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“Whenever I emerge victorious they can’t say a word,” Lamine Yamal once remarked, however on this occasion he didn’t win and they closed in for him. They said he spoke too much; came the response that, yeah, they would meet him off the pitch; they told him words mean little. This included just the players: there was more from the preachers in media platforms, individuals who always have opinions.

On the eve this epic clash, young Lamine Yamal who says he left fear behind in his hometown suggested that the Madrid side rob and moan, according to reports. Additionally, he provided a reminder that on his previous visit he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – as a youngster with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his gaze and his shooting ability was unexpected he possessed – his team triumphed 4-0. But that was then and the present differed. And, an adult currently, exactly a year on, his side fell short. He knew, they told him so.

Jude Bellingham scores derby winner as Real Madrid open a gap of Barcelona

As the match conclusion sounded on an intense, heated latest clásico that felt a little like old times, the Barcelona winger approached in the direction of Dani Carvajal, hand out. Instead of accepting it, Carvajal did the old talking motion. The match was hard enough following with everything that happened in the 105 minutes that preceded it, a match of 38 shots, three goals scored and three more ruled out; now it was too much.

Suddenly there were players all around, racing back and forth of view and piling in, police pulling people away from each other. Amidst the scuffle, Thibaut Courtois took up the invitation to continue this down the tunnel. Vinícius was being held back, he saying to another player else they are too vocal. Barcelona’s winger hurried to stop his countryman, the defender there too. “It was our young,” the midfielder said.

Turning Point

In April, Tchouaméni posted: “Opponents celebrate our losses as if we will never win again. We will return stronger.” Madrid were defeated in a derby Spanish Cup final 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown following the final whistle, ice cubes flying. Two weeks later, they suffered another loss. In four clásicos, Madrid were defeated four times, league, cup and Super Cup going to their rivals. Their defense allowed 4, 5, three and 4. However there is always tomorrow and it turned out Tchouaméni was right.

Only once had Barcelona previously won 5 clásicos consecutively, under Guardiola historic run concluding with the famous 5-0 versus José Mourinho’s team, and it wouldn’t happen again. This past weekend, Real Madrid brought to a close the coach’s perfect record in charge, defeating their arch-rivals 2-1 to go five points ahead in first place in La Liga.

Significance

Madrid required this. Their post-match joy said so, team members celebrating in circles. Likewise, the crowd’s roar, their stadium louder and more edgy than for such matches for years: “incredible,” Jude Bellingham described it. Manager Xabi Alonso said so too. When questioned whether this was a weight off his shoulders, or existed a psychosis around big games, an obsession, he shot back: “That’s you lot’s thing.” Yet he did admit that this was “more than three points, and our recent history and its importance to us; the boys required that feeling of winning a major fixture.”

Last season they had not won in such matches. On fourteen occasions they were defeated: Lille, Milan, English team, Bilbao, city rivals, Sevilla-based, city foes, Valencia and Arsenal each defeated them. They did not achieve one victory against a truly big side. The previous manager departed and succeeded by Xabi Alonso yet the trend persisted. The team won five games in the global tournament, signs of tactical organization developing, an idea, however then came Paris Saint Germain.

Season Progress

That is part of the prior year, Alonso said. But the next season, under his guidance term, began with six wins consecutively before city rivals visited and scored 5 against them. It was all well and good defeating Oviedo, Mallorca and Osasuna however, against elite opponents? Now at last they defeated a major rival too. Moreover it wasn’t just that they won, it was the way they achieved it.

Barcelona had players out: backup keeper, Gavi, attacking midfielder, star striker and defender were absent. Additionally the winger, an important player might now be fully recognised in absentia. Others were not at 100%, defender and young forward among them. Among substitutes were several individuals who hadn’t started in La Liga, others who featured just one time; teenagers, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are nineteen. Plus a centre-back, Uruguayan star, who finished the match up front again. Additionally head coach was absent, Hansi Flick banned and located in a radio cabin. His assistant, Sorg, has been in the dugout on three occasions: he suffered defeats in all of them.

Game Breakdown

Much discussion focuses of the team’s defensive setup, yet they did not attack effectively during the match. Among comments directed at the young player on Sunday, perhaps the most revealing came from Vinícius mid-match, mocking Yamal by saying: “You’re all retreating balls.” Regarding their defense, more porous than before with the defender leaving, defensive intensity on passers dropping and coordination lacking, one opponent made six clear chances against them, Rayo five, Sevilla five, Catalan club three. Previously they caught Kylian Mbappé in an offside position on multiple occasions in an open clásico; yet, overshadowed by losses, is the fact in the last meeting he scored a hat-trick, Madrid always likely to get opportunities currently.

Key Moments

With this approach, especially. This was a beginning and also a significant result. “Going forward we will require a lot of our performance in this game,” the manager commented. The team had the ball result in goals on five occasions – three efforts disallowed for offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick