Pau Victor scored twice as Barcelona defeated their Spanish rivals and La Liga champions Real Madrid in a friendly match held in the United States.
Real Madrid was without England international Jude Bellingham and France forward Kylian Mbappe, who missed the club’s US tour after participating in this summer’s European Championship in Germany.
The match, which marked the first El Clasico of the season, took place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey but was interrupted after 12 minutes due to a heavy storm.
Following a delay of more than an hour, the match resumed, and Barcelona took the lead just before halftime when 22-year-old forward Victor headed in from a pass by Robert Lewandowski.
Thibaut Courtois made a notable save from Lewandowski, but Victor quickly added his second goal shortly after the break, extending Barcelona’s lead under head coach Hansi Flick.
Late in the game, Nico Paz scored a header for Real Madrid, but Barcelona maintained their advantage to secure the victory.
Victor’s performance marked his third goal in two games during Barcelona’s US tour, having also scored in a 2-2 draw against Premier League champions Manchester City earlier this week.
Real Madrid’s defeat was their second in the US tour, following a 1-0 loss to Italian club AC Milan last week. They are set to face Premier League side Chelsea on August 6 in North Carolina.
Despite the consecutive losses, Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti remains unconcerned. He emphasized that the primary purpose of these matches is to provide players with valuable game time rather than to focus on the outcomes.
“We’re working on our preparations and the players are gradually coming back to the team. The result is not so important,” he stated.
“The objective is for players to get minutes and to get them in good shape. We’re not focusing on tactical aspects. That starts on the seventh [of August].
“We’re not worried. It’s a pre-season game and we’re missing eight players.”
