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“Whenever I win they are unable to say a word,” Lamine Yamal once remarked, but on this occasion he came up short and they closed in for him. They said he spoke too much; came the response that, yeah, they would meet him off the pitch; they told him words mean little. This included only the players: there was more from the preachers in media platforms, men who always have opinions.

Just before the clásico, young Lamine Yamal who says he left fear back in his hometown implied that Real Madrid rob and moan, according to reports. He also provided a reminder that on his previous visit he stepped onto Madrid’s home ground – a kid with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his gaze and his shooting ability was unexpected he had – he beat them 4-0. But that was then and this was now. Moreover, more mature now, precisely twelve months later, his side fell short. He knew, they told him so.

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

As the final whistle went on a wild, heated latest Madrid-Barca match that felt somewhat like past encounters, Lamine Yamal walked towards Madrid’s captain, offering a handshake. Rather than accepting it, Madrid’s captain made the old talking motion. The match was challenging following with all the action that unfolded in the 105 minutes that went before, an encounter of numerous attempts, multiple scores scored and additional efforts disallowed; now it was too much.

All at once appeared footballers all around, racing back and forth of sight and converging, police separating individuals apart. In the middle the melee, Madrid’s goalkeeper was accepting the offer to resume the dispute down the tunnel. The Brazilian forward was being held back, he saying to someone as well they are too vocal. Barcelona’s winger hurried to intervene with his countryman, Antonio Rüdiger also present. “It was when we young,” the midfielder said.

Shift in Momentum

In April, Tchouaméni posted: “They rejoice in our losses as if we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Real Madrid were defeated in a derby Spanish Cup showpiece 3-2 after additional minutes, a collective breakdown greeting the final whistle, projectiles flying. Two weeks later, they suffered another loss. In four clásicos, the team were defeated four times, league, Copa del Rey and Super Cup going to Barcelona. Their defense allowed 4, 5, 3 and 4. However there remains tomorrow and as it happened Tchouaméni was right.

Only once had Barcelona ever won five clásicos consecutively, under Guardiola historic run ending with the famous 5-0 versus Mourinho’s side, and it was not repeated. On Sunday, Real Madrid brought to a close the coach’s perfect record as manager, beating Barcelona 2-1 to move five points ahead at the top in La Liga.

What It Means

The Madrid squad had needed this. Their post-match joy reflected this, players dancing together. Likewise, the noise, their stadium louder and intense compared to on a clásico day for years: “amazing,” Jude Bellingham called it. Manager Xabi Alonso said so too. Asked whether this was a relief, if existed a psychosis regarding big games, a fixation, Xabi Alonso responded: “That’s you lot’s thing.” But he acknowledged that this was “not just a win, but where we come from and what it means to us; the boys required that feeling of securing a victory in a big game.”

Last season Madrid had not won any. On fourteen occasions they were defeated: French side, Milan, English team, Athletic, Espanyol, Sevilla-based, city foes, Valencia and London club each defeated them. There wasn’t one victory versus a truly big side. Carlo Ancelotti departed and succeeded by Xabi Alonso but it continued. The team won five games in the global tournament, signs of a structure emerging, a game plan, however then came PSG.

Season Progress

That is part of last season, Alonso said. Yet the next season, his season, started with a winning streak in a row before Atlético visited and scored five against them. The results were positive beating newly promoted, Mallorca and Osasuna but what about elite opponents? Finally they defeated a major rival too. Moreover it wasn’t just that Madrid won, but also the way they won.

Barcelona had players out: Joan García, Gavi, Dani Olmo, star striker and defender were absent. So too the winger, an important player might now be fully recognised in absentia. Others were not at 100%, defender and Lamine Yamal among them. On the bench they had five players who hadn’t started a league game, two more who had started only once; two 17-year-olds, four 18-year-olds and two who are nineteen. Plus a centre-back, Uruguayan star, who ended it up front once more. Additionally head coach was missing, Hansi Flick banned and stuck in a radio cabin. His assistant, Sorg, was in the dugout three times: he suffered defeats in each one.

Game Breakdown

Much is made of Barcelona’s vulnerable high line, but their offense struggled well on Sunday. Of all the things that were said at the young player that day, maybe the most telling was from Vinícius mid-match, taunting Yamal by saying: “Your play is retreating balls.” As for that backline, more porous than before after Iñigo Martínez leaving, the pressure on passers decreasing and coordination off, Levante created six clear chances against them, another team five, Sevilla 5, Girona 3. Last year they caught Kylian Mbappé in an offside position eight times in an open clásico; yet, lost amid losses, is the fact in the last meeting he scored a hat-trick, Real Madrid always positioned to create chances currently.

Key Moments

With this approach, in particular. 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 today,” the manager commented. They put shots in the net on five occasions – three efforts ruled out due to offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick