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“As long as I win they can’t say a word,” the young star once remarked, however this time he came up short and opponents closed in for him. They said he was overly vocal; they replied that, indeed, they were going to see him outside; the message was words mean little. This included only the players: further remarks from the preachers in their pulpits, individuals who always have opinions.

On the eve the clásico, young Lamine Yamal who says he left fear behind in his hometown suggested that the Madrid side rob and moan, or so it goes. He also offered a recollection that the last time he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – a kid with blaugrana dental work, a spark in his eye and a right foot they didn’t know he had – he beat them 4-0. But that was then and this was now. And, an adult now, precisely twelve months later, he was beaten back. It was clear, they told him so.

Bellingham scores derby winner as Real Madrid pull clear of their rivals

As the match conclusion sounded on an intense, heated 262nd Madrid-Barca match that was somewhat like past encounters, the Barcelona winger walked towards Madrid’s captain, hand out. Rather than accepting it, Carvajal made the old talking motion. It had been hard enough keeping up with all the action that happened in the 105 minutes that went before, an encounter of numerous attempts, multiple scores recorded and additional efforts ruled out; now it was too much.

All at once appeared footballers everywhere, running in and out of view and converging, security pulling people away from each other. Amidst the melee, Madrid’s goalkeeper was accepting the invitation to continue the dispute in the dressing room area. Vinícius was being held back, he telling another player else they talk to much. Barcelona’s winger hurried to intervene with his compatriot, Antonio Rüdiger there too. “The scene resembled when we young,” Aurélien Tchouaméni commented.

Shift in Momentum

In April, the French star posted: “Opponents celebrate our losses as if 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, a collective breakdown following the final whistle, ice cubes being thrown. Two weeks later, they were beaten again. Over four clásicos, Madrid were defeated on each occasion, La Liga, Copa del Rey and Super Cup won by Barcelona. They had conceded 4, 5, three and four. But there remains the future and it turned out Tchouaméni proved correct.

On just one occasion have the Catalan side previously won 5 derbies consecutively, under Guardiola historic run ending with that 5-0 against Mourinho’s team, and it wouldn’t happen again. On Sunday, Madrid brought to a close Hansi Flick’s perfect record in charge, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to go five points clear in first place in La Liga.

Significance

The Madrid squad had needed this. The celebration reflected this, team members dancing together. Likewise, the crowd’s roar, their stadium louder and more edgy than on a clásico day in recent memory: “incredible,” Jude Bellingham described it. Manager Xabi Alonso echoed this. Asked whether the win represented a relief, or there had been a psychosis regarding important matches, an obsession, Xabi Alonso responded: “That is the media’s narrative.” Yet he acknowledged that the result represented “more than three points, and our recent history and its importance for the squad; the players required that feeling of winning a major fixture.”

In the previous campaign they had not won any. On fourteen occasions they were defeated: Lille, Italian club, English team, Athletic, Espanyol, Betis, Atlético, eastern side 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 secured five games at the Club World Cup, signs of a structure emerging, an idea, but they faced PSG.

Season Progress

That defeat is part of last season, Alonso said. But the next season, his term, started with a winning streak consecutively before city rivals visited and put 5 against them. It was positive defeating newly promoted, Mallorca and Pamplona side but what about elite opponents? Now at last they had beaten a major rival as well. And it wasn’t just that Madrid triumphed, but also the way they achieved it.

The opposition had players out: Joan García, young midfielder, Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski and defender were absent. So too the winger, whose significance might now be appreciated in absentia. Several players weren’t fully fit, Jules Koundé and young forward included. Among substitutes they had five players who hadn’t started in La Liga, others who featured just one time; teenagers, young talents and a couple who are 19. Plus defender, Uruguayan star, who ended it in attack again. Even head coach 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 all of them.

Tactical Analysis

Much is made of the team’s defensive setup, yet their offense struggled well on Sunday. Among the things directed at the young player on Sunday, perhaps the most revealing came from the Brazilian during the game, mocking Yamal by telling him: “You’re all backwards passes.” As for their defense, leakier compared to past after the defender departing, the pressure on opponents dropping and coordination lacking, Levante created six clear chances against them, another team 5, Andalusian side 5, Girona 3. Last year they caught Kylian Mbappé in an offside position eight times in an open clásico; however, overshadowed by the defeats, is the fact in their most recent match he got a hat-trick, Madrid consistently likely to create chances currently.

Decisive Actions

With this approach, in particular. This was a start and also an end in itself. “Going forward we will require much of what we did today,” Alonso said. The team had the ball result in goals five times – three efforts disallowed for offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick