Lewandowski and Yamal spoil Mbappé’s first clasico as Barcelona routs Real Madrid 4-0

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Robert Lewandowski scored twice and Lamine Yamal piled on to ruin Kylian Mbappé’s first clasico as Barcelona routed Real Madrid 4-0 on Saturday.

The lopsided victory in Spain's capital ended the host's unbeaten run in La Liga at 42 games, one shy of Barcelona's record streak in 2017-18. Carlo Ancelotti’s side suffered its first loss since Sept. 23 last year.

And what a loss it was.

Lewandowski got the visitors going from a superb pass by Barcelona’s latest youth talent Marc Casadó in the 54th minute and rose up to head in a fine header three minutes later to silence Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Yamal made it a rout in the 77th when the teenage phenom rifled a shot from an angle over goalkeeper Andriy Lunin. Raphinha got involved in the burgundy-and-blue party when he broke free with Madrid completely unhinged and chipped Lunin in the 84th.

The win came three days after Barcelona thumped Bayern Munich 4-1 in the Champions League. It has outscored its last five opponents 21-2.

“We came here to do just this,” Yamal said. “We had lots of confidence and when we scored the second goal, we wanted to score a third, and then a fourth, as many goals as possible. To win 4-0 at this ground and beat Bayern 4-1, we showed that we are ready for anything.”

It is an understatement that Mbappé had a frustrating first game against Barcelona in a white shirt.

The France star was caught eight times offside by Barcelona's synchronized back four and failed to beat second-choice goalkeeper Iñaki Peña one-on-one with his team down two goals.

“We knew that they played with a high line, and we just couldn’t take advantage of it,” Ancelotti said. “Sometimes (Mbappé) fell offside, but he had three or four chances to score and needed a better finishing touch.”

Hansi Flick, meanwhile, had a night to remember in the first clasico for the German coach.

Barcelona still has financial troubles that cast doubt over its future but its youthful team has made huge steps forward since Flick replaced Barcelona great Xavi Hernández in the summer.

“Today we made a fantastic match and it is all about the team. Everyone gave it 100%," said Flick, who Ancelotti called “a gentleman” for telling his bench to cool it when they effusively celebrated the fourth goal near Madrid's dugout.

Barcelona opened a six-point lead at the top of La Liga over second-placed Madrid after 11 rounds.

Casadó was one of five homegrown players that Flick put in his starting lineup, the same 11 from the Bayern win. Six players under 22 years old started for Barcelona, led by 17-year-olds Yamal and Pau Cubarsí.

Yamal upstaged Mbappé this summer when Spain beat France en route to winning the European Championship, and he did it again. To top it off, he scored with his supposedly “not as good” right foot before flashing his new braces decorated with Barcelona's colors for the cameras.

Mbappé was ruled offside five times in the first half hour, as Barcelona pressed high. Vinícius Júnior, who featured in a fascinating duel with Cubarsí, missed a golden chance in the 21st when he shot past the post from close.

“When they scored those back-to-back goals it took the energy out of us,” Ancelotti said. “This is a complicated moment for us. It hurts to lose a game and especially after going 42 games unbeaten, but we shouldn’t just throw everything away because this team will play better.”

Peña was questioned if he was up to the task of replacing Marc-Andre ter Stegen, out long term with a knee injury. His strong performance, which included two stops to deny Mbappé, was his first great game in goal for Barcelona.

“Our coach said that playing a high defensive line was non-negotiable,” Peña said. “It is risky to play with such a high defense line, but the effort and work of the entire team is reflected in the offside traps we are creating.”

Raphinha’s goal confirmed his massive step forward under Flick. The Brazil forward, who acted as Barcelona captain, has 10 goals in this campaign.

Lewandowski's goals 16th and 17th overall for the Poland striker this season, taking his league-best tally to 14. He also hit the post. Mbappé, by comparison, has eight goals in all competitions.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, left, celebrates with Barcelona's Alejandro Balde after scoring his side's third goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's goalkeeper Inaki Pena celebrates at the end of a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham is dejected after a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's goalkeeper Inaki Pena celebrates de second goal scored by Robert Lewandowski during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski, left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's goalkeeper Andriy Lunin reacts after Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski scored his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe reacts during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring his side's second goal with Lamine Yamal, right, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — World champions Ilia Malinin and the ice dance duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates will anchor one of the strongest U.S. Figure Skating teams in history when they head to Italy for the Milan Cortina Olympics in less than a month.

Malinin, fresh off his fourth straight national title, will be the prohibitive favorite to follow in the footsteps of Nathan Chen by delivering another men's gold medal for the American squad when he steps on the ice at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Chock and Bates, who won their record-setting seventh U.S. title Saturday night, also will be among the Olympic favorites, as will world champion Alysa Liu and women's teammate Amber Glenn, fresh off her third consecutive national title.

U.S. Figure Skating announced its full squad of 16 athletes for the Winter Games during a made-for-TV celebration Sunday.

"I'm just so excited for the Olympic spirit, the Olympic environment," Malinin said. “Hopefully go for that Olympic gold.”

Malinin will be joined on the men's side by Andrew Torgashev, the all-or-nothing 24-year-old from Coral Springs, Florida, and Maxim Naumov, the 24-year-old from Simsbury, Connecticut, who fulfilled the hopes of his late parents by making the Olympic team.

Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were returning from a talent camp in Kansas when their American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter and crashed into the icy Potomac River in January 2025. One of the last conversations they had with their son was about what it would take for him to follow in their footsteps by becoming an Olympian.

“We absolutely did it,” Naumov said. “Every day, year after year, we talked about the Olympics. It means so much in our family. It's what I've been thinking about since I was 5 years old, before I even know what to think. I can't put this into words.”

Chock and Bates helped the Americans win team gold at the Beijing Games four years ago, but they finished fourth — one spot out of the medals — in the ice dance competition. They have hardly finished anywhere but first in the years since, winning three consecutive world championships and the gold medal at three straight Grand Prix Finals.

U.S. silver medalists Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik also made the dance team, as did the Canadian-born Christina Carreira, who became eligible for the Olympics in November when her American citizenship came through, and Anthony Ponomarenko.

Liu was picked for her second Olympic team after briefly retiring following the Beijing Games. She had been burned out by years of practice and competing, but stepping away seemed to rejuvenate the 20-year-old from Clovis, California, and she returned to win the first world title by an American since Kimmie Meissner stood atop the podium two decades ago.

Now, the avant-garde Liu will be trying to help the U.S. win its first women's medal since Sasha Cohen in Turin in 2006, and perhaps the first gold medal since Sarah Hughes triumphed four years earlier at the Salt Lake City Games.

Her biggest competition, besides a powerful Japanese contingent, could come from her own teammates: Glenn, a first-time Olympian, has been nearly unbeatable the past two years, while 18-year-old Isabeau Levito is a former world silver medalist.

"This was my goal and my dream and it just feels so special that it came true,” said Levito, whose mother is originally from Milan.

The two pairs spots went to Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea, the U.S. silver medalists, and the team of Emily Chan and Spencer Howe.

The top American pairs team, two-time reigning U.S. champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, were hoping that the Finnish-born Efimova would get her citizenship approved in time to compete in Italy. But despite efforts by the Skating Club of Boston, where they train, and the help of their U.S. senators, she did not receive her passport by the selection deadline.

“The importance and magnitude of selecting an Olympic team is one of the most important milestones in an athlete's life,” U.S. Figure Skating CEO Matt Farrell said, "and it has such an impact, and while there are sometimes rules, there is also a human element to this that we really have to take into account as we make decisions and what's best going forward from a selection process.

“Sometimes these aren't easy," Farrell said, “and this is not the fun part.”

The fun is just beginning, though, for the 16 athletes picked for the powerful American team.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Amber Glenn competes during the women's free skating competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Alysa Liu skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Maxim Naumov skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Madison Chock and Evan Bates skate during the "Making the Team" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Gold medalist Ilia Malinin arrives for the metal ceremony after the men's free skate competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)