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“Whenever I win they are unable to say anything,” Lamine Yamal once stated, but on this occasion he came up short and they closed in for him. Comments were made he spoke too much; they replied that, yeah, they were going to meet him outside; they told him words mean little. And that was only the players: there was more from commentators in media platforms, individuals who always have opinions.

Just before the clásico, the teenager who claims he left fear back in his hometown suggested that Real Madrid rob and complain, or so it goes. Additionally, he provided a recollection that the last time he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – a kid with blaugrana dental work, a spark in his eye and his shooting ability they didn’t know he had – he beat them 4-0. But that was then and the present differed. And, an adult now, precisely twelve months later, his side fell short. He knew, they told him so.

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

As the final whistle sounded on a wild, heated 262nd clásico that was a little like old times, Lamine Yamal approached towards Madrid’s captain, offering a handshake. Rather than taking it, Carvajal made the classic jibber-jabber gesture. The match was hard enough following with all the action that unfolded in over an hour and forty-five that preceded it, an encounter of 38 shots, multiple scores recorded and three more disallowed; at that moment it became impossible.

All at once appeared footballers all around, racing in and out of view and piling in, security pulling people apart. In the middle the scuffle, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the offer to continue the dispute in the dressing room area. The Brazilian forward was restrained, him telling another player else they are too vocal. Barcelona’s winger hurried to intervene with his countryman, the defender there too. “The scene resembled when we young,” the midfielder commented.

Turning Point

In April, the French star had written: “Opponents celebrate our losses like we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Madrid had just lost a clásico Spanish Cup final 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown greeting the end, projectiles being thrown. A fortnight later, they were beaten again. In four clásicos, Madrid had lost on each occasion, La Liga, Copa del Rey and Super Cup going to Barcelona. Their defense allowed four, five, three and 4. However there remains tomorrow and as it happened he proved correct.

Only once have the Catalan side ever won five derbies consecutively, Pep Guardiola’s historic run ending with that 5-0 versus José Mourinho’s side, and it was not repeated. This past weekend, Real Madrid brought to a close Hansi Flick’s perfect record as manager, defeating their arch-rivals 2-1 to go a significant margin clear at the top of the table.

What It Means

The Madrid squad required this. Their post-match joy said so, players dancing together. So did the noise, their stadium louder and more edgy than for such matches for years: “amazing,” the English midfielder called it. Manager Xabi Alonso echoed this. When questioned if this was a weight off his shoulders, or existed a mental block regarding big games, an obsession, he responded: “That is the media’s narrative.” But he did admit that the result represented “more than three points, but where we come from and what it means to us; the boys required the experience of securing a victory in a major fixture.”

In the previous campaign Madrid had not won any. Fourteen times they lost: Lille, Milan, English team, Bilbao, Espanyol, Sevilla-based, Atlético, Valencia and Arsenal all beat them. There wasn’t one victory versus a top-tier opponent. Carlo Ancelotti went and succeeded by Alonso but it continued. The team won several victories at the Club World Cup, indications of tactical organization emerging, an idea, however they faced Paris Saint Germain.

Season Progress

That belongs to the prior year, Alonso said. Yet the next season, under his guidance season, started with a winning streak in a row until city rivals visited and put five against them. It was all well and good beating Oviedo, island team and Pamplona side however, against elite opponents? Now at last they defeated a major rival as well. Moreover it wasn’t just that they won, it was the way they achieved it.

The opposition were missing unavailable: backup keeper, Gavi, attacking midfielder, star striker and Andreas Christensen were absent. So too the winger, an important player might now be fully recognised in absentia. Others were not at 100%, Jules Koundé and young forward included. Among substitutes were five players who not begun a league game, others who featured only once; two 17-year-olds, young talents and a couple who are nineteen. Plus defender, Ronald Araújo, who finished the match up front once more. Even their manager was missing, Flick suspended and stuck in a commentary box. Marcus Sorg, Sorg, was in the dugout three times: he suffered defeats in all of them.

Tactical Analysis

Much is made of Barcelona’s defensive setup, but they did not attack well during the match. Among the things that were said to Lamine Yamal on Sunday, perhaps the most revealing came from the Brazilian during the game, mocking Yamal by saying: “Your play is backwards passes.” As for their defense, leakier than before after Iñigo Martínez leaving, defensive intensity on opponents dropping and coordination lacking, one opponent created multiple opportunities against them, another team 5, Sevilla five, Catalan club three. Previously they caught the French forward in an offside position eight times in an open clásico; however, overshadowed by losses, is the fact in their most recent match he got a hat-trick, Madrid always likely to get opportunities now.

Decisive Actions

With this approach, in particular. This was a beginning as well as an end in itself. “Going forward we will require a lot of what we did today,” the manager commented. They put shots result in goals five times – three efforts disallowed due to offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick