MADRID — Barcelona defeated Real Madrid in Saturday's Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu, extending their unbeaten run at the top of La Liga in front of a capacity crowd.

Barcelona entered the fixture with a perfect record and knew victory would widen the gap over their oldest rivals. Manager Hansi Flick's side arrived seeking to strengthen their grip on the title race after a flawless opening to the campaign.

Both clubs fielded squads strengthened over the summer, with Real Madrid also harbouring serious title ambitions. The fixture remains the most-watched domestic match in world football, drawing a global television audience.

The result reinforces Barcelona's standing as early favourites for the La Liga crown. Real Madrid must recover ground as the season progresses toward the winter fixtures.

"We came here to win and we showed our quality," Flick said after the match, praising his players' composure at a hostile venue.