Mbappé Equals 82-Year-Old Record As Barcelona Edge Madrid in Seven-Goal Thriller

• Kylian Mbappé scored a brilliant hat-trick in El Clasico, becoming the first Real Madrid player since 1943 to do so and still lose the match
• Barcelona came from behind to win 4-3, with Raphinha scoring twice to boost his 2025 Ballon d'Or chances
• Barcelona completed an astonishing fourth successive El Clasico victory against rivals Real Madrid this season

Star striker Kylian Mbappé etched his name into the Real Madrid history books, but not for reasons he would have wished in a night of high drama and unforgettable football.

Despite scoring a sensational hat-trick against Barcelona on May 11, Mbappé could not prevent his side from falling 4-3 to their arch-rivals.

The loss gave Barcelona a clean sweep in this season’s El Clasico clashes and marked the first time in 82 years that a Real Madrid player scored a hat-trick and still ended on the losing side.

Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick against Barcelona

Mbappé, who joined Real Madrid last summer amid massive expectations, showed his world-class pedigree once again with a stunning individual performance.

His three goals showcased his versatility: a deft chip, a powerful strike from outside the box, and a composed finish past Ter Stegen.

Can Mbappe win the Pichichi against Lewandowski?

The hat-trick brought the French attacker's tally for the season to 39 goals in all competitions, a record for a Real Madrid player in their debut campaign.

Mbappé also overtook Robert Lewandowski in the Pichichi race, registering his 27th goal to lead the La Liga top scorers chart, with the Polish striker trailing by two goals.

Mbappe equals 82-year-old Real Madrid record

Kylian Mbappé's performance put him alongside a long-forgotten name in Real Madrid folklore, Sabino Barinaga.

On October 3, 1943, Barinaga scored a hat-trick in a 3-5 La Liga home defeat to Sevilla, a record that had stood unmatched for over eight decades.

To see it repeated in the modern era, and in an El Clásico, only underscored the oddity and heartbreak of Madrid’s night.

While Barinaga’s feat came in a vastly different era of football, Mbappé’s achievement is arguably more remarkable given the stakes and pressure of a modern El Clásico, with millions watching around the globe.

Barcelona 2024/25 dominance over Real Madrid

Credit must go to Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, who showed tactical resilience and composure even when behind.

The German manager, in his first season in charge, has now led Barça to four wins over Madrid in a single campaign, something no manager has done in over a decade.

Lamine Yamal and Raphinha were instrumental in the comeback, with the latter scoring a brace in the 34th and 46th minutes.

Flick’s aggressive pressing system stifled Madrid in key moments, turning what could have been a Mbappé-inspired rout into a famous Barcelona win.

Top Mbappe UEFA Champions League displays

YEN.com.gh earlier reported the most remarkable UEFA Champions League performances of Kylian Mbappe since the 2016/17 season.

Despite his inability to win the prestigious competition, the former PSG attacker has provided lots of memorable moments in the Champions League, making him one of the best players in the recent history of the competition.

The prolific footballer had wished to win the treble with Real Madrid in his maiden season in Spain, however, that dream crashed when Los Blancos were eliminated from the 2024/25 UEFA CL by Arsenal.

Source: YEN.com.gh