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“As long as I emerge victorious they are unable to say anything,” Lamine Yamal once stated, but this time he didn’t win and they were coming for him. They said he spoke too much; they replied that, indeed, they were going to meet him outside; they told him words mean little. This included only the players: further remarks from commentators in their pulpits, men who never lose.

On the eve the clásico, young Lamine Yamal who says he abandoned nervousness behind in his hometown suggested that the Madrid side rob and moan, or so it goes. He also offered a reminder that on his previous visit he had been the Santiago Bernabéu – as a youngster with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his eye and his shooting ability they didn’t know he had – his team triumphed 4-0. But that was then and this was now. Moreover, an adult currently, exactly a year on, his side fell short. It was clear, as opponents made sure.

Jude Bellingham nets clásico winner as the Madrid club open a gap of their rivals

As the match conclusion sounded on an intense, intense 262nd Madrid-Barca match that felt somewhat like past encounters, the Barcelona winger approached in the direction of Madrid’s captain, offering a handshake. Rather than accepting it, Carvajal did the old jibber-jabber gesture. The match was hard enough following with everything that unfolded in the 105 minutes that went before, a match of 38 shots, multiple scores scored and three more ruled out; now it was impossible.

All at once appeared footballers everywhere, racing back and forth of view and converging, security pulling people away from each other. Amidst the melee, Madrid’s goalkeeper took up the offer to resume this down the tunnel. The Brazilian forward was being held back, he saying to someone else they talk to much. Raphinha hurried to intervene with his countryman, the defender also present. “It was our young,” Aurélien Tchouaméni commented.

Shift in Momentum

Earlier this year, the French star posted: “They rejoice in our losses like we will never win again. We will return stronger.” Madrid were defeated in a derby Copa del Rey final 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown greeting the end, ice cubes flying. Two weeks afterwards, they suffered another loss. Over four encounters, Madrid were defeated on each occasion, league, cup and Super Cup won by their rivals. They had conceded 4, 5, 3 and 4. However there remains the future and as it happened Tchouaméni proved correct.

On just one occasion had Barcelona previously won 5 clásicos in a row, under Guardiola historic run ending with that 5-0 versus Mourinho’s side, and it was not repeated. On Sunday, Real Madrid brought to a close the coach’s perfect record in charge, beating Barcelona 2-1 to go five points clear in first place in La Liga.

Significance

Madrid required this. The celebration reflected this, team members celebrating in circles. So did the noise, their stadium more vocal and more edgy than on a clásico day in recent memory: “incredible,” Jude Bellingham described it. The coach echoed this. When questioned if the win represented a weight off his shoulders, or there had been a mental block regarding important matches, an obsession, Xabi Alonso shot back: “That is the media’s narrative.” But he did admit that this was “more than three points, and where we come from and its importance for the squad; the boys required that feeling of winning a big game.”

In the previous campaign they had not won any. On fourteen occasions they were defeated: Lille, Milan, Liverpool, Athletic, Espanyol, Sevilla-based, city foes, eastern side and Arsenal each defeated them. There wasn’t one victory versus a top-tier opponent. The previous manager went and was replaced by Alonso but it continued. The team secured five games in the global tournament, signs of tactical organization developing, a game plan, but then came Paris Saint Germain.

Season Progress

That defeat is part of last season, the coach said. Yet the next season, under his guidance term, started with a winning streak consecutively before city rivals visited and scored 5 past them. The results were positive beating Oviedo, Mallorca and Pamplona side but what about elite opponents? Finally they defeated a major rival too. Moreover it wasn’t just that they triumphed, but also the manner they achieved it.

The opposition had players unavailable: Joan García, young midfielder, attacking midfielder, Robert Lewandowski and defender were absent. So too the winger, an important player may at least be fully recognised in absentia. Several players were not at 100%, Jules Koundé and young forward included. Among substitutes were several individuals who hadn’t started a league game, others who featured only once; teenagers, young talents and two who are nineteen. Plus a centre-back, Uruguayan star, who finished the match up front once more. Even head coach was missing, Flick banned and located in a commentary box. His assistant, Sorg, has been on the touchline three times: he has lost all of them.

Tactical Analysis

Much is made of the team’s defensive setup, yet they did not attack effectively on Sunday. Of all comments directed to Lamine Yamal that day, perhaps the most telling was from Vinícius during the game, taunting the teenager by telling him: “Your play is backwards passes.” As for their defense, more porous compared to past after Iñigo Martínez departing, defensive intensity on passers dropping and the timing lacking, one opponent made multiple opportunities against them, Rayo five, Sevilla five, Girona 3. Last year they trapped Kylian Mbappé offside eight times in an open clásico; yet, overshadowed by the defeats, is the fact in the last meeting he got three goals, Madrid consistently likely to create chances now.

Decisive Actions

Playing like this, in particular. This was a start as well as an end in itself. “Going forward we will require much of what we did in this game,” Alonso commented. They put shots result in goals five times – three ruled out for offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick