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“As long as I win they can’t say a word,” Lamine Yamal previously stated, but on this occasion he didn’t win and opponents closed in for him. Comments were made he spoke too much; they replied that, yeah, they would meet him off the pitch; they told him talk is cheap. This included just the players: there was more from the preachers in media platforms, men who always have opinions.

On the eve this epic clash, the teenager who claims he left fear back in Mataró implied that the Madrid side benefit from decisions and complain, or so it goes. He also provided a reminder that on his previous visit he had been Madrid’s home ground – as a youngster with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his gaze and his shooting ability they didn’t know he possessed – his team triumphed 4-0. But that was then and the present differed. Moreover, more mature currently, precisely twelve months later, his side fell short. He knew, they told him so.

Bellingham nets clásico decisive goal as the Madrid club pull clear of Barcelona

When the final whistle went on an intense, heated 262nd Madrid-Barca match that felt somewhat like past encounters, the Barcelona winger walked towards Madrid’s captain, offering a handshake. Instead of accepting it, Carvajal did the classic jibber-jabber motion. It had been hard enough keeping up with all the action that happened in over an hour and forty-five that went before, a match of numerous attempts, multiple scores recorded and three more ruled out; at that moment it became too much.

All at once appeared players everywhere, running in and out of sight and piling in, security pulling people away from each other. Amidst the scuffle, Thibaut Courtois took up the invitation to continue this down the tunnel. Vinícius was being held back, him telling someone as well they are too vocal. Barcelona’s winger was running to intervene with his compatriot, Antonio Rüdiger also present. “It was our youth,” the midfielder said.

Turning Point

Earlier this year, Tchouaméni had written: “Opponents celebrate our losses as if our winning days are over. We’ll be back.” Real Madrid had just lost a derby Copa del Rey showpiece 3-2 after additional minutes, emotional scenes greeting the final whistle, ice cubes being thrown. A fortnight later, they suffered another loss. In four clásicos, the team were defeated on each occasion, La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup going to Barcelona. They had conceded 4, five, 3 and 4. But there remains tomorrow and it turned out Tchouaméni proved correct.

Only once had Barcelona ever secured five derbies consecutively, Pep Guardiola’s historic streak concluding with that 5-0 versus Mourinho’s side, and it wouldn’t happen again. On Sunday, Real Madrid brought to a close Hansi Flick’s unbeaten start as manager, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to go a significant margin clear in first place of the table.

Significance

The Madrid squad had needed this. The celebration reflected this, team members dancing together. So did the noise, the Bernabéu more vocal and intense compared to for such matches in recent memory: “amazing,” Jude Bellingham called it. The coach echoed this. When questioned whether the win represented a relief, or there had been a mental block regarding big games, a fixation, he shot back: “That’s you lot’s thing.” Yet he acknowledged that this was “more than a win, and our recent history and its importance for the squad; the boys needed the experience of winning a major fixture.”

Last season they had not won any. Fourteen times they were defeated: Lille, Italian club, English team, Bilbao, city rivals, Betis, Atlético, Valencia and Arsenal each defeated them. They did not achieve one victory versus a top-tier opponent. Carlo Ancelotti went and succeeded by Alonso but it continued. Madrid secured five games at the Club World Cup, signs of tactical organization emerging, an idea, however then came PSG.

Season Progress

That belongs to the prior year, Alonso said. But the next season, his season, began with six wins consecutively before city rivals visited and scored five past them. It was positive defeating newly promoted, Mallorca and Osasuna but what about elite opponents? Now at last they defeated a major rival too. And it wasn’t just that they won, but also the way they won.

The opposition had players out: backup keeper, Gavi, attacking midfielder, star striker and defender were absent. Additionally Raphinha, an important player might now be fully recognised by his absence. Others weren’t fully fit, defender and Lamine Yamal among them. Among substitutes were several individuals who not begun in La Liga, others who featured just one time; teenagers, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are 19. And defender, Uruguayan star, who ended it up front once more. Additionally their manager was missing, Hansi Flick suspended and stuck in a radio cabin. Marcus Sorg, his assistant, has been in the dugout on three occasions: he has lost all of them.

Tactical Analysis

Much is made of the team’s defensive setup, but their offense struggled effectively on Sunday. Of all comments directed at the young player that day, perhaps the most revealing was from the Brazilian mid-match, mocking Yamal by telling him: “You’re all backwards passes.” Regarding that backline, leakier than before after Iñigo Martínez departing, defensive intensity on opponents dropping and the timing lacking, Levante made six clear chances against them, Rayo 5, Sevilla five, Girona 3. Previously they trapped Kylian Mbappé in an offside position eight times in an open clásico; however, overshadowed by the defeats, is the fact in their most recent match he got a hat-trick, Madrid always positioned to create chances now.

Key Moments

With this approach, especially. The match served as a beginning as well as an end in itself. “In the future we’re going to need a lot of our performance in this game,” the manager commented. The team had the ball result in goals five times – three disallowed for offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick