Mourinho's Madrid seize all-time head-to-head lead over Barcelona

Kylian Mbappe scored two goals on Sunday night to lead Real Madrid to a 2-1 victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou. The win stopped Barcelona's nine-game winning streak in the Spanish top flight and gave Real Madrid the lead in the all-time head-to-head record. Real now holds 107 wins against Barcelona's 106 in their rivalry.

The match marked the first time a team has beaten Barcelona in the league this season. A win for Barcelona would have broken the record for the best start in the Spanish top flight, set by Real Madrid in 1968-69. This was also Barcelona's second consecutive defeat, following a loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League earlier in the week.

Mbappe's two goals brought his career total for Real Madrid to 100 in all competitions. He joined the club from PSG in 2024. The 27-year-old French forward is currently the second-best scorer in La Liga this season. He enters Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony in London as a leading candidate, following a previous campaign in which he won the Golden Boot at the World Cup and topped the scoring charts in both La Liga and the Champions League.

Jose Mourinho, who returned to Real Madrid after two trophyless seasons for the club, has now won five consecutive matches. This run includes three league games and two Champions League fixtures. Real Madrid sits third in the league table with 24 points after ten matches. They are three points behind Barcelona, while Atletico Madrid sits in second place with 25 points.

Mourinho emphasized the importance of consistency in a post-match statement. He said, “If we win today but lose at El Sardinero, it counts for nothing, because Madrid isn't playing to win at the Camp Nou. They're playing to win the championship.” The manager, 63, celebrated the win with a knee slide on the pitch.

The next scheduled event for both teams is the Ballon d'Or gala in London on Monday. Real Madrid will face the next fixture in their five-game winning streak after this ceremony.

Mourinho had not won a league title since 2014-15 with Chelsea. His first stint at Real Madrid ended 13 years ago, during which he won three trophies including a record La Liga title.