Barcelona's unbeaten domestic run has ended, and the manner of its conclusion leaves real questions about the squad's depth and physical condition. A 2-1 home defeat to Real Madrid on matchday ten brought a nine-game winning streak to an abrupt halt, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice to hand Jose Mourinho's side all three points. Despite controlling 62 percent of possession and registering 17 shots, Barcelona lacked the clinical edge to convert their dominance, and a late counter-attack in the 87th minute proved decisive. Hansi Flick pointed to a lack of freshness as a key factor, and the injury situation only reinforces that concern.

The physical toll from the Clasico was significant. Right-back Xavi Espart suffered ankle ligament damage following a challenge from Aurelien Tchouameni and faces around seven weeks out, joining Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen and Dani Olmo in the treatment room. Raphinha, who scored Barcelona's equaliser and has 13 La Liga goals this season, asked to be substituted after running out of energy following an injury sustained during the international break, forcing Flick to abandon his tactical plan for the closing stages.

Despite the setback, Barcelona remain top of La Liga with 27 points from ten matches, holding a two-point cushion over Atletico Madrid. Flick's side host Deportivo Alaves on Saturday, a fixture they will need to win to steady confidence before a Champions League clash against Aston Villa follows days later.