Barcelona's perfect La Liga start has come to an end. A 2-1 home defeat to Real Madrid on Sunday dropped the Blaugrana to their first domestic loss of the season, ending a nine-game winning run and handing their title rivals a foothold in the race. They remain top of the table with 27 points from ten games, but Real Madrid have closed the gap to three points.

The manner of the defeat will sting. Barcelona controlled 62 percent of possession and fired 17 shots, yet were undone by two Kylian Mbappe goals, the second a late counter-attack that exposed their high defensive line at a critical moment. Hansi Flick cited a lack of freshness as the primary reason his side fell short, a concern made sharper by a growing injury list. Xavi Espart was forced off inside the first half-hour, adding to existing absences that have stretched the defensive options thin. Flick described the injuries as the biggest concern facing the squad right now.

Raphinha, Barcelona's top scorer with 13 league goals, also asked to be substituted in the closing stages after carrying a knock from the international break, forcing Flick to abandon a planned tactical shift. Frenkie de Jong returned from injury as a substitute and has vowed to push for a starting place, offering at least one positive from a difficult week.

Barcelona host Deportivo Alaves at Spotify Camp Nou on Saturday, a fixture they will need to win to stabilise their position and rebuild confidence before a Champions League tie against Aston Villa follows.