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“Whenever I emerge victorious they are unable to say a word,” the young star once stated, however on this occasion he didn’t win and they closed in for him. Comments were made he was overly vocal; they replied that, indeed, they were going to see him outside; the message was talk is cheap. And that was just the players: further remarks from commentators in media platforms, men who always have opinions.

Just before the clásico, the teenager who claims he abandoned nervousness behind in Mataró suggested that the Madrid side rob and moan, or so it goes. Additionally, he offered a reminder that the last time he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – a kid with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his eye and his shooting ability they didn’t know he had – he beat them 4-0. Yet that was past and the present differed. And, an adult currently, exactly a year on, his side fell short. It was clear, as opponents made sure.

Jude Bellingham nets derby decisive goal as the Madrid club open a gap of their rivals

When the final whistle sounded on a wild, intense 262nd Madrid-Barca match that felt somewhat like old times, the Barcelona winger walked in the direction of Madrid’s captain, hand out. Rather than accepting it, Madrid’s captain did the old jibber-jabber motion. The match was challenging keeping up with everything that unfolded in over an hour and forty-five that preceded it, a match of numerous attempts, multiple scores recorded and additional efforts ruled out; now it was too much.

Suddenly there were footballers everywhere, racing back and forth of sight and converging, police separating people apart. Amidst the scuffle, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the offer to continue this down the tunnel. The Brazilian forward was being held back, he telling another player else they are too vocal. Barcelona’s winger was running to intervene with his countryman, the defender also present. “The scene resembled when we young,” the midfielder commented.

Shift in Momentum

In April, Tchouaméni had written: “Opponents rejoice in our losses like our winning days are over. We’ll be back.” Madrid were defeated in a derby Spanish Cup showpiece 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown following the end, ice cubes being thrown. A fortnight later, they suffered another loss. Over four encounters, Madrid were defeated on each occasion, league, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup won by Barcelona. Their defense allowed four, 5, three and 4. However there remains tomorrow and as it happened Tchouaméni was right.

Only once had Barcelona previously won five derbies consecutively, under Guardiola record-breaking run ending with that 5-0 versus Mourinho’s team, and it was not repeated. On Sunday, Real Madrid brought to a close the coach’s unbeaten start in charge, defeating their arch-rivals 2-1 to go a significant margin clear at the top in La Liga.

What It Means

The Madrid squad had needed the victory. The celebration reflected this, team members dancing in circles. So did the noise, the Bernabéu louder and intense than on a clásico day in recent memory: “amazing,” the English midfielder described it. Manager Xabi Alonso echoed this. Asked whether the win represented a relief, if there had been a psychosis around big games, a fixation, he shot back: “That’s you lot’s thing.” But he acknowledged that this was “more than three points, but our recent history and its importance for the squad; the boys required that feeling of winning a major fixture.”

Last season they had not won in such matches. Fourteen times they lost: French side, Milan, English team, Bilbao, Espanyol, Sevilla-based, city foes, eastern side and London club all beat them. They did not achieve one victory versus a top-tier opponent. Carlo Ancelotti went and succeeded by Xabi Alonso yet the trend persisted. The team secured several victories at the Club World Cup, indications of tactical organization developing, a game plan, but then came Paris Saint Germain.

Current Campaign

That is part of last season, the coach stated. But the next season, under his guidance term, began with a winning streak in a row until city rivals visited and put five past them. It was positive defeating Oviedo, Mallorca and Pamplona side but what about the big teams? Now at last they defeated a major rival as well. Moreover not only that they won, but also the way they achieved it.

The opposition were missing unavailable: backup keeper, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski and Andreas Christensen were absent. So too Raphinha, an important player may at least be fully recognised in absentia. Several players were not at 100%, Jules Koundé and Lamine Yamal among them. Among substitutes they had five players who not begun a league game, two more who had started just one time; teenagers, young talents and a couple who are 19. And a centre-back, Uruguayan star, who finished the match up front once more. Additionally their manager was missing, Hansi Flick suspended and stuck in a radio cabin. His assistant, Sorg, has been 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 comments that were said to Lamine Yamal on Sunday, maybe the most revealing was from the Brazilian during the game, mocking the teenager by saying: “You’re all backwards passes.” Regarding that backline, leakier than before with the defender departing, defensive intensity on opponents dropping and coordination off, one opponent created multiple opportunities versus Barcelona, Rayo 5, Andalusian side 5, Catalan club three. Previously they caught Kylian Mbappé offside on multiple occasions in an open clásico; however, overshadowed by losses, was that in the last meeting he scored a hat-trick, Real Madrid always positioned to get opportunities now.

Decisive Actions

Playing like this, in particular. This was a start as well as an end in itself. “In the future we will require a lot of what we did in this game,” Alonso commented. The team had shots in the net five times – three efforts disallowed due to offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick