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“Whenever I emerge victorious they are unable to say anything,” Lamine Yamal once remarked, but this time he came up short and they were coming for him. Comments were made he spoke too much; came the response that, yeah, they would see him off the pitch; the message was talk is cheap. And that was just the players: there was more from commentators in media platforms, men who always have opinions.

Just before the clásico, the teenager who claims he left fear behind in his hometown suggested that Real Madrid rob and moan, or so it goes. Additionally, he provided a recollection that the last time he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – as a youngster with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his eye and a right foot they didn’t know he had – he beat them 4-0. Yet that was past and the present differed. And, an adult currently, exactly a year on, his side fell short. It was clear, they told him so.

Bellingham nets derby decisive goal as the Madrid club open a gap of Barcelona

As the match conclusion sounded on an intense, intense latest Madrid-Barca match that felt somewhat like old times, the Barcelona winger walked in the direction of Dani Carvajal, hand out. Instead of accepting it, Madrid’s captain made the old talking motion. It had been challenging following with all the action that unfolded in over an hour and forty-five that preceded it, a match of 38 shots, multiple scores scored and three more disallowed; now it was impossible.

Suddenly there were footballers everywhere, running back and forth of view and converging, security separating people apart. In the middle the melee, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the offer to resume the dispute down the tunnel. The Brazilian forward was restrained, him saying to someone else they talk to much. Raphinha hurried to intervene with his countryman, Antonio Rüdiger there too. “The scene resembled our young,” Aurélien Tchouaméni commented.

Turning Point

Earlier this year, the French star had written: “Opponents celebrate our losses like our winning days are over. We will return stronger.” Madrid had just lost a clásico Copa del Rey showpiece 3-2 after additional minutes, emotional scenes following the end, ice cubes being thrown. A fortnight afterwards, they suffered another loss. In four encounters, Madrid had lost on each occasion, La Liga, cup and Super Cup won by Barcelona. They had conceded four, 5, 3 and four. However there remains tomorrow and it turned out Tchouaméni was right.

On just one occasion had Barcelona ever won 5 derbies in a row, Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking run ending with that 5-0 versus Mourinho’s team, and it was not repeated. This past weekend, Madrid ended the coach’s perfect record in charge, beating their arch-rivals 2-1 to go a significant margin clear in first place in La Liga.

What It Means

Madrid required the victory. The celebration said so, players celebrating in circles. So did the noise, their stadium more vocal and intense compared to on a clásico day for years: “amazing,” Jude Bellingham called it. The coach said so too. Asked whether this was a relief, or existed a psychosis around important matches, an obsession, he responded: “That is the media’s narrative.” But he did admit that the result represented “not just three points, but our recent history and what it means for the squad; the boys needed the experience of securing a victory in a major fixture.”

In the previous campaign Madrid had not won any. On fourteen occasions they were defeated: French side, Italian club, Liverpool, Bilbao, Espanyol, Betis, Atlético, eastern side and London club each defeated them. They did not achieve a single win against a top-tier opponent. Carlo Ancelotti departed and was replaced by Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid won five games at the Club World Cup, signs of a structure developing, an idea, however then came PSG.

Current Campaign

That defeat is part of last season, the coach said. Yet the next season, his season, began with six wins consecutively until Atlético came and put 5 past them. It was all well and good beating newly promoted, island team and Osasuna but what about elite opponents? Finally they defeated one of them too. Moreover not only that Madrid triumphed, it was the way they achieved it.

Barcelona were missing unavailable: Joan García, Gavi, attacking midfielder, Robert Lewandowski and Andreas Christensen were absent. So too the winger, whose significance might now be appreciated by his absence. Others were not at 100%, defender and Lamine Yamal included. Among substitutes were several individuals who hadn’t started a league game, others who featured just one time; teenagers, young talents and two who are nineteen. And defender, Uruguayan star, who ended it in attack again. Additionally head coach was missing, Flick banned and located in a radio cabin. Marcus Sorg, Sorg, has been on the touchline on three occasions: he has lost each one.

Tactical Analysis

Much is made of the team’s defensive setup, yet their offense struggled effectively on Sunday. Of all the things that were said to Lamine Yamal that day, perhaps the most telling came from the Brazilian during the game, taunting the teenager by saying: “You’re all backwards passes.” Regarding that backline, more porous than before after the defender leaving, defensive intensity on opponents dropping and coordination off, Levante made six clear chances against them, another team 5, Andalusian side 5, Girona three. Last year they trapped Kylian Mbappé in an offside position on multiple occasions in an open clásico; yet, lost amid losses, was that in the last meeting he scored three goals, Madrid consistently positioned to create chances currently.

Decisive Actions

Playing like this, in particular. This was a beginning and also a significant result. “In the future we’re going to need much of our performance today,” the manager commented. The team had shots in the net on five occasions – three disallowed for offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick