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“Whenever I win they are unable to say a word,” Lamine Yamal previously stated, however this time he came up short and they were coming for him. They said he spoke too much; they replied that, indeed, they were going to meet him outside; the message was talk is cheap. And that was only the players: further remarks from the preachers in media platforms, men who always have opinions.

On the eve the clásico, young Lamine Yamal who says he left fear behind in Mataró suggested that the Madrid side benefit from decisions and complain, according to reports. He also provided a recollection that on his previous visit he had been the Santiago Bernabéu – as a youngster with blaugrana braces, a spark in his gaze and a right foot was unexpected he possessed – he beat them 4-0. But that was then and this was now. Moreover, more mature currently, exactly a year on, his side fell short. He knew, they told him so.

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

As the match conclusion went on a wild, heated 262nd clásico that felt somewhat like old times, Lamine Yamal approached towards Madrid’s captain, hand out. Instead of accepting it, Carvajal did the classic talking motion. It had been challenging keeping up with everything that happened in over an hour and forty-five that went before, a match of 38 shots, multiple scores recorded and three more ruled out; at that moment it became too much.

All at once appeared footballers all around, racing back and forth of view and converging, police separating individuals apart. In the middle the scuffle, Madrid’s goalkeeper took up the offer to resume the dispute down the tunnel. The Brazilian forward was restrained, he saying to someone as well they are too vocal. Raphinha was running to intervene with his countryman, Antonio Rüdiger also present. “It was our youth,” the midfielder said.

Shift in Momentum

In April, the French star posted: “They rejoice in our defeats as if our winning days are over. We’ll be back.” Madrid had just lost the clásico Spanish Cup final 3-2 after additional minutes, emotional scenes greeting the final whistle, projectiles flying. A fortnight afterwards, they suffered another loss. In four encounters, Madrid were defeated on each occasion, league, cup and Spanish Super Cup going to their rivals. Their defense allowed 4, five, 3 and four. But there is always tomorrow and it turned out Tchouaméni was right.

On just one occasion had Barcelona previously secured 5 clásicos in a row, under Guardiola historic streak concluding with that 5-0 versus Mourinho’s team, and it was not repeated. On Sunday, Real Madrid brought to a close Hansi Flick’s perfect record as manager, defeating their arch-rivals 2-1 to go a significant margin ahead in first place of the table.

Significance

The Madrid squad had needed this. Their post-match joy reflected this, team members celebrating in circles. Likewise, the noise, the Bernabéu louder and more edgy than for such matches for years: “incredible,” Jude Bellingham described it. The coach echoed this. When questioned if the win represented a relief, or existed a psychosis regarding big games, an obsession, he responded: “That’s you lot’s thing.” Yet he acknowledged that the result represented “not just three points, and our recent history and its importance to us; the boys required that feeling of winning a big game.”

In the previous campaign they had not won in such matches. On fourteen occasions they were defeated: French side, Italian club, English team, Bilbao, city rivals, Sevilla-based, Atlético, Valencia and Arsenal each defeated them. They did not achieve a single win against a truly big side. The previous manager went and was replaced by Xabi Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid won five games in the global tournament, indications of a structure developing, an idea, but they faced PSG.

Season Progress

That is part of the prior year, the coach said. Yet the new campaign, his term, began with six wins in a row before city rivals came and scored five against them. The results were all well and good beating newly promoted, island team and Pamplona side but what about the big teams? Finally they defeated a major rival too. And not only that Madrid triumphed, it was the manner they achieved it.

Barcelona were missing unavailable: Joan García, young midfielder, attacking midfielder, star striker and defender were all missing. So too Raphinha, whose significance may at least be fully recognised by his absence. Others were not at 100%, defender and Lamine Yamal among them. Among substitutes they had several individuals who not begun a league game, others who featured only once; two 17-year-olds, young talents and a couple who are nineteen. And defender, Ronald Araújo, who finished the match in attack again. Even their manager was missing, Flick banned and located in a commentary box. His assistant, Sorg, was in the dugout on three occasions: he suffered defeats in each one.

Game Breakdown

Much discussion focuses of the team’s defensive setup, yet their offense struggled well during the match. Of all the things that were said to Lamine Yamal on Sunday, maybe the most revealing came from the Brazilian mid-match, taunting the teenager by telling him: “Your play is backwards passes.” Regarding that backline, more porous compared to past after Iñigo Martínez leaving, the pressure on passers dropping and the timing off, one opponent created six clear chances against them, Rayo five, Andalusian side 5, Catalan club three. Previously they trapped Kylian Mbappé in an offside position on multiple occasions in a high-scoring game; however, overshadowed by losses, was that in their most recent match he got three goals, Real Madrid consistently likely to get opportunities now.

Key Moments

With this approach, especially. The match served as a start and also an end in itself. “Going forward we will require a lot of our performance in this game,” Alonso commented. The team had the ball result in goals five times – three ruled out due to offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick