Leaders FC Barcelona ended Real Madrid’s unbeaten start to the league campaign with an emphatic 4-0 win in the season’s first El Clásico. Kylian Mbappé had an extremely frustrating match in front of goal. The Frenchman was caught offside on a career-worst eight occasions. That’s the most by any player in a single La Liga game in the last 10 seasons.

Unfruitful El Clásico debut for Mbappé

Los Blancos has been a dominant force of late, coming out victorious in the last four El Clásicos. But Hansi Flick’s remarkable start to the season brought back hope for Barcelona. The Blaugrana won 11 of their first 13 games under the German coach.

While he inflicted an embarrassing defeat to his former employers Bayern Munich in midweek, Real Madrid put on a five-star second-half performance against Borussia Dortmund. Fresh from their European exploits and 48 hours before the Ballon d’Or ceremony, the timing was impeccable for the clash of the titans.

The game has lived up to the pre-match expectations. For starters, it was an end-to-end encounter. The visitors dominated possession, but the defending champions came close to scoring on multiple occasions in the first half-hour. 

On Tuesday, Real Madrid was extremely efficient in front of goal after the break. However, Carlo Ancelotti’s side lacked that decisiveness in their multiple attempts to exploit Barcelona’s high-line defense.

More than anything, beating the offside trap was the bigger challenge Madrid’s attackers faced. Mbappé, who was playing his maiden El Clásico, was caught offside six times alone in the first 45 minutes. 

Mbappé unwanted record: The New Offside King

He found the net in both halves, but it was offside on both occasions. At the end of the game, Real Madrid players had 12 offsides to their names to Barcelona’s one. And, the 25-year-old French striker had eight of them.

Mbappé tied an unwanted record with that stat. Since records began for offside in LaLiga, Jonathas previously had the most in a game when he was caught by the two linesmen eight times in Elche’s 3-2 defeat to Athletic Club in 2015. At least, the Brazilian scored his club’s goals in the match. 

To make matters worse, the former PSG superstar fluffed his lines the few times he beat Barcelona’s offside trap. Even before this miserable performance, the 2022 World Cup top-scorer struggled to repeat his famed scoring form in Spanish’s top-flight. He only has three non-penalty goals in his first 10 LaLiga appearances.

Flawless match by Barca’s defenders

With Ballon d’Or’s favorite Vinicius Junior also in Real Madrid’s ranks, Barcelona’s high-line positioning seemed adventurous. And they did that when one of their center backs was only 17 years old.

Pau Cubarsí had a superb game in the heart of Barcelona’s defense. His awareness level and timely decision-making were not visible in Real Madrid’s more experienced center-back partnership. Although he could’ve scored four himself, Robert Lewandowski’s movement for the first goal was a big contrast to Mbappé’s inefficiency.

And, Cubarsí wasn’t the only future superstar to shine for Barcelona. Marc Casadó and Alejandro Balde, both 21, assisted Lewandowski’s two goals. And, of course, Lamine Yamal scored his first (and surely not last) El Clásico goal.

What’s next for Real Madrid & FC Barcelona?

Ancelotti’s team is now six points behind Barcelona after one-third of the season gone. Their next two LaLiga games will see them play bottom-placed Valencia and Osasuna. However, Champions League will present a tricky fixture list with games against AC Milan and Liverpool.

Meanwhile, pointless Red Star and debutant Brest are Barcelona’s upcoming European opponents. Before all of that, Flick’s in-form men will play the Catalan derby next weekend against Espanyol. 

Photo: IMAGO / Guillermo Martinez