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“As long as I emerge victorious they can’t say a word,” the young star once remarked, however this time he came up short and they closed in for him. They said he was overly vocal; came the response that, yeah, they were going to meet him off the pitch; the message was words mean little. This included just the players: further remarks from the preachers in media platforms, men who never lose.

On the eve the clásico, young Lamine Yamal who claims he abandoned nervousness behind in his hometown implied that the Madrid side benefit from decisions and moan, or so it goes. He also offered a reminder that on his previous visit he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – a kid with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his gaze and his shooting ability they didn’t know he had – he beat them 4-0. Yet that was past and this was now. Moreover, an adult now, precisely twelve months later, he was beaten back. He knew, as opponents made sure.

Bellingham scores derby decisive goal as Real Madrid open a gap of their rivals

When the final whistle went on a wild, heated 262nd clásico that felt a little like old times, the Barcelona winger walked towards Madrid’s captain, offering a handshake. Rather than taking it, Madrid’s captain made the classic jibber-jabber gesture. The match was challenging keeping up with everything that happened in over an hour and forty-five that preceded it, a match of 38 shots, multiple scores recorded and three more ruled out; now it was too much.

All at once there were players everywhere, racing in and out of sight and converging, police separating individuals apart. In the middle the melee, Thibaut Courtois took up the invitation to resume the dispute down the tunnel. The Brazilian forward was restrained, he saying to another player else they are too vocal. Raphinha was running to stop his countryman, the defender there too. “It was when we young,” the midfielder said.

Turning Point

In April, Tchouaméni posted: “They rejoice in our losses as if our winning days are over. We’ll be back.” Real Madrid had just lost a clásico Spanish Cup final 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown greeting the final whistle, ice cubes being thrown. Two weeks later, they were beaten again. Over four clásicos, Madrid were defeated four times, La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup won by their rivals. Their defense allowed four, five, three and 4. However there remains the future and as it happened he proved correct.

On just one occasion had Barcelona previously won five derbies in a row, Pep Guardiola’s historic streak ending with the famous 5-0 versus José Mourinho’s team, and it was not repeated. On Sunday, Real Madrid brought to a close Hansi Flick’s perfect record in charge, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to move five points ahead in first place of the table.

What It Means

Madrid had needed this. The celebration said so, players celebrating together. Likewise, the noise, their stadium louder and intense than for such matches in recent memory: “incredible,” the English midfielder called it. The coach said so too. Asked whether the win represented a weight off his shoulders, or there had been a psychosis around big games, an obsession, Xabi Alonso responded: “That’s you lot’s thing.” But he acknowledged that this was “more than three points, and our recent history and its importance for the squad; the players required that feeling of securing a victory in a big game.”

Last season they had not won any. Fourteen times they were defeated: French side, Milan, English team, Athletic, city rivals, Betis, Atlético, eastern side and Arsenal each defeated them. There wasn’t a single win versus a truly big side. Carlo Ancelotti went and succeeded by Xabi Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid secured five games in the global tournament, signs of tactical organization developing, a game plan, but they faced Paris Saint Germain.

Current Campaign

That defeat is part of last season, Alonso stated. Yet the new campaign, his season, started with a winning streak in a row before Atlético came and put five against them. The results were all well and good beating newly promoted, island team and Osasuna but what about elite opponents? Now at last they had beaten one of them as well. Moreover not only that Madrid won, it was the way they won.

The opposition had players unavailable: backup keeper, young midfielder, Dani Olmo, star striker and Andreas Christensen were absent. So too Raphinha, whose significance may at least be fully recognised by his absence. Others were not at 100%, Jules Koundé and Lamine Yamal among them. Among substitutes were several individuals who hadn’t started 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 ended it up front again. Even their manager was missing, Flick suspended and stuck in a radio cabin. His assistant, his assistant, was in the dugout on three occasions: he has lost all of them.

Game Breakdown

Much discussion focuses of the team’s vulnerable high line, but their offense struggled well on Sunday. Among the things directed to Lamine Yamal that day, perhaps the most telling came from the Brazilian mid-match, taunting the teenager by saying: “Your play is backwards passes.” Regarding their defense, leakier than before after Iñigo Martínez departing, the pressure on passers dropping and the timing lacking, Levante made multiple opportunities against them, another team 5, Andalusian side five, Girona 3. Last year they trapped Kylian Mbappé in an offside position eight times in a high-scoring game; yet, lost amid losses, is the fact in their most recent match he scored a hat-trick, Madrid consistently likely to get opportunities currently.

Decisive Actions

With this approach, in particular. This was a start and also an end in itself. “In the future we’re going to need much of what we did today,” Alonso said. The team had shots result in goals on five occasions – three efforts ruled out due to offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick