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“As long as I emerge victorious they are unable to say a word,” the young star once remarked, but on this occasion he came up short and they closed in for him. They said he was overly vocal; they replied that, indeed, they were going to see him outside; they told him words mean little. And that was only the players: there was more from the preachers in media platforms, individuals who never lose.

Just before the clásico, the teenager who says he abandoned nervousness back in his hometown implied that the Madrid side rob and complain, or so it goes. He also offered a recollection that the last time he had been the Santiago Bernabéu – as a youngster with blaugrana braces, a glint in his eye and a right foot they didn’t know he possessed – his team triumphed 4-0. But that was then and this was now. Moreover, an adult currently, precisely twelve months later, his side fell short. It was clear, they told him so.

Jude Bellingham scores clásico winner as the Madrid club open a gap of Barcelona

When the final whistle went on a wild, heated latest Madrid-Barca match that was somewhat like past encounters, the Barcelona winger walked towards Dani Carvajal, hand out. Instead of taking it, Carvajal did the classic talking gesture. It had been challenging keeping up with all the action that unfolded in the 105 minutes that preceded it, an encounter of 38 shots, multiple scores scored and additional efforts ruled out; at that moment it became impossible.

Suddenly appeared footballers everywhere, racing back and forth of sight and piling in, police separating people away from each other. Amidst the melee, Madrid’s goalkeeper was accepting the offer to continue this down the tunnel. Vinícius was restrained, he telling another player as well they are too vocal. Barcelona’s winger hurried to intervene with his countryman, the defender also present. “The scene resembled when we young,” Aurélien Tchouaméni said.

Turning Point

In April, the French star had written: “They celebrate our defeats as if our winning days are over. We will return stronger.” Madrid were defeated in the clásico Copa del Rey final 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown following the end, projectiles flying. Two weeks later, they suffered another loss. In four clásicos, the team were defeated four times, La Liga, cup and Super Cup going to Barcelona. Their defense allowed 4, 5, 3 and four. However there remains tomorrow and as it happened he proved correct.

Only once have the Catalan side ever won 5 clásicos consecutively, under Guardiola historic run concluding with the famous 5-0 against José Mourinho’s team, and it wouldn’t happen again. On Sunday, Madrid ended the coach’s perfect record in charge, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to go a significant margin ahead at the top in La Liga.

Significance

Madrid had needed the victory. The celebration reflected this, players dancing together. Likewise, the crowd’s roar, the Bernabéu louder and intense compared to for such matches for years: “incredible,” the English midfielder described it. The coach said so too. When questioned whether the win represented a weight off his shoulders, or there had been a psychosis regarding important matches, a fixation, he shot back: “That’s you lot’s thing.” Yet he did admit that this was “more than a win, but our recent history and its importance to us; the players required that feeling of winning a major fixture.”

Last season they failed to secure a win in such matches. On fourteen occasions they lost: Lille, Italian club, English team, Bilbao, Espanyol, Sevilla-based, Atlético, eastern side and London club all beat them. They did not achieve a single win against a top-tier opponent. The previous manager went and succeeded by Alonso but it continued. Madrid won five games in the global tournament, signs of tactical organization emerging, a game plan, but they faced PSG.

Current Campaign

That defeat belongs to last season, the coach stated. Yet the next season, his season, began with a winning streak in a row before Atlético visited and put 5 past them. The results were positive defeating Oviedo, island team and Pamplona side but what about elite opponents? Now at last they had beaten one of them as well. And it wasn’t just that Madrid won, but also the way they achieved it.

The opposition were missing unavailable: Joan García, young midfielder, Dani Olmo, star striker and Andreas Christensen were all missing. Additionally Raphinha, whose significance may at least be fully recognised by his absence. Several players weren’t fully fit, defender and Lamine Yamal among them. On the bench they had five players who hadn’t started a league game, two more who had started just one time; two 17-year-olds, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are 19. Plus a centre-back, Ronald Araújo, who ended it up front again. Additionally their manager was absent, 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 is made of the team’s vulnerable high line, yet their offense struggled effectively during the match. Among comments that were said to Lamine Yamal that day, maybe the most telling was from Vinícius during the game, taunting the teenager by telling him: “You’re all backwards passes.” Regarding that backline, more porous compared to past after Iñigo Martínez departing, the pressure on opponents dropping and the timing lacking, Levante made six clear chances against them, Rayo 5, Sevilla 5, Catalan club 3. Previously they trapped Kylian Mbappé in an offside position on multiple occasions in a high-scoring game; however, lost amid losses, is the fact in their most recent match he scored three goals, Real Madrid always likely to create chances now.

Key Moments

Playing like this, in particular. The match served as a beginning as well as a significant result. “In the future we’re going to need a lot of our performance today,” Alonso commented. The team had shots in the net on five occasions – three efforts disallowed for offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick