🔗 Share this article

“Whenever I emerge victorious they can’t say anything,” Lamine Yamal once stated, however this time he came up short and opponents closed in for him. They said he was overly vocal; came the response that, indeed, they would meet him off the pitch; they told him talk is cheap. And that was just the players: there was more from commentators in their pulpits, men who never lose.

Just before the clásico, the teenager who says he left fear behind in Mataró suggested that the Madrid side benefit from decisions and complain, or so it goes. Additionally, he provided a recollection 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 had – he beat them 4-0. But that was then and this was now. And, more mature currently, exactly a year on, he was beaten back. He knew, as opponents made sure.

Jude Bellingham scores derby winner as Real Madrid open a gap of their rivals

As the match conclusion sounded on an intense, heated 262nd Madrid-Barca match that felt a little like old times, the Barcelona winger walked towards Madrid’s captain, hand out. Instead of taking it, Carvajal did the old jibber-jabber gesture. The match was challenging keeping up with all the action that unfolded in over an hour and forty-five that went before, an encounter of 38 shots, multiple scores recorded and additional efforts disallowed; at that moment it became too much.

All at once there were players everywhere, racing back and forth of sight and piling in, police pulling people away from each other. Amidst the melee, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the invitation to resume this in the dressing room area. The Brazilian forward was being held back, him saying to someone else they are too vocal. Raphinha hurried to intervene with his countryman, Antonio Rüdiger there too. “The scene resembled our young,” the midfielder said.

Shift in Momentum

Earlier this year, the French star posted: “They celebrate our losses like our winning days are over. We’ll be back.” Madrid had just lost the derby Copa del Rey showpiece 3-2 in extra time, emotional scenes greeting the end, projectiles flying. Two weeks afterwards, they were beaten again. In four clásicos, Madrid had lost four times, La Liga, Copa del Rey 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.

On just one occasion have the Catalan side ever secured five derbies consecutively, Pep Guardiola’s historic streak ending with the famous 5-0 versus José Mourinho’s team, and it wouldn’t happen again. On Sunday, Madrid brought to a close the coach’s unbeaten start in charge, beating their arch-rivals 2-1 to move a significant margin ahead at the top in La Liga.

What It Means

The Madrid squad required this. Their post-match joy reflected this, players celebrating in circles. So did the crowd’s roar, the Bernabéu more vocal and intense compared to on a clásico day for years: “incredible,” the English midfielder described it. The coach said so too. Asked if the win represented a relief, if existed a psychosis regarding important matches, an obsession, he shot back: “That is the media’s narrative.” Yet he did admit that the result represented “not just three points, and where we come from and its importance for the squad; the boys required that feeling of winning a major fixture.”

In the previous campaign Madrid had not won in such matches. Fourteen times they were defeated: French side, Milan, English team, Athletic, city rivals, Betis, Atlético, eastern side and London club all beat them. There wasn’t one victory versus a top-tier opponent. Carlo Ancelotti departed and was replaced by Alonso yet the trend persisted. The team won five games at the Club World Cup, indications of tactical organization emerging, a game plan, but then came Paris Saint Germain.

Current Campaign

That defeat belongs to last season, Alonso stated. But the next season, his term, began with six wins consecutively before Atlético came and put 5 against them. It was positive defeating Oviedo, island team and Osasuna however, against the big teams? Finally they defeated one of them as well. Moreover it wasn’t just that Madrid won, but also the manner they achieved it.

The opposition had players out: backup keeper, young midfielder, Dani Olmo, star striker and defender were all missing. So too the winger, whose significance may at least be fully recognised in absentia. Others were not at 100%, defender and Lamine Yamal included. On the bench they had five players who not begun a league game, two more who featured just one time; teenagers, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are 19. And defender, Ronald Araújo, who finished the match up front again. Additionally head coach was missing, Flick banned and located in a radio cabin. Marcus Sorg, his assistant, was in the dugout on three occasions: he has lost each one.

Game Breakdown

Much is made of the team’s vulnerable high line, but their offense struggled well during the match. Of all comments that were said at the young player that day, perhaps the most revealing was from Vinícius mid-match, taunting the teenager by telling him: “You’re all backwards passes.” As for their defense, leakier compared to past after Iñigo Martínez leaving, the pressure on passers decreasing and the timing off, Levante made multiple opportunities versus Barcelona, Rayo five, Andalusian side 5, Catalan club three. Previously they caught Kylian Mbappé in an offside position eight times in an open clásico; yet, lost amid the defeats, was that in their most recent match he got three goals, Real Madrid consistently likely to get opportunities now.

Key Moments

With this approach, in particular. This was a beginning as well as an end in itself. “In the future we’re going to need much of our performance in this game,” Alonso commented. They put the ball result in goals five times – three efforts disallowed for offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick