create a chance. He has scored once in nine appearances for Atlético.
Coach Diego Simeone has attributed the substitutions to managing players’ workloads.
“We need fresh legs,” he said.
Iñaki Williams gets off the mark
Ghana international Iñaki Williams scored his first goal of the season as Athletic Club swept Getafe aside 4-0 at San Mamés.
Álex Berenguer opened the scoring in the 17th minute before setting up Williams, who captained Athletic, for the second in the 35th.
Aitor Paredes added a header in the 70th minute, and Yuri completed the scoring two minutes from time.
Getafe finished with 10 men after Mario Martín’s dismissal in the 86th minute.
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Zabiri delivers another winner
Morocco’s Yassir Zabiri continued his impressive season with an 84th-minute winner as Racing Santander came from behind to beat Espanyol 2-1 on Saturday.
Edu Expósito put Espanyol ahead in the 62nd minute, but Jeanuel Belocian equalised seven minutes later before Zabiri settled the contest.
Named La Liga’s best under-23 player for September, Zabiri had already scored seven league goals by mid-October, drawing level with Mbappé and Yamal at that stage.
Gueye sent off as Villarreal fight back
Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye was dismissed for violent conduct after a VAR review in the 79th minute of Villarreal’s 2-1 derby victory over Valencia.
Pepelu had given Valencia the lead from the penalty spot in the 38th minute before Alex Freeman headed Villarreal level in the 69th.
Despite losing Gueye, Villarreal found a stoppage-time winner through Georges Mikautadze on a counterattack. Valencia’s Harvey Elliott was also sent off late in the match.
Elsewhere, Elche won 3-0 at Rayo Vallecano, while Real Sociedad beat Levante 2-1. Algeria captain Aïssa Mandi started for Levante.
Celta Vigo and Real Betis drew 0-0, with Morocco’s Abde Ezzalzouli starting for Betis. Alavés scored an 89th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Málaga, who remain bottom and without a win.
Sevilla host Osasuna on Monday night in the final match of the round.
