Barcelona went into Clasico week level with a 57-year-old La Liga milestone. Saturday’s 5-2 win at Real Betis took Hansi Flick’s side to nine league victories from nine, equalling the opening-nine record Real Madrid set in 1968-69. Six points separate the top two before they meet in Barcelona on Sunday.

Lamine Yamal opened the scoring at the Estadio de La Cartuja after ten minutes. Valentín Gómez pulled Betis level on 27, before Rodri, Gabriel Jesus, Eric García and Dani Olmo scored for Barcelona and Abde Ezzalzouli briefly pulled Betis back to 3-2. The home side finished with ten men after Facundo Bernal was sent off.

Barcelona level Madrid’s 1968-69 start

Flick’s run now stretches to 11 straight wins across all competitions, nine in La Liga and two in the Champions League. Barcelona lead the table on 27 points with a +30 goal difference. Atlético Madrid are second on 22; Real Madrid third on 21.

Mbappe and Guler keep the chase on

Madrid’s reply came 24 hours later at the Santiago Bernabéu. Arda Guler put the home side in front half an hour in with a curling left-foot strike from the edge of the Sevilla box. Mbappe doubled it on 37 minutes after rounding the goalkeeper from a Jude Bellingham backheel, and extended the lead to 3-0 just after the hour with a Panenka penalty chipped straight down the middle.

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Manu Bueno pulled one back for Sevilla with ten minutes to go. Yan Diomande fired the fourth into the top corner shortly after.

Mourinho holds off on the Clasico question

The Portuguese coach, who took over at the Bernabéu in the summer after Alvaro Arbeloa’s interim spell, deflected the Barcelona talk in his post-match press conference. Madrid host RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday before travelling to Camp Nou.

“There is Champions (League) to play first, and it’s the only game we are thinking about.”

Mourinho also addressed the demands on his squad against the side they are chasing.

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“It is difficult for us to enjoy the peace of mind that other coaches at other clubs enjoy, but we make the most of every minute we have.”

Kick-off at Camp Nou is at 9pm local time on Sunday 25 October. A Barcelona win would stretch the gap to nine points after ten rounds; a Real Madrid win would cut it to three.

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