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“Whenever I emerge victorious they can’t say anything,” the young star once remarked, but this time he came up short and they were coming for him. They said he was overly vocal; they replied that, indeed, they would meet him outside; they told him talk is cheap. And that was just the players: further remarks from the preachers in media platforms, individuals who always have opinions.

Just before the clásico, young Lamine Yamal who claims he abandoned nervousness back in Mataró implied that Real Madrid rob and moan, according to reports. He also provided a recollection that on his previous visit he had been the Santiago Bernabéu – a kid with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his eye and his shooting ability they didn’t know he had – his team triumphed 4-0. But that was then and this was now. Moreover, more mature now, precisely twelve months later, his side fell short. He knew, they told him so.

Jude Bellingham nets derby winner as Real Madrid pull clear of their rivals

When the final whistle sounded on a wild, heated 262nd clásico that felt somewhat like past encounters, the Barcelona winger approached in the direction of Dani Carvajal, offering a handshake. Instead of accepting it, Carvajal made the classic talking gesture. It had been hard enough keeping up with everything that unfolded in the 105 minutes that preceded it, a match of numerous attempts, multiple scores recorded and three more ruled out; at that moment it became too much.

Suddenly there were players all around, racing back and forth of sight and converging, police pulling individuals apart. In the middle the melee, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the offer to resume the dispute down the tunnel. Vinícius was being held back, he saying to another player else they talk to much. Raphinha was running to stop his compatriot, the defender there too. “The scene resembled when we young,” the midfielder said.

Turning Point

Earlier this year, Tchouaméni had written: “They celebrate our losses as if our winning days are over. We’ll be back.” Madrid were defeated in a clásico Copa del Rey final 3-2 in extra time, emotional scenes following the final whistle, ice cubes flying. A fortnight later, they suffered another loss. In four clásicos, the team had lost four times, league, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup going to their rivals. Their defense allowed 4, 5, three and four. However there remains the future and as it happened he was right.

On just one occasion had Barcelona previously won 5 clásicos in a row, Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking streak ending with that 5-0 versus José Mourinho’s team, and it was not repeated. This past weekend, Real Madrid brought to a close the coach’s unbeaten start in charge, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to move five points clear at the top of the table.

Significance

The Madrid squad required the victory. The celebration said so, team members dancing together. So did the noise, their stadium more vocal and intense than on a clásico day for years: “incredible,” Jude Bellingham called it. The coach echoed this. Asked whether the win represented a weight off his shoulders, or existed a psychosis around big games, a fixation, he responded: “That’s you lot’s thing.” Yet he did admit that this was “not just a win, and our recent history and what it means to us; the boys required the experience of winning a big game.”

In the previous campaign Madrid had not won any. Fourteen times they lost: Lille, Italian club, English team, Athletic, city rivals, Sevilla-based, city foes, Valencia and London club each defeated them. There wasn’t a single win against a top-tier opponent. Carlo Ancelotti departed and was replaced by Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid won several victories at the Club World Cup, signs of a structure emerging, an idea, but then came PSG.

Season Progress

That is part of the prior year, the coach said. But the new campaign, his season, began with a winning streak in a row until Atlético came and scored five against them. It was positive beating newly promoted, Mallorca and Pamplona side but what about the big teams? Finally they had beaten one of them as well. And it wasn’t just that they won, but also the way they won.

The opposition had players unavailable: Joan García, Gavi, attacking midfielder, Robert Lewandowski and defender were all missing. Additionally the winger, whose significance may at least be fully recognised in absentia. Others weren’t fully fit, defender and Lamine Yamal among them. Among substitutes they had several individuals who hadn’t started a league game, two more who featured only once; two 17-year-olds, four 18-year-olds and two who are nineteen. And a centre-back, Uruguayan star, who ended it in attack again. Additionally their manager was absent, Hansi Flick suspended and located in a radio cabin. His assistant, his assistant, has been in the dugout on three occasions: he suffered defeats in each one.

Game Breakdown

Much discussion focuses of Barcelona’s defensive setup, but they did not attack effectively on Sunday. Of all comments directed at the young player on Sunday, perhaps the most telling was from the Brazilian during the game, taunting the teenager by saying: “You’re all retreating balls.” As for that backline, leakier compared to past after Iñigo Martínez leaving, the pressure on opponents decreasing and coordination off, one opponent made six clear chances versus Barcelona, another team five, Sevilla 5, Girona three. Previously they caught Kylian Mbappé offside on multiple occasions in a high-scoring game; however, overshadowed by losses, was that in their most recent match he got a hat-trick, Madrid always positioned to create chances now.

Decisive Actions

Playing like this, especially. The match served as a beginning as well as a significant result. “In the future we’re going to need much of our performance today,” the manager said. They put shots result in goals five times – three disallowed for offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick