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“As long as I win they can’t say anything,” the young star once remarked, but on this occasion he came up short and they closed in for him. They said he spoke too much; they replied that, yeah, they were going to see him off the pitch; the message was talk is cheap. And that was only the players: there was more from commentators in their pulpits, men who never lose.

On the eve this epic clash, young Lamine Yamal who says he abandoned nervousness back in his hometown suggested that Real Madrid benefit from decisions and complain, or so it goes. He also provided a reminder that on his previous visit he stepped onto Madrid’s home ground – as a youngster with blaugrana braces, a spark in his gaze and his shooting ability they didn’t know he possessed – his team triumphed 4-0. But that was then and the present differed. And, more mature currently, exactly a year on, his side fell short. He knew, they told him so.

Bellingham scores clásico winner as Real Madrid open a gap of Barcelona

As the match conclusion sounded on a wild, heated 262nd clásico that was somewhat like old times, the Barcelona winger walked in the direction of Dani Carvajal, offering a handshake. Rather than taking it, Carvajal made the old jibber-jabber motion. The match was challenging following with all the action that unfolded in the 105 minutes that preceded it, a match of numerous attempts, multiple scores scored and three more disallowed; at that moment it became impossible.

Suddenly appeared players everywhere, racing back and forth of sight and piling in, security separating individuals away from each other. In the middle the melee, Thibaut Courtois took up the invitation to continue this in the dressing room area. Vinícius was restrained, him telling someone else they talk to much. Barcelona’s winger was running to stop his compatriot, Antonio Rüdiger there too. “The scene resembled when we youth,” Aurélien Tchouaméni commented.

Shift in Momentum

In April, Tchouaméni had written: “They celebrate our losses as if our winning days are over. We’ll be back.” Madrid had just lost the clásico Copa del Rey showpiece 3-2 in extra time, emotional scenes greeting the end, ice cubes being thrown. Two weeks afterwards, they suffered another loss. Over four clásicos, the team had lost four times, La Liga, Copa del Rey and Super Cup won by their rivals. Their defense allowed four, five, three and four. However there is always tomorrow and as it happened he proved correct.

On just one occasion have the Catalan side ever secured five derbies consecutively, Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking streak ending with the famous 5-0 against Mourinho’s team, and it wouldn’t happen again. On Sunday, Real Madrid ended the coach’s perfect record in charge, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to go five points ahead in first place of the table.

Significance

The Madrid squad had needed the victory. Their post-match joy reflected this, players celebrating in circles. So did the noise, the Bernabéu louder and more edgy than on a clásico day in recent memory: “amazing,” Jude Bellingham described it. The coach said so too. When questioned whether this was a relief, if existed a psychosis around big games, a fixation, Xabi Alonso shot back: “That is the media’s narrative.” But he acknowledged that this was “not just three points, but our recent history and what it means to us; the boys required the experience of securing a victory in a big game.”

In the previous campaign Madrid failed to secure a win in such matches. On fourteen occasions they lost: French side, Milan, Liverpool, Bilbao, Espanyol, Sevilla-based, city foes, eastern side and Arsenal all beat them. There wasn’t a single win against a truly big side. Carlo Ancelotti went and was replaced by Alonso yet the trend persisted. The team won several victories at the Club World Cup, indications of tactical organization developing, a game plan, however then came Paris Saint Germain.

Season Progress

That belongs to last season, the coach stated. But the new campaign, his season, started with a winning streak consecutively until city rivals visited and put 5 against them. The results were positive beating Oviedo, island team and Pamplona side however, against elite opponents? Finally they had beaten a major rival as well. Moreover it wasn’t just that they won, but also the way they achieved it.

The opposition were missing unavailable: Joan García, Gavi, attacking midfielder, star striker and defender were absent. So too Raphinha, whose significance may at least be fully recognised by his absence. Others were not at 100%, defender and Lamine Yamal among them. Among substitutes they had several individuals who hadn’t started in La Liga, two more who had started only once; two 17-year-olds, young talents and two who are nineteen. And a centre-back, Uruguayan star, who ended it up front again. Additionally head coach was missing, Hansi Flick suspended and stuck in a radio cabin. Marcus Sorg, Sorg, was in the dugout three times: he suffered defeats in all of them.

Tactical Analysis

Much discussion focuses of Barcelona’s defensive setup, but their offense struggled well on Sunday. Among the things directed to Lamine Yamal that day, perhaps the most revealing was from Vinícius during the game, mocking the teenager by telling him: “You’re all retreating balls.” As for that backline, more porous than before after Iñigo Martínez departing, defensive intensity on opponents dropping and coordination lacking, one opponent made six clear chances versus Barcelona, another team five, Sevilla five, Girona 3. Previously they trapped Kylian Mbappé in an offside position on multiple occasions in a high-scoring game; however, lost amid the defeats, was that in the last meeting he got three goals, Madrid always positioned to create chances currently.

Key Moments

With this approach, especially. This was a beginning and also an end in itself. “In the future we will require much of what we did today,” Alonso commented. They put the ball in the net on five occasions – three ruled out due to offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick