Victor Scores Twice as Barcelona Defeats Real Madrid in US Friendly

Pau Victor netted two goals as Barcelona triumphed over 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 competing in the European Championship in Germany this summer.

This match marked the first El Clasico of the season, taking place at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The game was interrupted after 12 minutes due to a severe storm, leading to a delay of over an hour.

Once the action resumed, Barcelona took the lead just before halftime when 22-year-old forward Victor headed in a pass from Robert Lewandowski. Thibaut Courtois made a notable save from Lewandowski shortly before Victor scored his second goal early in the second half, extending Barcelona's lead under Hansi Flick's management.

Late in the match, Nico Paz managed to score for Real Madrid, but Barcelona maintained their advantage to secure the win.

Victor's two goals bring his tally to three in Barcelona's two games during their US tour, having also scored in a 2-2 draw against Premier League champions Manchester City earlier in the week.

Real Madrid's defeat marked their second loss of the US tour, following a 1-0 defeat to AC Milan the previous week. They are set to face Premier League side Chelsea on August 6 in North Carolina. Despite the consecutive losses, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is not overly concerned.

Vinicius Jr made a positive impact, playing his first minutes of the summer for Real Madrid. Ancelotti emphasized that the purpose of these matches is to provide his players with game time rather than focusing on the final score.

"We're working on our preparations and the players are gradually coming back to the team. The result is not so important," Ancelotti 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."