Barcelona Dominates Clásico: Lewandowski Shines with Two Goals in 4-0 Rout of Real Madrid

Robert Lewandowski netted two goals, while Lamine Yamal added a third, as Barcelona dominated Real Madrid with a 4-0 victory on Saturday, marking Kylian Mbappé’s first Clásico in a Barcelona shirt.

Lewandowski opened the scoring in the 54th minute with a brilliant assist from Barcelona’s rising star, Marc Casadó, and quickly followed up with another goal just three minutes later, silencing the Santiago Bernabéu crowd. These strikes brought his season total to 17, including 14 in the league, and he also hit the post during the match.

Yamal sealed the rout in the 77th minute, firing a shot from an angle over goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, becoming the youngest scorer in Clásico history at just 17. Raphinha then added a fourth goal in the 84th minute, chipping Lunin after breaking free as Madrid pushed forward.

Mbappé had a challenging debut against Barcelona, frequently caught offside by their well-organized defense and unable to score against second-choice keeper Iñaki Peña despite a one-on-one opportunity.

For Hansi Flick, it was a memorable first Clásico as the German coach, as Barcelona extended their lead at the top of LaLiga to six points over Madrid after 11 matches.

Following four straight defeats in Clásico encounters, Barcelona celebrated their first victory over Madrid since March 2023, showcasing a clinical performance aligned with Flick’s strategy of employing a high defensive line.

Casadó, a previously unknown reserve team player who has stepped up under Flick, expressed pride in the team’s performance. He was one of five homegrown talents in the starting XI, which had also beaten Bayern Munich 4-1 in the Champions League just days prior. Six players under 22 took the field, including 17-year-olds Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, showing remarkable composure in such a high-stakes match.

Yamal had previously overshadowed Mbappé in the summer by helping Spain defeat France in the European Championship, and he did so again, finishing with finesse using his supposedly weaker right foot.

Mbappé was flagged offside five times in the first half hour, while Vinícius Júnior, locked in an intriguing duel with Cubarsí, missed a key chance in the 21st minute by shooting wide from close range.

Peña, filling in for the injured Marc-André ter Stegen, delivered a strong performance, highlighted by two key saves against Mbappé, marking a standout game for him in goal.

“Our coach emphasized that a high defensive line was essential,” Peña said. “It’s a risky strategy, but our collective effort is evident in the offside traps we’re setting.”

Raphinha’s goal underscored his significant progress under Flick, as the Brazilian forward, who captained the team, reached 10 goals for the season.

This report includes information from The Associated Press and Reuters.