After a season of frustration against Barcelona, Real Madrid are out to reclaim their pride in Sunday’s highly anticipated La Liga Clasico, and this time, Kylian Mbappé is leading the charge.
Last season, Barcelona completely dominated the Clasicos, winning all four encounters, including triumphs in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup, a run that ultimately brought an end to Carlo Ancelotti’s time at Madrid.
Now under new manager Xabi Alonso, Los Blancos have started brightly and currently sit two points ahead of Hansi Flick’s Barcelona at the top of the table. A victory at the Santiago Bernabéu would open up a five-point cushion over their rivals and help Madrid silence critics who doubt their ability to perform in big games.
Those doubts stem from a disappointing run that included a Club World Cup semi-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and a 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid in September’s derby.
However, Mbappé’s blistering form has reignited belief among Madrid fans. The French forward has scored in 11 consecutive matches for club and country before Wednesday’s Champions League win over Juventus, where Jude Bellingham got the only goal.
With 10 of Madrid’s 20 La Liga goals to his name, Mbappé leads the Spanish scoring charts and has contributed over half of his team’s total goals across all competitions.
“We’re not dependent on him,” Alonso insisted recently, though the numbers suggest otherwise. “We are very happy with his performance, he’s been decisive.”
Mbappé’s early days in Madrid weren’t smooth. In his first Clasico last year, a 4-0 home defeat to Barcelona, he struggled to make an impact, repeatedly caught offside and described by Spanish media as “shrunken and without venom.”
But the 26-year-old responded with determination, vowing to “change the situation” and he did. By the time Madrid faced Barcelona again, Mbappé had rediscovered his rhythm. He scored in both the Super Cup and Copa del Rey finals, and even bagged a hat-trick in May’s 4-3 thriller at the Olympic Stadium, despite Madrid’s defeat.
This season, Mbappé’s link-up with young Turkish playmaker Arda Güler has added a new spark to Madrid’s attack. “Arda gets between the lines and finds Mbappé well,” Alonso explained, hinting at the duo’s growing understanding.
With Barcelona’s defence looking shaky at the start of the season, Real Madrid are confident their star striker can exploit the gaps once again and perhaps, finally, end Barca’s Clasico dominance.
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