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“As long as I win they can’t say anything,” Lamine Yamal once remarked, however this time he didn’t win and they closed in for him. Comments were made he was overly vocal; came the response that, yeah, they were going to see him off the pitch; they told him talk is cheap. This included only the players: further remarks from commentators in media platforms, individuals who always have opinions.

Just before the clásico, the teenager who says he abandoned nervousness behind in his hometown suggested that Real Madrid rob and moan, or so it goes. Additionally, he provided a reminder that the last time he had been Madrid’s home ground – as a youngster with blaugrana dental work, a spark in his gaze and a right foot they didn’t know he possessed – his team triumphed 4-0. But that was then and this was now. And, more mature now, exactly a year on, he was beaten back. He knew, they told him so.

Bellingham scores clásico winner as Real Madrid open a gap of their rivals

As the match conclusion went on a wild, heated latest Madrid-Barca match that felt a little like old times, the Barcelona winger approached in the direction of Madrid’s captain, offering a handshake. Rather than taking it, Madrid’s captain did the classic jibber-jabber gesture. The match was challenging following with everything that happened in the 105 minutes that went before, a match of numerous attempts, three goals recorded and additional efforts ruled out; now it was impossible.

Suddenly there were footballers everywhere, racing in and out of view and converging, police pulling people apart. In the middle the melee, Madrid’s goalkeeper took up the invitation to continue the dispute in the dressing room area. Vinícius was being held back, he telling another player else they talk to much. Barcelona’s winger was running to intervene with his countryman, the defender there too. “It was our young,” Aurélien Tchouaméni commented.

Shift in Momentum

In April, Tchouaméni had written: “Opponents rejoice in our losses like we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Madrid had just lost the clásico Spanish Cup showpiece 3-2 in extra time, emotional scenes following the final whistle, projectiles being thrown. A fortnight later, they suffered another loss. In four clásicos, Madrid had lost on each occasion, league, cup and Spanish Super Cup won by their rivals. Their defense allowed four, 5, 3 and 4. But there remains tomorrow and as it happened Tchouaméni was right.

Only once have the Catalan side ever secured 5 derbies in a row, Pep Guardiola’s historic streak concluding with the famous 5-0 against José Mourinho’s team, and it wouldn’t happen again. On Sunday, Real Madrid brought to a close the coach’s unbeaten start as manager, beating Barcelona 2-1 to go a significant margin clear in first place in La Liga.

What It Means

Madrid required this. Their post-match joy said so, team members celebrating together. So did the noise, the Bernabéu more vocal and more edgy than on a clásico day for years: “amazing,” the English midfielder described it. The coach echoed this. Asked if the win represented a relief, if there had been a mental block around important matches, an obsession, he responded: “That is the media’s narrative.” But he acknowledged that this was “not just three points, but our recent history and its importance for the squad; the players required the experience of winning a big game.”

Last season Madrid failed to secure a win any. Fourteen times they were defeated: French side, Italian club, English team, Athletic, Espanyol, Sevilla-based, city foes, eastern side and Arsenal each defeated them. There wasn’t a single win against a truly big side. The previous manager went and succeeded by Xabi Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid secured several victories at the Club World Cup, signs of a structure developing, a game plan, but then came PSG.

Current Campaign

That defeat is part of the prior year, Alonso said. Yet the new campaign, his season, began with six wins consecutively before Atlético came and scored 5 against them. It was all well and good beating newly promoted, Mallorca and Pamplona side but what about the big teams? Finally they had beaten one of them as well. And it wasn’t just that Madrid won, but also the way they won.

Barcelona had players out: Joan García, young midfielder, attacking midfielder, Robert Lewandowski and Andreas Christensen were all missing. Additionally Raphinha, an important player might now be fully recognised in absentia. Others were not at 100%, defender and Lamine Yamal included. On the bench were five players who hadn’t started in La Liga, two more who featured just one time; two 17-year-olds, four 18-year-olds and two who are nineteen. And a centre-back, Ronald Araújo, who finished the match in attack once more. Additionally head coach was missing, Flick banned and located in a radio cabin. Marcus Sorg, his assistant, has been on the touchline three times: he has lost each one.

Game Breakdown

Much is made of Barcelona’s defensive setup, yet their offense struggled well on Sunday. Among comments that were said to Lamine Yamal that day, maybe the most telling was from Vinícius mid-match, mocking Yamal by saying: “You’re all retreating balls.” As for their defense, more porous compared to past after the defender leaving, the pressure on passers dropping and coordination lacking, one opponent made multiple opportunities against them, Rayo 5, Sevilla five, Girona 3. Last year they trapped Kylian Mbappé in an offside position on multiple occasions in an open clásico; however, overshadowed by the defeats, is the fact in the last meeting he scored a hat-trick, Real Madrid always likely to get opportunities currently.

Decisive Actions

Playing like this, in particular. This was a beginning and also an end in itself. “Going forward we will require much of our performance in this game,” the manager commented. The team had the ball in the net five times – three disallowed due to offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick