Real Madrid beat FC Barcelona with a score of 2‑1 at the Camp Nou, breaking the Catalan's uninterrupted streak of 18 victories and ending their dominance over the stadium. The victory was due, according to Portuguese coach José Mourinho, to a strong defense and a marked control of the midfield that left Barça without clear opportunities.
Since returning to the Camp Nou, Barcelona had won 18 consecutive games without losing a point, making any defeat considered a hard blow. Despite the pressure, the team led by Xavi Hernández (Flick) showed great consistency, but on September 29 they found themselves against a Madrid that had learned to neutralize its weaknesses.
Mourinho's plan focused on individual marking of Barça's key players, especially in the wide areas where Pedri and Rodri failed more than ever. Real used their physical superiority and high pressing to close the spaces, forcing the Catalan midfielders to make mistakes. In the center, Madrid had the presence of Tchouaméni, Bellingham, Güler, Silva, Valverde and Diomandé, who dominated the game and limited Barça's creation options.
Real's attack also benefited from the lack of cover on the wings, as Barcelona's wingers and full-backs opened wide spaces that Madrid exploited with speed and precision. Barça's players, particularly Gordon and Cancelo, showed a lack of coordination, which allowed Madrid to create scoring opportunities. Lack of freshness and fatigue were also mentioned as factors affecting Barcelona's performance, although the Madrid coach did not want to go into detail about the internal causes.
With this result, Real Madrid improves its position in the table and keeps the rivalry with Barcelona alive, while the Catalan will have to rethink its strategy to prevent the same pattern of play from being repeated in the next matches. Madrid's next match will be against Atlético de Madrid, where they will seek to consolidate their advantage in the competition.