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“Whenever I win they can’t say a word,” Lamine Yamal once stated, however this time he came up short and they closed in for him. Comments were made he was overly vocal; they replied that, indeed, they were going to see him off the pitch; they told him words mean little. And that was only the players: further remarks from the preachers in media platforms, individuals who never lose.

On the eve the clásico, the teenager who says he left fear behind in his hometown implied that the Madrid side rob and complain, according to reports. Additionally, he offered a reminder that on his previous visit he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – as a youngster with blaugrana braces, a glint in his gaze and his shooting ability they didn’t know he had – he beat them 4-0. But that was then and the present differed. And, an adult currently, precisely twelve months later, he was beaten back. He knew, they told him so.

Jude Bellingham nets clásico decisive goal as Real Madrid open a gap of Barcelona

When the final whistle sounded on an intense, intense latest Madrid-Barca match that was somewhat like past encounters, the Barcelona winger approached towards Dani Carvajal, hand out. Instead of accepting it, Carvajal did the classic talking motion. The match was hard enough keeping up with everything that happened in the 105 minutes that preceded it, a match of numerous attempts, multiple scores recorded and three more disallowed; now it was impossible.

All at once there were footballers all around, racing in and out of sight and piling in, security pulling individuals away from each other. Amidst the melee, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the offer to resume the dispute in the dressing room area. Vinícius was restrained, him telling another player as well they talk to much. Raphinha was running to stop his compatriot, Antonio Rüdiger also present. “It was our youth,” the midfielder said.

Turning Point

In April, the French star posted: “They celebrate our defeats like we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Madrid were defeated in the clásico Copa del Rey final 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown following the end, projectiles being thrown. Two weeks afterwards, they suffered another loss. Over four clásicos, Madrid had lost four times, league, Copa del Rey and Super Cup going to Barcelona. Their defense allowed 4, five, three and four. But there remains the future and it turned out he was right.

Only once had Barcelona previously secured five clásicos consecutively, under Guardiola record-breaking run concluding with that 5-0 against Mourinho’s side, and it wouldn’t happen again. On Sunday, Real Madrid brought to a close the coach’s perfect record in charge, defeating their arch-rivals 2-1 to move five points ahead in first place in La Liga.

What It Means

The Madrid squad required the victory. The celebration said so, team members dancing in circles. Likewise, the crowd’s roar, their stadium more vocal and intense compared to for such matches in recent memory: “incredible,” Jude Bellingham described it. Manager Xabi Alonso echoed this. Asked if this was a weight off his shoulders, if there had been a mental block regarding important matches, a fixation, he shot back: “That’s you lot’s thing.” But he acknowledged that this was “not just a win, but our recent history and its importance for the squad; the players needed the experience of securing a victory in a big game.”

In the previous campaign Madrid had not won in such matches. On fourteen occasions they were defeated: French side, Italian club, English team, Bilbao, Espanyol, Sevilla-based, city foes, eastern side and Arsenal all beat them. There wasn’t a single win versus a top-tier opponent. Carlo Ancelotti went and succeeded by Alonso but it continued. Madrid secured five games in the global tournament, signs of a structure developing, a game plan, however they faced Paris Saint Germain.

Season Progress

That belongs to last season, the coach said. Yet the next season, under his guidance season, started with a winning streak consecutively until city rivals came and scored 5 against them. The results were positive beating newly promoted, Mallorca and Pamplona side however, against the big teams? Now at last they defeated one of them too. And not only that they won, it was the way they won.

The opposition had players unavailable: backup keeper, young midfielder, Dani Olmo, star striker and defender were absent. So too the winger, an important player may at least be appreciated in absentia. Several players were not at 100%, defender and young forward among them. Among substitutes they had five players who not begun in La Liga, others who featured only once; teenagers, four 18-year-olds and two who are nineteen. And a centre-back, Ronald Araújo, who finished the match up front again. Even head coach was missing, Hansi Flick suspended and stuck in a radio cabin. His assistant, his assistant, has been in the dugout on three occasions: he suffered defeats in each one.

Game Breakdown

Much is made of the team’s vulnerable high line, but they did not attack well on Sunday. Of all the things directed at the young player that day, maybe the most telling was from Vinícius during the game, mocking the teenager by telling him: “You’re all retreating balls.” Regarding that backline, more porous compared to past with Iñigo Martínez departing, defensive intensity on opponents decreasing and the timing lacking, one opponent made six clear chances versus Barcelona, Rayo five, Sevilla 5, Catalan club three. Previously they caught Kylian Mbappé in an offside position on multiple occasions in a high-scoring game; yet, overshadowed by losses, is the fact in the last meeting he scored three goals, Madrid always positioned to create chances now.

Key Moments

Playing like this, especially. This was a beginning as well as a significant result. “Going forward we’re going to need a lot of what we did today,” the manager commented. They put the ball in the net on five occasions – three efforts disallowed for offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick