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“As long as I emerge victorious they can’t say anything,” Lamine Yamal once stated, however on this occasion he came up short and opponents closed in for him. Comments were made he spoke too much; they replied that, yeah, they were going to meet him off the pitch; they told him words mean little. This included only the players: further remarks from commentators in media platforms, individuals who always have opinions.

Just before this epic clash, the teenager who claims he abandoned nervousness back in Mataró suggested that the Madrid side benefit from decisions and moan, according to reports. He also offered a recollection that the last time he had been Madrid’s home ground – as a youngster with blaugrana dental work, a glint in his eye and a right foot they didn’t know he possessed – he beat them 4-0. But that was then and this was now. Moreover, more mature now, precisely twelve months later, his side fell short. He knew, they told him so.

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When the final whistle sounded on an intense, intense latest Madrid-Barca match that was somewhat like past encounters, the Barcelona winger walked in the direction of Madrid’s captain, hand out. Rather than accepting it, Madrid’s captain did the old talking gesture. The match was challenging keeping up with all the action that happened in the 105 minutes that preceded it, an encounter of numerous attempts, three goals recorded and additional efforts disallowed; at that moment it became too much.

All at once there were footballers everywhere, running in and out of view and converging, security pulling people apart. Amidst the melee, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the invitation to resume the dispute in the dressing room area. Vinícius was being held back, him telling another player else they talk to much. Raphinha was running to intervene with his compatriot, Antonio Rüdiger there too. “The scene resembled our young,” Aurélien Tchouaméni commented.

Turning Point

In April, the French star had written: “They rejoice in our losses like we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Real Madrid had just lost the derby Spanish Cup final 3-2 in extra time, a collective breakdown following the end, ice cubes flying. A fortnight later, they were beaten again. In four clásicos, Madrid were defeated on each occasion, league, Copa del Rey and Super Cup won by their rivals. They had conceded four, 5, 3 and four. However there is always the future and it turned out he was right.

Only once have the Catalan side previously won five derbies consecutively, Pep Guardiola’s historic streak ending with the famous 5-0 versus Mourinho’s side, and it was not repeated. This past weekend, Madrid ended the coach’s perfect record as manager, beating Barcelona 2-1 to move five points clear in first place in La Liga.

What It Means

The Madrid squad required this. The celebration said so, team members celebrating in circles. Likewise, the noise, their stadium more vocal and more edgy compared to for such matches for years: “incredible,” the English midfielder called it. Manager Xabi Alonso echoed this. Asked if this was a weight off his shoulders, if there had been a mental block around big games, a fixation, Xabi Alonso responded: “That is the media’s narrative.” Yet he did admit that this was “not just a win, but where we come from and its importance to us; 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, Italian club, Liverpool, Athletic, city rivals, Betis, Atlético, eastern side and London club each defeated them. There wasn’t one victory versus a top-tier opponent. The previous manager departed and was replaced by Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid won several victories at the Club World Cup, indications of tactical organization emerging, a game plan, however they faced PSG.

Season Progress

That defeat belongs to the prior year, Alonso said. But the new campaign, his term, started with six wins consecutively until city rivals came and put five against them. It was all well and good defeating newly promoted, island team and Osasuna but what about elite opponents? Finally they defeated one of them too. Moreover it wasn’t just that Madrid won, but also the way they won.

Barcelona had players unavailable: Joan García, young midfielder, attacking midfielder, Robert Lewandowski and defender were all missing. So too Raphinha, an important player might now be fully recognised by his absence. Several players weren’t fully fit, defender and Lamine Yamal included. On the bench they had five players who hadn’t started in La Liga, others who featured only once; two 17-year-olds, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are nineteen. And a centre-back, Ronald Araújo, who ended it up front again. Even head coach was absent, Hansi Flick banned and stuck in a commentary box. Marcus Sorg, Sorg, was on the touchline on three occasions: he has lost each one.

Game Breakdown

Much is made of the team’s defensive setup, yet their offense struggled well during the match. Among comments directed at the young player that day, maybe the most telling came from Vinícius during the game, taunting Yamal by telling him: “Your play is backwards passes.” As for that backline, more porous compared to past after Iñigo Martínez leaving, the pressure on passers dropping and coordination off, Levante created multiple opportunities against them, Rayo 5, Sevilla five, Girona three. Previously they trapped the French forward in an offside position eight times in a high-scoring game; yet, overshadowed by the defeats, was that in the last meeting he scored a hat-trick, Real Madrid consistently likely to get opportunities currently.

Key Moments

Playing like this, especially. The match served as a beginning as well as an end in itself. “Going forward we will require a lot of what we did today,” the manager said. They put shots in the net five times – three disallowed for offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick