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“Whenever I win they can’t say a word,” Lamine Yamal previously remarked, but on this occasion he didn’t win and they were coming for him. Comments were made he spoke too much; came the response that, indeed, they were going to see him off the pitch; the message was words mean little. And that was just the players: there was more from commentators in media platforms, men who never lose.

On the eve this epic clash, the teenager who says he abandoned nervousness behind in Mataró implied that the Madrid side rob and moan, or so it goes. Additionally, he offered a recollection that the last time he stepped onto Madrid’s home ground – a kid with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his gaze and his shooting ability they didn’t know he had – his team triumphed 4-0. Yet that was past and this was now. And, an adult now, exactly a year on, he was beaten back. He knew, they told him so.

Jude Bellingham nets derby decisive goal as Real Madrid open a gap of Barcelona

As the match conclusion sounded on a wild, intense latest Madrid-Barca match that was somewhat like old times, the Barcelona winger approached towards Madrid’s captain, hand out. Rather than taking it, Carvajal did the classic jibber-jabber motion. It had been hard enough following with everything that unfolded in the 105 minutes that went before, an encounter of numerous attempts, multiple scores recorded and three more disallowed; now it was impossible.

All at once there were players all around, racing back and forth of view and piling in, police separating people away from each other. Amidst the melee, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the invitation to resume the dispute in the dressing room area. The Brazilian forward was being held back, him telling someone as well they talk to much. Barcelona’s winger was running to intervene with his compatriot, Antonio Rüdiger there too. “It was when we youth,” the midfielder said.

Shift in Momentum

In April, Tchouaméni posted: “Opponents celebrate our losses like our winning days are over. We’ll be back.” Madrid were defeated in the clásico Spanish Cup showpiece 3-2 after additional minutes, emotional scenes greeting the end, projectiles flying. Two weeks afterwards, they were beaten again. In four encounters, the team had lost on each occasion, La Liga, cup and Super Cup going to their rivals. Their defense allowed 4, 5, three and four. But there is always tomorrow and as it happened he proved correct.

Only once had Barcelona ever won 5 derbies consecutively, Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking run ending with the famous 5-0 against José Mourinho’s side, and it wouldn’t happen again. On Sunday, Real Madrid ended the coach’s unbeaten start as manager, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to go five points ahead in first place in La Liga.

Significance

Madrid required the victory. Their post-match joy reflected this, players dancing in circles. Likewise, the noise, the Bernabéu louder and more edgy than on a clásico day for years: “amazing,” Jude Bellingham described it. Manager Xabi Alonso echoed this. When questioned if the win represented a weight off his shoulders, if existed a mental block around big games, a fixation, he shot back: “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 for the squad; the boys needed that feeling of securing a victory in a major fixture.”

In the previous campaign they failed to secure a win in such matches. Fourteen times they were defeated: Lille, Milan, English team, Athletic, city rivals, Betis, city foes, eastern side and Arsenal each defeated them. There wasn’t one victory versus a top-tier opponent. Carlo Ancelotti departed and was replaced by Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid secured several victories at the Club World Cup, indications of a structure developing, an idea, but they faced PSG.

Season Progress

That is part of the prior year, Alonso stated. But the new campaign, his season, started with six wins in a row until city rivals came and put 5 against them. It was all well and good beating newly promoted, island team and Osasuna but what about the big teams? Now at last they defeated a major rival too. Moreover not only that they won, it was the way they achieved it.

Barcelona were missing unavailable: Joan García, young midfielder, attacking midfielder, Robert Lewandowski and Andreas Christensen were absent. So too the winger, whose significance might now be appreciated in absentia. Others were not at 100%, defender and Lamine Yamal among them. On the bench were five players who not begun in La Liga, two more who featured just one time; two 17-year-olds, young talents and two who are 19. Plus a centre-back, Ronald Araújo, who finished the match in attack again. Additionally head coach was missing, Flick suspended and located in a radio cabin. His assistant, his assistant, has been on the touchline three times: he suffered defeats in all of them.

Game Breakdown

Much discussion focuses of the team’s defensive setup, but they did not attack well on Sunday. Among the things that were said to Lamine Yamal that day, maybe the most telling was from Vinícius during the game, mocking Yamal by telling him: “Your play is backwards passes.” As for that backline, more porous than before after Iñigo Martínez leaving, defensive intensity on opponents decreasing and coordination lacking, Levante made six clear chances against them, Rayo 5, Sevilla five, Girona three. Previously they caught the French forward in an offside position on multiple occasions in an open clásico; yet, overshadowed by losses, was that in the last meeting he got three goals, Madrid consistently positioned to create chances now.

Key Moments

With this approach, in particular. The match served as a beginning and also an end in itself. “In the future we’re going to need a lot of our performance today,” the manager commented. The team had shots in the net five times – three efforts ruled out for offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick