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“As long as I emerge victorious they are unable to say a word,” the young star previously stated, but on this occasion he came up short and they closed in for him. They said he was overly vocal; came the response that, yeah, they would see him outside; the message was talk is cheap. And that was only the players: further remarks from the preachers in media platforms, individuals who never lose.

Just before this epic clash, the teenager who claims he abandoned nervousness back in Mataró suggested that Real Madrid rob and moan, or so it goes. He also offered a reminder that the last time he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – as a youngster with blaugrana dental work, a spark in his eye and his shooting ability they didn’t know he possessed – his team triumphed 4-0. Yet that was past and the present differed. Moreover, more mature currently, exactly a year on, he was beaten back. It was clear, as opponents made sure.

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

As the final whistle sounded on a wild, intense latest Madrid-Barca match that was somewhat like past encounters, the Barcelona winger walked towards Madrid’s captain, hand out. Instead of taking it, Madrid’s captain made the classic jibber-jabber motion. The match was challenging keeping up with all the action that unfolded in over an hour and forty-five that went before, a match of 38 shots, multiple scores scored and three more disallowed; now it was impossible.

All at once appeared players everywhere, racing in and out of view and converging, police pulling individuals away from each other. Amidst the melee, Madrid’s goalkeeper was accepting the invitation to resume the dispute down the tunnel. The Brazilian forward was being held back, he telling someone as well they are too vocal. Raphinha was running to intervene with his countryman, the defender also present. “It was our young,” the midfielder commented.

Turning Point

Earlier this year, Tchouaméni had written: “Opponents rejoice in our losses as if we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Madrid were defeated in a derby Copa del Rey final 3-2 after additional minutes, a collective breakdown following the final whistle, ice cubes being thrown. Two weeks later, they suffered another loss. In four encounters, the team had lost four times, league, cup and Spanish Super Cup going to Barcelona. Their defense allowed four, five, 3 and 4. But there is always the future and it turned out Tchouaméni proved correct.

On just one occasion have the Catalan side ever won 5 clásicos consecutively, Pep Guardiola’s historic streak concluding with the famous 5-0 against Mourinho’s side, and it was not repeated. This past weekend, Real Madrid ended the coach’s unbeaten start in charge, defeating their arch-rivals 2-1 to go a significant margin clear in first place in La Liga.

What It Means

The Madrid squad had needed this. Their post-match joy reflected this, players celebrating in circles. So did the crowd’s roar, their stadium louder and intense compared to for such matches in recent memory: “incredible,” Jude Bellingham described it. The coach echoed this. Asked whether this was a weight off his shoulders, if there had been a psychosis regarding important matches, a fixation, he responded: “That’s you lot’s thing.” But he did admit that this was “not just a win, but where we come from and what it means to us; the players needed that feeling of winning a major fixture.”

In the previous campaign they failed to secure a win any. Fourteen times they lost: French side, Italian club, English team, Athletic, city rivals, Betis, Atlético, eastern side and Arsenal each defeated them. They did not achieve one victory against a top-tier opponent. Carlo Ancelotti went and was replaced by Xabi Alonso but it continued. Madrid secured five games in the global tournament, signs of tactical organization developing, a game plan, but then came PSG.

Current Campaign

That belongs to the prior year, the coach stated. Yet the next season, under his guidance season, started with a winning streak consecutively before city rivals came and scored five past them. The results were positive beating Oviedo, Mallorca and Pamplona side however, against elite opponents? Finally they defeated one of them as well. And it wasn’t just that they triumphed, it was the way they achieved it.

Barcelona had players unavailable: Joan García, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski and Andreas Christensen were all missing. So too Raphinha, whose significance might now be appreciated by his absence. Several players weren’t fully fit, defender and Lamine Yamal included. On the bench were several individuals who not begun a league game, two more who had started just one time; two 17-year-olds, four 18-year-olds and two who are nineteen. Plus a centre-back, Ronald Araújo, who ended it in attack once more. Even their manager was absent, Flick suspended and stuck in a radio cabin. Marcus Sorg, Sorg, has been in the dugout three times: he suffered defeats in each one.

Tactical Analysis

Much is made of Barcelona’s vulnerable high line, yet they did not attack effectively during the match. Of all the things that were said to Lamine Yamal on Sunday, maybe the most telling came from Vinícius during the game, mocking the teenager by telling him: “Your play is backwards passes.” As for that backline, leakier compared to past after the defender leaving, the pressure on opponents decreasing and the timing off, one opponent made six clear chances versus Barcelona, Rayo 5, Andalusian side 5, Girona three. Last year they caught the French forward offside on multiple occasions in a high-scoring game; however, overshadowed by the defeats, was that in the last meeting he scored a hat-trick, Madrid always positioned to get opportunities currently.

Decisive Actions

Playing like this, especially. The match served as a beginning and also a significant result. “Going forward we’re going to need a lot of our performance today,” the manager commented. The team had the ball in the net five times – three ruled out due to offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick