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“As long as I win they can’t say a word,” Lamine Yamal once remarked, but on this occasion he came up short and they closed in for him. They said he was overly vocal; came the response that, indeed, they would see him outside; the message was words mean little. And that was just the players: further remarks from commentators in their pulpits, men who never lose.

On the eve the clásico, the teenager who claims he left fear behind in his hometown suggested that Real Madrid rob and complain, or so it goes. He also provided a reminder that the last time he had been the Santiago Bernabéu – a kid with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his gaze and a right foot they didn’t know he had – his team triumphed 4-0. But that was then and the present differed. And, an adult now, precisely twelve months later, his side fell short. He knew, as opponents made sure.

Bellingham scores clásico decisive goal as the Madrid club open a gap of Barcelona

When the final whistle went on a wild, intense 262nd Madrid-Barca match that felt somewhat like old times, the Barcelona winger approached towards Madrid’s captain, hand out. Instead of taking it, Carvajal made the old jibber-jabber motion. It had been hard enough following with all the action that happened in over an hour and forty-five that preceded it, an encounter of 38 shots, three goals recorded and additional efforts disallowed; now it was too much.

All at once there were footballers all around, racing back and forth of view and converging, police pulling people away from each other. In the middle the melee, Madrid’s goalkeeper was accepting the invitation to continue this in the dressing room area. Vinícius was being held back, him telling someone as well they talk to much. Raphinha hurried to intervene with his compatriot, Antonio Rüdiger also present. “The scene resembled our young,” the midfielder commented.

Turning Point

In April, the French star posted: “They celebrate our defeats like we will never win again. We will return stronger.” Madrid had just lost the derby Copa del Rey showpiece 3-2 after additional minutes, a collective breakdown following the end, ice cubes flying. A fortnight afterwards, they were beaten again. Over four encounters, Madrid were defeated four times, league, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup won by their rivals. Their defense allowed 4, 5, 3 and 4. However there is always the future and it turned out Tchouaméni was right.

On just one occasion have the Catalan side ever won five derbies consecutively, under Guardiola record-breaking streak ending with the famous 5-0 versus Mourinho’s side, and it wouldn’t happen again. On Sunday, Madrid ended the coach’s perfect record as manager, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to move five points ahead at the top of the table.

Significance

Madrid had needed this. The celebration reflected this, players celebrating together. Likewise, the noise, their stadium louder and intense than for such matches in recent memory: “amazing,” the English midfielder called it. Manager Xabi Alonso said so too. When questioned if this was a weight off his shoulders, if there had been a psychosis around important matches, an obsession, Xabi Alonso shot back: “That is the media’s narrative.” But he did admit that the result represented “more than three points, but where we come from and what it means to us; the boys needed that feeling of securing a victory in a big game.”

In the previous campaign they failed to secure a win any. On fourteen occasions they lost: Lille, Milan, English team, Athletic, Espanyol, Betis, city foes, eastern side and London club each defeated them. There wasn’t one victory against a top-tier opponent. The previous manager went and was replaced by Xabi Alonso but it continued. The team won five games in the global tournament, indications of a structure developing, an idea, however they faced Paris Saint Germain.

Season Progress

That defeat is part of the prior year, the coach said. Yet the new campaign, his season, began with six wins in a row until city rivals came and put 5 against them. It was positive defeating newly promoted, island team and Osasuna however, against the big teams? Now at last they defeated one of them too. Moreover not only that they triumphed, it was the way they won.

The opposition had players unavailable: Joan García, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski and Andreas Christensen were absent. So too the winger, whose significance might now be fully recognised in absentia. Several players were not at 100%, Jules Koundé and Lamine Yamal among them. Among substitutes they had several individuals who hadn’t started a league game, others who featured just one time; two 17-year-olds, young talents and a couple who are 19. And a centre-back, Ronald Araújo, who ended it up front again. Even their manager was absent, Flick suspended and stuck in a radio cabin. Marcus Sorg, his assistant, has been on the touchline three times: he has lost each one.

Tactical Analysis

Much discussion focuses of Barcelona’s defensive setup, but their offense struggled well on Sunday. Of all comments directed at the young player that day, perhaps the most telling was from the Brazilian during the game, taunting the teenager by telling him: “You’re all retreating balls.” Regarding their defense, more porous than before with Iñigo Martínez departing, the pressure on opponents decreasing and the timing lacking, one opponent made six clear chances against them, Rayo 5, Andalusian side five, Girona three. Previously they trapped the French forward offside on multiple occasions in a high-scoring game; however, overshadowed by losses, was that in their most recent match he got three goals, Real Madrid always likely to get opportunities currently.

Key Moments

Playing like this, especially. The match served as a beginning as well as an end in itself. “In the future we’re going to need much of what we did 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