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“Whenever I win they can’t say anything,” the young star once remarked, but on this occasion he came up short and opponents closed in for him. Comments were made he spoke too much; they replied that, indeed, they would see him outside; the message was words mean little. This included only 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 rob and complain, or so it goes. Additionally, he offered a reminder that the last time he stepped onto Madrid’s home ground – as a youngster with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his gaze and a right foot 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. It was clear, as opponents made sure.

Jude Bellingham nets clásico decisive goal as Real Madrid pull clear of their rivals

When the final whistle went on a wild, intense 262nd clásico that felt a little like old times, Lamine Yamal walked towards Madrid’s captain, hand out. Rather than taking it, Madrid’s captain did the old jibber-jabber gesture. The match was hard enough keeping up with all the action that happened in the 105 minutes that went before, a match of numerous attempts, three goals scored and three more disallowed; at that moment it became impossible.

All at once appeared footballers everywhere, racing back and forth of view and piling in, police separating individuals away from each other. In the middle the melee, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the offer to resume this down the tunnel. The Brazilian forward was restrained, him saying to someone else they talk to much. Barcelona’s winger was running to intervene with his compatriot, the defender also present. “It was our youth,” Aurélien Tchouaméni said.

Turning Point

Earlier this year, 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 Spanish Cup final 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown following the final whistle, ice cubes being thrown. A fortnight later, they suffered another loss. Over four encounters, Madrid had lost four times, league, cup and Spanish Super Cup won by Barcelona. Their defense allowed four, five, three and 4. However there remains tomorrow and as it happened he proved correct.

Only once had Barcelona previously secured 5 clásicos in a row, Pep Guardiola’s historic streak concluding with the famous 5-0 against Mourinho’s side, and it wouldn’t happen again. On Sunday, Madrid brought to a close Hansi Flick’s perfect record in charge, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to move five points ahead in first place in La Liga.

Significance

Madrid had needed this. Their post-match joy reflected this, players celebrating together. Likewise, the crowd’s roar, the Bernabéu more vocal and intense compared to for such matches for years: “incredible,” the English midfielder described it. Manager Xabi Alonso said so too. When questioned whether this was a relief, or existed a mental block around big games, an obsession, he responded: “That is the media’s narrative.” Yet he did admit that this was “not just a win, and where we come from and its importance to us; the players needed the experience of securing a victory in a big game.”

In the previous campaign they failed to secure a win in such matches. Fourteen times they lost: Lille, Italian club, English team, Athletic, city rivals, Sevilla-based, city foes, Valencia and London club each defeated them. They did not achieve one victory against a top-tier opponent. Carlo Ancelotti departed and succeeded by Alonso but it continued. Madrid won several victories at the Club World Cup, signs of tactical organization emerging, a game plan, however they faced Paris Saint Germain.

Season Progress

That defeat belongs to the prior year, Alonso said. But the new campaign, under his guidance season, began with a winning streak in a row until Atlético visited and put 5 past them. The results were all well and good defeating Oviedo, Mallorca and Pamplona side however, against the big teams? Now at last they had beaten a major rival too. And it wasn’t just that they won, but also the way they achieved it.

Barcelona were missing unavailable: Joan García, young midfielder, attacking midfielder, Robert Lewandowski and Andreas Christensen were all missing. So too the winger, an important player may at least be appreciated by his absence. Several players were not at 100%, defender and Lamine Yamal included. On the bench were five players who not begun in La Liga, others who had started just one time; two 17-year-olds, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are 19. Plus defender, Uruguayan star, who ended it up front once more. Even head coach was absent, Flick banned and located in a radio cabin. His assistant, his assistant, was in the dugout three times: he suffered defeats in all of them.

Game Breakdown

Much is made of the team’s defensive setup, but their offense struggled effectively during the match. Of all the things directed at the young player on Sunday, perhaps the most revealing came from the Brazilian mid-match, taunting the teenager by telling him: “Your play is retreating balls.” Regarding that backline, more porous compared to past with the defender leaving, defensive intensity on passers decreasing and coordination off, one opponent created six clear chances against them, another team 5, Sevilla five, Catalan club 3. Previously they trapped Kylian Mbappé in an offside position eight times in an open clásico; however, lost amid losses, is the fact in their most recent match he got three goals, Real Madrid consistently likely to create chances currently.

Key Moments

Playing like this, especially. This was a start as well as an end in itself. “Going forward we will require a lot of our performance in this game,” Alonso commented. They put shots result in goals five times – three disallowed due to offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick