Kylian Mbappe gave Real Madrid a 1-0 half-time lead at the Spotify Camp Nou, finishing low into the bottom left corner from the centre of the box in the 41st minute of a half Barcelona had controlled for long spells.
Barcelona had 59 percent of the ball, completed 287 passes to Real Madrid's 190 and took nine shots to six. Four of them were on target and Andriy Lunin saved all four: three from Anthony Gordon, in the 7th, 15th and 34th minutes, and a late effort from Rodri. Raphinha had three attempts of his own, two of which went just wide, and Lamine Yamal shot narrowly past the post three minutes after the goal.
Real Madrid did not need the ball to hurt their hosts. They played 27 long passes, 18 of them accurate, against Barcelona's four from 13, and Arda Guler was at the heart of their attacks with three shots and the passes behind chances for Mbappe and Yan Diomande. The visitors also won the ball back more often, with five interceptions to Barcelona's two.
Barcelona's evening was disrupted just before the half hour when right-back Xavi Espart went down injured and was replaced by Alejandro Balde. Marc Cucurella committed four fouls, three of them on Yamal, yet the half ended without a single yellow card.
Barcelona arrived with nine wins from nine and now need two goals in the second half to keep that run alive. A Real Madrid win would cut the gap at the top of La Liga to three points.
Update: Real Madrid won 2-1, with Kylian Mbappe scoring in the 41st and 87th minutes and Raphinha replying in the 61st. Read the match report.
