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“As long as I emerge victorious they can’t say anything,” Lamine Yamal once remarked, but on this occasion he came up short and opponents closed in for him. They said he spoke too much; they replied that, yeah, they were going to meet him outside; the message was words mean little. This included only the players: there was more from the preachers in media platforms, individuals who always have opinions.

On the eve the clásico, the teenager who claims he abandoned nervousness back in his hometown suggested that the Madrid side benefit from decisions and moan, according to reports. Additionally, he provided a reminder that on his previous visit he stepped onto Madrid’s home ground – as a youngster with blaugrana braces, a spark in his gaze and his shooting ability was unexpected he possessed – he beat them 4-0. Yet that was past and this was now. And, more mature currently, precisely twelve months later, his side fell short. It was clear, as opponents made sure.

Bellingham nets clásico winner as Real Madrid pull clear of their rivals

When the final whistle sounded on a wild, intense 262nd Madrid-Barca match that was a little like old times, Lamine Yamal walked towards Dani Carvajal, offering a handshake. Instead of accepting it, Carvajal made the old talking motion. It had been challenging following with everything that unfolded in over an hour and forty-five that went before, a match of 38 shots, multiple scores scored and additional efforts ruled out; now it was too much.

Suddenly appeared players everywhere, racing in and out of sight and converging, police separating people apart. Amidst the melee, Madrid’s goalkeeper took up the invitation to continue the dispute down the tunnel. Vinícius was restrained, him telling someone else they are too vocal. Raphinha was running to intervene with his countryman, the defender also present. “It was our youth,” Aurélien Tchouaméni said.

Turning Point

In April, Tchouaméni posted: “They rejoice in our defeats like we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Madrid had just lost a derby Copa del Rey showpiece 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown greeting the final whistle, projectiles being thrown. Two weeks afterwards, they suffered another loss. Over four encounters, Madrid were defeated on each occasion, La Liga, Copa del Rey and Super Cup won by their rivals. Their defense allowed four, 5, 3 and 4. However there is always the future and it turned out he was right.

Only once had Barcelona ever won five clásicos consecutively, under Guardiola historic run concluding with that 5-0 versus José Mourinho’s team, and it was not repeated. On Sunday, Madrid brought to a close Hansi Flick’s perfect record as manager, beating their arch-rivals 2-1 to move five points clear at the top of the table.

What It Means

Madrid required this. Their post-match joy said so, team members celebrating in circles. Likewise, the crowd’s roar, their stadium more vocal and more edgy than on a clásico day in recent memory: “incredible,” Jude Bellingham called it. Manager Xabi Alonso echoed this. When questioned whether the win represented a relief, or there had been a psychosis around important matches, a fixation, Xabi Alonso shot back: “That’s you lot’s thing.” But he did admit that the result represented “more than a win, but our recent history and its importance to us; the players required the experience of securing a victory in a major fixture.”

In the previous campaign Madrid had not won in such matches. On fourteen occasions they were defeated: Lille, Milan, Liverpool, Bilbao, Espanyol, Sevilla-based, city foes, Valencia and London club each defeated them. They did not achieve one victory versus a truly big side. The previous manager departed and was replaced by Xabi Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid won several victories at the Club World Cup, indications of tactical organization emerging, an idea, but they faced Paris Saint Germain.

Season Progress

That belongs to the prior year, the coach said. Yet the new campaign, his season, began with a winning streak in a row until Atlético visited and scored 5 against them. It was all well and good beating newly promoted, Mallorca and Osasuna but what about elite opponents? Finally they had beaten a major rival as well. Moreover it wasn’t just that Madrid triumphed, it was the manner they won.

The opposition had players unavailable: Joan García, Gavi, attacking midfielder, star striker and Andreas Christensen were all missing. So too Raphinha, an important player may at least be appreciated by his absence. Others were not at 100%, defender and Lamine Yamal among them. Among substitutes they had five players who not begun a league game, others who featured just one time; teenagers, young talents and a couple who are nineteen. Plus a centre-back, Ronald Araújo, who ended it up front once more. Even their manager was missing, Hansi Flick suspended and located in a radio cabin. Marcus Sorg, Sorg, was on the touchline three times: he has lost each one.

Game Breakdown

Much is made of the team’s vulnerable high line, yet their offense struggled effectively on Sunday. Of all comments that were said to Lamine Yamal that day, perhaps the most revealing came from Vinícius during the game, taunting Yamal by saying: “Your play is backwards passes.” As for that backline, more porous compared to past with the defender departing, defensive intensity on opponents dropping and the timing lacking, Levante created six clear chances against them, another team 5, Andalusian side five, Girona 3. Previously they trapped Kylian Mbappé in an offside position eight times in an open clásico; yet, overshadowed by the defeats, is the fact in the last meeting he scored a hat-trick, Madrid consistently likely to create chances currently.

Key Moments

Playing like this, especially. This was a start as well as an end in itself. “In the future we’re going to need much of what we did in this game,” Alonso commented. The team had the ball result in goals on five occasions – three efforts disallowed for offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick