“Whenever I emerge victorious they are unable to say anything,” the young star once stated, but this time he didn’t win and they closed in for him. Comments were made he spoke too much; they replied that, indeed, they were going to meet him outside; the message was talk is cheap. This included just the players: there was more from commentators in media platforms, individuals who always have opinions.
Just before this epic clash, the teenager who says he left fear behind in Mataró suggested that Real Madrid benefit from decisions and moan, or so it goes. He also offered a recollection that on his previous visit he stepped onto Madrid’s home ground – a kid with blaugrana braces, a spark in his gaze and his shooting ability was unexpected he had – he beat them 4-0. But that was then and this was now. Moreover, an adult now, exactly a year on, his side fell short. He knew, as opponents made sure.
Bellingham nets clásico decisive goal as Real Madrid pull clear of Barcelona
As the match conclusion sounded on an intense, intense latest Madrid-Barca match that felt somewhat like past encounters, Lamine Yamal walked in the direction of Dani Carvajal, offering a handshake. Rather than taking it, Madrid’s captain made the old jibber-jabber gesture. The match was hard enough following with everything that unfolded in the 105 minutes that went before, a match of numerous attempts, multiple scores recorded and additional efforts disallowed; at that moment it became impossible.
Suddenly appeared players everywhere, racing back and forth of sight and piling in, police separating people away from each other. In the middle the melee, Madrid’s goalkeeper was accepting the offer to resume the dispute in the dressing room area. The Brazilian forward was restrained, him saying to someone as well they talk to much. Raphinha was running to stop his compatriot, the defender there too. “The scene resembled our young,” Aurélien Tchouaméni commented.
Earlier this year, the French star posted: “Opponents rejoice in our losses as if our winning days are over. We’ll be back.” Real Madrid were defeated in the clásico Copa del Rey showpiece 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown greeting the final whistle, projectiles being thrown. A fortnight afterwards, they were beaten again. In four clásicos, Madrid were defeated on each occasion, league, cup and Spanish Super Cup going to their rivals. They had conceded four, 5, three and 4. But there remains tomorrow and it turned out Tchouaméni was right.
Only once have the Catalan side previously secured 5 derbies in a row, under Guardiola record-breaking streak ending with the famous 5-0 versus Mourinho’s team, and it was not repeated. On Sunday, Real Madrid ended the coach’s unbeaten start as manager, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to move five points clear at the top of the table.
The Madrid squad had needed this. Their post-match joy reflected this, team members celebrating in circles. So did the noise, their stadium louder and more edgy compared to on a clásico day in recent memory: “amazing,” Jude Bellingham called it. Manager Xabi Alonso echoed this. Asked whether this was a relief, if existed a psychosis regarding big games, a fixation, he shot back: “That is the media’s narrative.” But he acknowledged that the result represented “more than three points, but our recent history and what it means to us; the boys required the experience of securing a victory in a major fixture.”
Last season Madrid had not won in such matches. On fourteen occasions they lost: French side, Milan, Liverpool, Bilbao, Espanyol, Betis, city foes, eastern side and Arsenal all beat them. There wasn’t a single win against a top-tier opponent. The previous manager departed and was replaced by Xabi Alonso but it continued. The team won several victories at the Club World Cup, signs of a structure developing, an idea, but they faced Paris Saint Germain.
That defeat is part of the prior year, Alonso said. Yet the new campaign, under his guidance season, started with six wins in a row until Atlético came and put 5 against them. It was all well and good defeating newly promoted, Mallorca and Osasuna however, against the big teams? Finally they defeated one of them as well. Moreover not only that they won, it was the way they achieved it.
The opposition were missing out: Joan García, young midfielder, Dani Olmo, star striker and Andreas Christensen were absent. So too Raphinha, whose significance might now be fully recognised by his absence. Others were not at 100%, Jules Koundé and young forward among them. Among substitutes were several individuals who hadn’t started in La Liga, two more who had started only once; two 17-year-olds, young talents and two who are nineteen. And defender, Ronald Araújo, who ended it in attack again. Additionally their manager was absent, Flick banned and stuck in a radio cabin. His assistant, Sorg, has been in the dugout on three occasions: he has lost all of them.
Much discussion focuses of Barcelona’s defensive setup, but their offense struggled effectively during the match. Of all comments directed to Lamine Yamal that day, maybe the most revealing came from Vinícius during the game, mocking Yamal by telling him: “Your play is backwards passes.” As for their defense, leakier compared to past with Iñigo Martínez departing, the pressure on passers dropping and the timing lacking, one opponent created six clear chances versus Barcelona, another team five, Andalusian side 5, Catalan club three. Last year they trapped Kylian Mbappé offside on multiple occasions in a high-scoring game; yet, lost amid the defeats, was that in the last meeting he scored a hat-trick, Real Madrid always positioned to create chances now.
With this approach, in particular. The match served as a beginning as well as a significant result. “Going forward we will require a lot of our performance today,” Alonso commented. They put shots in the net five times – three efforts disallowed due to offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick
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