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“Whenever I win they are unable to say a word,” Lamine Yamal once stated, but on this occasion he came up short and opponents were coming for him. They said he was overly vocal; they replied that, yeah, they were going to see him outside; the message was talk is cheap. This included just the players: further remarks from commentators in their pulpits, men who never lose.

Just before the clásico, young Lamine Yamal who says he left fear behind in Mataró suggested that the Madrid side benefit from decisions and moan, according to reports. Additionally, he offered a reminder that on his previous visit he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – a kid with blaugrana braces, a glint in his gaze and his shooting ability was unexpected he had – his team triumphed 4-0. But that was then and the present differed. And, more mature now, precisely twelve months later, he was beaten back. He knew, as opponents made sure.

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

As the final whistle sounded on a wild, intense latest clásico that felt a little like past encounters, Lamine Yamal approached towards Dani Carvajal, hand out. Instead of accepting it, Madrid’s captain did the old jibber-jabber motion. It had been challenging keeping up with everything that happened in the 105 minutes that preceded it, an encounter of 38 shots, multiple scores scored and three more ruled out; now it was too much.

Suddenly appeared players all around, racing back and forth of sight and piling in, police separating individuals away from each other. Amidst the scuffle, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the invitation to continue the dispute in the dressing room area. The Brazilian forward was being held back, he saying to someone as well they talk to much. Barcelona’s winger was running to intervene with his compatriot, the defender there too. “It was when we youth,” the midfielder said.

Turning Point

In April, Tchouaméni had written: “They celebrate our defeats as if we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Real Madrid had just lost a derby Spanish Cup showpiece 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown greeting the final whistle, ice cubes flying. Two weeks afterwards, they suffered another loss. Over four encounters, Madrid were defeated four times, league, cup and Super Cup won by their rivals. Their defense allowed 4, 5, 3 and 4. However there is always the future and it turned out he proved correct.

On just one occasion have the Catalan side ever won 5 derbies in a row, Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking streak concluding with the famous 5-0 versus Mourinho’s side, and it was not repeated. On Sunday, Madrid brought to a close the coach’s perfect record as manager, beating Barcelona 2-1 to go a significant margin clear at the top of the table.

Significance

Madrid required the victory. Their post-match joy said so, team members dancing together. Likewise, the crowd’s roar, the Bernabéu more vocal and more edgy than for such matches for years: “incredible,” the English midfielder described it. Manager Xabi Alonso said so too. When questioned if this was a weight off his shoulders, if there had been a mental block regarding big games, a fixation, he shot back: “That is the media’s narrative.” But he did admit that the result represented “not just a win, but where we come from and what it means for the squad; the players needed that feeling of winning a major fixture.”

Last season Madrid failed to secure a win in such matches. On fourteen occasions they lost: Lille, Italian club, English team, Bilbao, city rivals, Betis, Atlético, eastern side and London club all beat them. There wasn’t a single win against a truly big side. Carlo Ancelotti went and was replaced by Alonso but it continued. Madrid secured several victories in the global tournament, indications of tactical organization developing, a game plan, but then came PSG.

Season Progress

That defeat is part of last season, the coach stated. But the new campaign, his season, started with six wins in a row before Atlético came and put five against them. It was all well and good defeating Oviedo, Mallorca and Osasuna but what about the big teams? Now at last they defeated one of them as well. And it wasn’t just that they triumphed, it was the way they achieved it.

Barcelona had players out: backup keeper, Gavi, attacking midfielder, star striker and Andreas Christensen were all missing. Additionally the winger, whose significance might now be appreciated by his absence. Others were not at 100%, Jules Koundé and Lamine Yamal among them. Among substitutes were several individuals who not begun in La Liga, others who had started just one time; two 17-year-olds, young talents and a couple who are nineteen. And defender, Uruguayan star, who ended it up front again. Additionally head coach was missing, Flick suspended and located in a radio cabin. His assistant, his assistant, was on the touchline three times: he has lost all of them.

Tactical Analysis

Much is made of Barcelona’s defensive setup, yet their offense struggled effectively during the match. Among comments that were said at the young player that day, maybe the most revealing came from the Brazilian mid-match, mocking Yamal by saying: “Your play is retreating balls.” As for that backline, leakier than before after Iñigo Martínez departing, defensive intensity on opponents decreasing and the timing lacking, Levante created six clear chances versus Barcelona, another team 5, Sevilla five, Catalan club three. Previously they trapped Kylian Mbappé in an offside position on multiple occasions in an open clásico; yet, lost amid losses, was that in the last meeting he got three goals, Madrid always likely to get opportunities now.

Key Moments

Playing like this, in particular. The match served as a beginning and also an end in itself. “In the future we will require a lot of what we did in this game,” Alonso commented. The team had the ball in the net five times – three disallowed due to offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick