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“Whenever I emerge victorious they are unable to say anything,” the young star previously remarked, however on this occasion he came up short and opponents were coming for him. They said he was overly vocal; came the response that, yeah, they would see him off the pitch; they told him talk is cheap. This included only the players: there was more from the preachers in their pulpits, men who always have opinions.

Just before the clásico, the teenager who claims he abandoned nervousness behind in Mataró implied that Real Madrid rob and complain, or so it goes. Additionally, he provided a reminder that on his previous visit he had been the Santiago Bernabéu – as a youngster with blaugrana dental work, a spark in his gaze and his shooting ability was unexpected he had – his team triumphed 4-0. Yet that was past and this was now. And, an adult currently, exactly a year on, his side fell short. It was clear, as opponents made sure.

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When the final whistle went on an intense, intense 262nd clásico that felt somewhat like past encounters, Lamine Yamal walked in the direction of Dani Carvajal, hand out. Rather than accepting it, Carvajal made the old talking gesture. The match was challenging keeping up with all the action that happened in the 105 minutes that preceded it, a match of 38 shots, multiple scores recorded and additional efforts ruled out; now it was too much.

Suddenly there were players everywhere, running back and forth of view and piling in, police pulling individuals apart. In the middle the melee, Thibaut Courtois took up the offer to continue the dispute in the dressing room area. The Brazilian forward was restrained, him saying to another player else they are too vocal. Barcelona’s winger hurried to intervene with his countryman, the defender also present. “The scene resembled when we youth,” Aurélien Tchouaméni commented.

Shift in Momentum

In April, the French star had written: “Opponents rejoice in our losses like 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 end, projectiles being thrown. A fortnight afterwards, they were beaten again. In four encounters, the team had lost on each occasion, La Liga, cup and Spanish Super Cup won by their rivals. They had conceded four, five, 3 and 4. However there remains the future and it turned out Tchouaméni was right.

Only once had Barcelona ever secured 5 clásicos consecutively, Pep Guardiola’s historic run concluding with that 5-0 against Mourinho’s team, and it was not repeated. On Sunday, Real Madrid brought to a close Hansi Flick’s unbeaten start as manager, defeating their arch-rivals 2-1 to move a significant margin ahead at the top of the table.

Significance

The Madrid squad had needed the victory. The celebration reflected this, team members celebrating together. So did the noise, their stadium more vocal and more edgy compared to for such matches in recent memory: “amazing,” the English midfielder called it. The coach echoed this. When questioned if the win represented a relief, if there had been a mental block around important matches, an obsession, Xabi Alonso responded: “That’s you lot’s thing.” But he did admit that the result represented “not just a win, but where we come from and what it means to us; the boys needed the experience of securing a victory in a big game.”

Last season Madrid failed to secure a win in such matches. Fourteen times they lost: French side, Italian club, English team, Athletic, city rivals, Betis, Atlético, Valencia and London club each defeated them. There wasn’t a single win versus a truly big side. The previous manager went and succeeded by Xabi Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid secured several victories in the global tournament, signs of tactical organization emerging, an idea, however they faced PSG.

Current Campaign

That defeat belongs to the prior year, Alonso said. But the next season, under his guidance season, started with a winning streak consecutively until Atlético came and scored 5 past them. It was positive beating newly promoted, Mallorca and Osasuna but what about the big teams? Finally they defeated one of them too. Moreover it wasn’t just that Madrid triumphed, it was the manner they achieved it.

The opposition were missing out: Joan García, young midfielder, attacking midfielder, Robert Lewandowski and Andreas Christensen were absent. So too the winger, whose significance may at least be appreciated by his absence. Several players were not at 100%, Jules Koundé and young forward included. Among substitutes were five players who not begun in La Liga, two more who had started just one time; teenagers, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are 19. And a centre-back, Ronald Araújo, who finished the match up front again. Even their manager was absent, Hansi Flick suspended and located in a radio cabin. His assistant, his assistant, has been on the touchline three times: he suffered defeats in each one.

Tactical Analysis

Much is made of Barcelona’s defensive setup, yet their offense struggled well during the match. Of all the things directed at the young player on Sunday, maybe the most telling was from Vinícius mid-match, mocking the teenager by saying: “Your play is retreating balls.” Regarding their defense, more porous compared to past after the defender departing, the pressure on opponents decreasing and coordination lacking, Levante made six clear chances against them, Rayo 5, Sevilla five, Catalan club three. Last year they caught the French forward in an offside position on multiple occasions in an open clásico; however, lost amid losses, was that in their most recent match he scored a hat-trick, Madrid always positioned to get opportunities currently.

Decisive Actions

Playing like this, in particular. The match served as a beginning as well as a significant result. “In the future we’re going to need much of our performance in this game,” the manager said. They put the ball result in goals five times – three efforts ruled out for offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick