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“As long as I win they are unable to say anything,” Lamine Yamal once remarked, but this time he came up short and they closed in for him. They said he spoke too much; came the response that, indeed, they were going to see him off the pitch; they told him words mean little. This included only the players: further remarks from the preachers in their pulpits, individuals who never lose.

Just before this epic clash, young Lamine Yamal who claims he left fear back in Mataró implied that the Madrid side benefit from decisions and moan, according to reports. Additionally, he provided a recollection that on his previous visit he stepped onto Madrid’s home ground – a kid with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his gaze and a right foot they didn’t know he possessed – his team triumphed 4-0. But that was then and this was now. Moreover, an adult currently, precisely twelve months later, he was beaten back. It was clear, they told him so.

Bellingham scores clásico winner as the Madrid club pull clear of their rivals

When the match conclusion sounded on an intense, intense 262nd clásico that felt somewhat like past encounters, the Barcelona winger walked in the direction of Madrid’s captain, offering a handshake. Rather than taking it, Carvajal made the old talking gesture. The match was challenging following with everything that happened in over an hour and forty-five that went before, an encounter of numerous attempts, three goals recorded and additional efforts ruled out; at that moment it became too much.

Suddenly appeared footballers everywhere, racing in and out of sight and converging, security separating people away from each other. In the middle the melee, Madrid’s goalkeeper took up the offer to continue this down the tunnel. The Brazilian forward was being held back, him telling someone as well they talk to much. Raphinha hurried to stop his countryman, Antonio Rüdiger there too. “It was our youth,” Aurélien Tchouaméni said.

Shift in Momentum

Earlier this year, the French star had written: “Opponents rejoice in our defeats like we will never win again. We will return stronger.” Real Madrid had just lost a derby Copa del Rey final 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown greeting the final whistle, ice cubes being thrown. A fortnight afterwards, they suffered another loss. In four encounters, Madrid were defeated four times, La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup won by Barcelona. Their defense allowed four, 5, three and 4. But there remains the future and it turned out Tchouaméni proved correct.

Only once had Barcelona previously secured 5 clásicos in a row, Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking streak ending with the famous 5-0 against Mourinho’s team, and it was not repeated. On Sunday, Madrid brought to a close the coach’s perfect record as manager, beating their arch-rivals 2-1 to go a significant margin ahead in first place in La Liga.

Significance

Madrid had needed this. The celebration said so, players dancing in circles. Likewise, the crowd’s roar, the Bernabéu louder and intense than for such matches in recent memory: “amazing,” the English midfielder described it. The coach echoed this. Asked if this was a relief, if existed a mental block regarding important matches, an obsession, he shot back: “That is the media’s narrative.” Yet he acknowledged that this was “not just three points, but where we come from and what it means for the squad; the boys needed that feeling of winning a major fixture.”

In the previous campaign Madrid failed to secure a win in such matches. On fourteen occasions they were defeated: Lille, Milan, English team, Athletic, city rivals, Betis, city foes, Valencia and London club each defeated them. They did not achieve a single win versus a top-tier opponent. The previous manager went and was replaced by Xabi Alonso but it continued. Madrid won five games in the global tournament, signs of tactical organization emerging, a game plan, but then came Paris Saint Germain.

Season Progress

That defeat is part of the prior year, the coach said. But the next season, his season, started with a winning streak in a row before city rivals visited and put 5 past them. The results were positive defeating newly promoted, Mallorca and Pamplona side but what about elite opponents? Finally they had beaten a major rival too. Moreover it wasn’t just that Madrid triumphed, but also the way they achieved it.

Barcelona were missing unavailable: Joan García, young midfielder, Dani Olmo, star striker and Andreas Christensen were absent. Additionally the winger, whose significance may at least be appreciated in absentia. Several players were not at 100%, defender and Lamine Yamal among them. On the bench were five players who not begun in La Liga, two more who had started only once; teenagers, four 18-year-olds and two who are 19. Plus defender, Ronald Araújo, who ended it up front once more. Even their manager was missing, Hansi Flick banned and located in a radio cabin. His assistant, his assistant, was in the dugout on three occasions: he suffered defeats in each one.

Game Breakdown

Much is made of Barcelona’s vulnerable high line, but they did not attack well during the match. Among the things that were said at the young player that day, maybe the most revealing came from Vinícius during the game, taunting the teenager by telling him: “Your play is backwards passes.” Regarding that backline, more porous than before after the defender departing, defensive intensity on opponents decreasing and the timing off, one opponent made six clear chances against them, Rayo five, Andalusian side five, Girona 3. Previously they caught the French forward in an offside position eight times in an open clásico; yet, overshadowed by the defeats, is the fact in their most recent match he got three goals, Madrid consistently likely to get opportunities currently.

Key Moments

Playing like this, in particular. The match served as a beginning as well as an end in itself. “In the future we will require much of what we did today,” the manager commented. They put the ball in the net on five occasions – three efforts disallowed due to offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick