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“Whenever I win they can’t say anything,” Lamine Yamal once remarked, however on this occasion he didn’t win and they were coming for him. They said he spoke too much; they replied that, indeed, they were going to meet him off the pitch; they told him talk is cheap. This included just the players: further remarks from commentators in their pulpits, individuals who always have opinions.

Just before this epic clash, young Lamine Yamal who claims he abandoned nervousness back in his hometown implied that Real Madrid rob and moan, or so it goes. Additionally, he offered a reminder that on his previous visit he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – a kid with blaugrana braces, a glint in his eye and a right foot was unexpected he possessed – he beat them 4-0. Yet that was past and the present differed. Moreover, an adult now, precisely twelve months later, his side fell short. It was clear, they told him so.

Bellingham nets clásico decisive goal as the Madrid club pull clear of their rivals

As the final whistle sounded on a wild, intense latest Madrid-Barca match that was a little like past encounters, the Barcelona winger walked in the direction of Dani Carvajal, hand out. Rather than accepting it, Madrid’s captain made the old talking motion. The match was hard enough keeping up with all the action that happened in over an hour and forty-five that went before, an encounter of 38 shots, multiple scores recorded and additional efforts ruled out; at that moment it became too much.

Suddenly there were footballers all around, racing back and forth of sight and converging, security pulling people apart. Amidst the scuffle, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the offer to continue this down the tunnel. The Brazilian forward was restrained, him telling someone as well they talk to much. Barcelona’s winger was running to intervene with his compatriot, Antonio Rüdiger also present. “It was our young,” Aurélien Tchouaméni said.

Turning Point

In April, Tchouaméni had written: “Opponents celebrate our defeats like we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Madrid were defeated in a derby Spanish Cup final 3-2 after additional minutes, emotional scenes greeting the end, projectiles being thrown. Two weeks later, they were beaten again. Over four clásicos, the team had lost on each occasion, league, cup and Spanish Super Cup won by Barcelona. They had conceded 4, five, 3 and 4. But there is always tomorrow and as it happened Tchouaméni proved correct.

On just one occasion had Barcelona previously secured 5 derbies consecutively, under Guardiola record-breaking streak concluding with that 5-0 against Mourinho’s side, and it was not repeated. This past weekend, Madrid ended the coach’s perfect record as manager, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to go a significant margin ahead in first place of the table.

Significance

The Madrid squad required this. The celebration reflected this, team members celebrating together. So did the crowd’s roar, the Bernabéu louder and intense compared to on a clásico day for years: “incredible,” Jude Bellingham described it. The coach echoed this. When questioned whether the win represented a weight off his shoulders, if there had been a psychosis around big games, an obsession, he shot back: “That is the media’s narrative.” Yet he acknowledged that this was “more than a win, but where we come from and what it means for the squad; the players required the experience of winning a major fixture.”

In the previous campaign they failed to secure a win in such matches. On fourteen occasions they lost: Lille, Milan, English team, Athletic, city rivals, Sevilla-based, Atlético, Valencia and Arsenal each defeated them. They did not achieve one victory against a truly big side. Carlo Ancelotti departed and was replaced by Alonso yet the trend persisted. The team won several victories at the Club World Cup, indications of tactical organization developing, an idea, but then came PSG.

Season Progress

That defeat belongs to the prior year, the coach stated. Yet the next season, under his guidance season, began with six wins consecutively before city rivals visited and put 5 against them. It was positive defeating Oviedo, island team and Pamplona side however, against elite opponents? Finally they defeated one of them too. Moreover not only that they triumphed, but also the way they achieved it.

Barcelona were missing out: Joan García, young midfielder, attacking midfielder, Robert Lewandowski and defender were absent. So too the winger, whose significance may at least be appreciated by his absence. Several players were not at 100%, Jules Koundé and Lamine Yamal among them. Among substitutes they had several individuals who not begun a league game, others who featured just one time; teenagers, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are 19. Plus a centre-back, Ronald Araújo, who ended it up front again. Additionally their manager was absent, Hansi Flick suspended and located in a radio cabin. His assistant, his assistant, was in the dugout on three occasions: he has lost all of them.

Game Breakdown

Much is made of Barcelona’s defensive setup, but their offense struggled effectively on Sunday. Among the things that were said to Lamine Yamal on Sunday, perhaps the most revealing came from Vinícius mid-match, taunting Yamal by telling him: “Your play is backwards passes.” Regarding that backline, more porous than before after Iñigo Martínez departing, the pressure on passers dropping and the timing lacking, one opponent created multiple opportunities against them, Rayo 5, Andalusian side five, Girona three. Last year they caught Kylian Mbappé offside on multiple occasions in an open clásico; yet, lost amid losses, is the fact in the last meeting he got a hat-trick, Madrid always positioned to get opportunities now.

Decisive Actions

Playing like this, especially. This was a beginning as well as a significant result. “Going forward we’re going to need a lot of what we did in this game,” Alonso said. They put the ball in the net five times – three disallowed due to offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick