Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 in the first La Liga Clásico of the season at Camp Nou, with Kylian Mbappe scoring both goals for the visitors. Frenkie de Jong also returned after 117 days out, but the Dutch midfielder came on in defeat.

Mbappe decides a tense night in Barcelona

The match was played in round 10 of La Liga and gave Real Madrid a statement away win at Barcelona’s home ground. Mbappe’s double settled the contest, while Raphinha scored Barcelona’s only goal.

The result added another sharp edge to a rivalry that rarely needs much help. It also underlined how quickly Madrid were able to punish mistakes, while Barcelona were left to chase the game without getting enough return from their chances.

De Jong’s comeback offers one positive for Barcelona

De Jong’s return was one of the night’s biggest individual storylines. Hansi Flick brought him on for Fermín López with the score level at 1-1, and the appearance marked his first official minutes in 117 days.

His last official game had come on June 30, when the Netherlands were eliminated by Morocco at the World Cup after a penalty shootout. He played 110 minutes that day. Barcelona later said in July that he had suffered damage to his knee ligaments, which kept him out of the start of the new season.

After the match, De Jong said Barcelona had not moved the ball as fluently as usual and had given the ball away too often. He said Madrid’s pace and directness made those errors costly. He also said competition for places at Barcelona is normal and that he wants to force his way back into the starting eleven as soon as possible.

Barcelona split on the performance as pressure rises

Joao Cancelo offered a different reading. He said Barcelona had been the better side and had created more chances, but needed to control matches through possession rather than pressing high throughout. His comments echoed De Jong’s broader point that Barcelona lost some of their usual rhythm.

In the Netherlands, Ruud Gullit, Theo Janssen and André Ooijer were impressed with De Jong’s return on Ziggo Sport’s Rondo. Gullit said De Jong came on well, made few mistakes and received a warm response from the crowd when he entered the pitch. Ooijer added that getting minutes again matters not only for De Jong, but also for the Dutch national team.

Tempers flare after the final whistle

The evening did not end with the final score. Jude Bellingham and Karim Adeyemi were involved in a heated exchange after the match, and players from both sides moved in to separate them. The reason for the dispute was not reported.

Jose Mourinho also drew attention after the game. Harian Jogja reported that he stood near Barcelona’s bench as Madrid celebrated their second goal, while Barcelona players and staff did not take the bait, with one staff member responding with a smile. Mourinho later praised Madrid’s structure and courage under pressure, and said the visitors could have built a bigger lead.