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“As long as I win they are unable to say anything,” Lamine Yamal once stated, however this time he didn’t win and opponents closed in for him. They said he was overly vocal; came the response that, yeah, they would see him outside; they told him talk is cheap. And that was only the players: there was more from commentators in their pulpits, individuals who always have opinions.

Just before the clásico, the teenager who says he left fear back in Mataró implied that Real Madrid rob and complain, or so it goes. He also 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 they didn’t know he had – he beat them 4-0. Yet that was past and the present differed. Moreover, more mature currently, precisely twelve months later, his side fell short. It was clear, they told him so.

Bellingham scores clásico decisive goal as Real Madrid pull clear of Barcelona

As the final whistle sounded on a wild, intense 262nd clásico that was a little like past encounters, Lamine Yamal approached towards Dani Carvajal, offering a handshake. Instead of taking it, Carvajal made the classic talking motion. The match was hard enough keeping up with everything that happened in the 105 minutes that went before, an encounter of numerous attempts, three goals scored and three more ruled out; at that moment it became too much.

All at once appeared players all around, running in and out of view and piling in, security pulling individuals apart. Amidst the melee, Thibaut Courtois took up the offer to continue this down the tunnel. Vinícius was being held back, him saying to another player else they are too vocal. Raphinha was running to intervene with his countryman, the defender also present. “It was when we young,” the midfielder commented.

Shift in Momentum

Earlier this year, Tchouaméni posted: “Opponents rejoice in our losses like we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Real Madrid were defeated in a clásico Copa del Rey final 3-2 in extra time, emotional scenes following the final whistle, projectiles being thrown. A fortnight afterwards, they were beaten again. Over four clásicos, Madrid were defeated on each occasion, league, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup going to Barcelona. They had conceded four, five, 3 and four. However there is always tomorrow and it turned out he was right.

On just one occasion had Barcelona ever secured five clásicos consecutively, Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking run concluding with the famous 5-0 versus José Mourinho’s side, and it wouldn’t happen again. This past weekend, Real Madrid brought to a close the coach’s perfect record in charge, defeating their arch-rivals 2-1 to go five points ahead at the top in La Liga.

What It Means

The Madrid squad required this. Their post-match joy reflected this, team members celebrating together. So did the noise, the Bernabéu louder and intense compared to for such matches for years: “incredible,” Jude Bellingham called it. The coach said so too. Asked if the win represented a relief, if there had been a mental block regarding big games, a fixation, he shot back: “That is the media’s narrative.” Yet he did admit that the result represented “not just a win, and our recent history and its importance for the squad; the boys required the experience of securing a victory in a big game.”

In the previous campaign they had not won any. On fourteen occasions they lost: Lille, Italian club, Liverpool, Bilbao, city rivals, Betis, Atlético, eastern side and London club all beat them. They did not achieve a single win against a truly big side. The previous manager departed and was replaced by Xabi Alonso but it continued. Madrid secured several victories at the Club World Cup, signs of a structure emerging, a game plan, but then came PSG.

Season Progress

That defeat belongs to last season, the coach stated. Yet the next season, his season, began with six wins in a row until Atlético visited and scored five against them. It was all well and good beating Oviedo, island team and Osasuna but what about the big teams? Finally they had beaten one of them too. And it wasn’t just that Madrid won, but also the manner they achieved it.

The opposition were missing out: backup keeper, young midfielder, Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski and defender were all missing. Additionally Raphinha, an important player might now be appreciated by his absence. Several players weren’t fully fit, defender and young forward among them. On the bench they had five players who not begun in La Liga, others who featured just one time; two 17-year-olds, young talents and two who are 19. And defender, Ronald Araújo, who finished the match up front again. Even their manager was missing, Hansi Flick banned and stuck in a commentary box. Marcus Sorg, his assistant, has been on the touchline on three occasions: he suffered defeats in each one.

Tactical Analysis

Much discussion focuses of the team’s vulnerable high line, but they did not attack well on Sunday. Among comments that were said to Lamine Yamal that day, maybe the most telling came from the Brazilian mid-match, taunting Yamal by telling him: “Your play is retreating balls.” Regarding that backline, more porous than before after Iñigo Martínez departing, defensive intensity on opponents dropping and the timing off, Levante created multiple opportunities versus Barcelona, Rayo five, Sevilla five, Catalan club three. Last year they trapped Kylian Mbappé offside eight times in an open clásico; however, lost amid the defeats, was that in their most recent match he scored three goals, Real Madrid always likely to create chances currently.

Decisive Actions

With this approach, especially. The match served as a start and also an end in itself. “In the future we’re going to need a lot of our performance in this game,” Alonso commented. The team had shots result in goals on five occasions – three ruled out for offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick