🔗 Share this article

“As long as I emerge victorious they can’t say anything,” Lamine Yamal once stated, but on this occasion he didn’t win and opponents were coming for him. They said he spoke too much; came the response that, yeah, they were going to meet him outside; the message was talk is cheap. This included only the players: there was more from commentators in media platforms, men who always have opinions.

On the eve this epic clash, young Lamine Yamal who claims he abandoned nervousness behind in Mataró implied that the Madrid side benefit from decisions and moan, or so it goes. Additionally, he offered a recollection that the last time he stepped onto Madrid’s home ground – a kid with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his eye and his shooting ability they didn’t know he possessed – he beat them 4-0. Yet that was past and this was now. And, an adult currently, precisely twelve months later, his side fell short. It was clear, they told him so.

Jude Bellingham scores clásico decisive goal as Real Madrid pull clear of Barcelona

As the match conclusion went on a wild, heated 262nd clásico that felt somewhat like old times, the Barcelona winger approached towards Dani Carvajal, offering a handshake. Rather than taking it, Madrid’s captain made the old jibber-jabber gesture. The match was hard enough keeping up with everything that happened in over an hour and forty-five that went before, an encounter of numerous attempts, three goals scored and additional efforts ruled out; at that moment it became impossible.

All at once appeared players all around, running back and forth of sight and converging, police separating people away from each other. Amidst the scuffle, Madrid’s goalkeeper was accepting the invitation to resume this down the tunnel. The Brazilian forward was being held back, he telling someone as well they are too vocal. Raphinha was running to intervene with his compatriot, Antonio Rüdiger also present. “It was when we young,” Aurélien Tchouaméni said.

Turning Point

In April, Tchouaméni had written: “Opponents rejoice in our defeats like our winning days are over. We’ll be back.” Real Madrid had just lost the derby Copa del Rey showpiece 3-2 in extra time, emotional scenes greeting the end, projectiles being thrown. A fortnight afterwards, they were beaten again. In four encounters, Madrid were defeated on each occasion, La Liga, Copa del Rey and Super Cup going to their rivals. They had conceded 4, 5, 3 and four. But there is always tomorrow and as it happened Tchouaméni was right.

Only once had Barcelona ever won 5 derbies in a row, Pep Guardiola’s historic run concluding with that 5-0 against Mourinho’s team, and it was not repeated. This past weekend, Madrid ended Hansi Flick’s unbeaten start in charge, beating their arch-rivals 2-1 to move five points ahead at the top of the table.

Significance

The Madrid squad had needed the victory. Their post-match joy reflected this, team members dancing together. So did the noise, their stadium more vocal and more edgy compared to on a clásico day for years: “incredible,” the English midfielder described it. The coach said so too. Asked if the win represented a weight off his shoulders, or existed a psychosis regarding important matches, an obsession, he responded: “That’s you lot’s thing.” Yet he did admit that the result represented “more than a win, but where we come from and what it means for the squad; the boys required the experience of securing a victory in a big game.”

In the previous campaign Madrid had not won in such matches. Fourteen times they were defeated: Lille, Milan, Liverpool, Bilbao, city rivals, Betis, city foes, Valencia and Arsenal each defeated them. There wasn’t one victory against a truly big side. The previous manager departed and was replaced by Xabi Alonso yet the trend persisted. The team won five games at the Club World Cup, signs of tactical organization developing, a game plan, however then came PSG.

Current Campaign

That defeat is part of last season, the coach stated. Yet the next season, his term, started with six wins in a row before city rivals came and scored five past them. The results were all well and good defeating Oviedo, Mallorca and Pamplona side but what about the big teams? Finally they defeated a major rival as well. Moreover it wasn’t just that they triumphed, it was the way they achieved it.

Barcelona were missing out: Joan García, Gavi, attacking midfielder, star striker and defender were absent. Additionally the winger, whose significance might now be fully recognised in absentia. Several players weren’t fully fit, defender and Lamine Yamal included. On the bench they had several individuals who not begun in La Liga, others who featured just one time; two 17-year-olds, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are nineteen. Plus a centre-back, Uruguayan star, who ended it in attack once more. Additionally their manager was missing, Hansi Flick suspended and located in a radio cabin. His assistant, Sorg, was in the dugout three times: he suffered defeats in all of them.

Game Breakdown

Much discussion focuses of Barcelona’s defensive setup, but they did not attack well on Sunday. Of all the things directed to Lamine Yamal on Sunday, perhaps the most telling was from the Brazilian mid-match, taunting Yamal by telling him: “You’re all retreating balls.” As for that backline, leakier than before with the defender leaving, defensive intensity on passers dropping and the timing lacking, Levante made multiple opportunities versus Barcelona, Rayo five, Andalusian side 5, Catalan club 3. Last year they trapped Kylian Mbappé offside on multiple occasions in a high-scoring game; however, overshadowed by the defeats, was that in the last meeting he scored a hat-trick, Real Madrid consistently likely to get opportunities now.

Decisive Actions

Playing like this, in particular. This was a beginning as well as an end in itself. “Going forward we will require much of our performance in this game,” Alonso said. The team had shots result in goals on five occasions – three disallowed due to offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick