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“As long as I emerge victorious they can’t say anything,” Lamine Yamal once remarked, but this time he came up short and opponents closed in for him. Comments were made he spoke too much; came the response that, indeed, they were going to meet him outside; they told him words mean little. And that was just the players: further remarks from commentators in their pulpits, men who always have opinions.

On the eve this epic clash, the teenager who says he left fear behind in Mataró suggested that Real Madrid rob and complain, according to reports. He also offered a reminder that the last time 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, precisely twelve months later, his side fell short. He knew, they told him so.

Jude Bellingham scores derby winner as Real Madrid open a gap of Barcelona

When the final whistle sounded on a wild, heated 262nd clásico that felt a little like past encounters, the Barcelona winger walked in the direction of Dani Carvajal, offering a handshake. Instead of taking it, Madrid’s captain did the classic jibber-jabber motion. It had been challenging keeping up with everything that happened in over an hour and forty-five that preceded it, a match of numerous attempts, multiple scores scored and three more disallowed; at that moment it became too much.

Suddenly there were players all around, running in and out of sight and converging, police separating people apart. In the middle the scuffle, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the offer to resume the dispute in the dressing room area. The Brazilian forward was being held back, he saying to another player else they talk to much. Raphinha hurried to intervene with his compatriot, the defender there too. “It was when we youth,” Aurélien Tchouaméni said.

Turning Point

Earlier this year, Tchouaméni posted: “They celebrate our losses as if we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Madrid had just lost the clásico Copa del Rey final 3-2 after additional minutes, emotional scenes greeting the final whistle, ice cubes being thrown. A fortnight later, they suffered another loss. Over four encounters, Madrid had lost on each occasion, league, Copa del Rey and Super Cup going to Barcelona. Their defense allowed 4, five, 3 and 4. But there remains the future and it turned out he proved correct.

Only once had Barcelona previously secured 5 clásicos consecutively, Pep Guardiola’s historic streak ending with that 5-0 versus Mourinho’s team, and it wouldn’t happen again. This past weekend, Real Madrid ended Hansi Flick’s perfect record in charge, beating their arch-rivals 2-1 to move a significant margin ahead in first place in La Liga.

Significance

Madrid required the victory. The celebration reflected this, team members dancing together. So did the noise, their stadium louder and intense compared to on a clásico day for years: “amazing,” Jude Bellingham called it. The coach said so too. Asked if the win represented a weight off his shoulders, or existed a mental block regarding big games, an obsession, he shot back: “That is the media’s narrative.” Yet he acknowledged that the result represented “not just a win, but our recent history and what it means for the squad; the boys needed the experience of winning a major fixture.”

Last season Madrid had not won in such matches. Fourteen times they were defeated: Lille, Italian club, English team, Bilbao, city rivals, Sevilla-based, city foes, eastern side and London club all beat them. They did not achieve a single win against a truly big side. The previous manager went and succeeded by Xabi Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid won five games at the Club World Cup, signs of a structure emerging, an idea, but they faced Paris Saint Germain.

Current Campaign

That defeat is part of the prior year, Alonso stated. Yet the next season, his season, began with a winning streak consecutively until Atlético came and put five past them. It was positive defeating newly promoted, island team and Osasuna however, against elite opponents? Finally they defeated one of them as well. And it wasn’t just that they won, it was the way they achieved it.

The opposition had players unavailable: Joan García, Gavi, attacking midfielder, star striker and defender were all missing. So too the winger, whose significance may at least be fully recognised in absentia. Others weren’t fully fit, Jules Koundé and Lamine Yamal among them. Among substitutes they had several individuals who not begun a league game, others who featured just one time; two 17-year-olds, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are 19. Plus defender, Uruguayan star, who finished the match in attack again. Even head coach was absent, Flick suspended and located in a commentary box. Marcus Sorg, Sorg, has been on the touchline on three occasions: he has lost each one.

Tactical Analysis

Much discussion focuses of the team’s vulnerable high line, yet their offense struggled effectively on Sunday. Of all the things directed to Lamine Yamal on Sunday, maybe the most telling was from the Brazilian during the game, mocking the teenager by telling him: “Your play is backwards passes.” As for their defense, more porous compared to past with the defender leaving, defensive intensity on opponents dropping and coordination off, Levante made multiple opportunities versus Barcelona, Rayo 5, Sevilla 5, Catalan club 3. Last year they caught the French forward offside eight times in an open clásico; yet, lost amid losses, was that in their most recent match he scored a hat-trick, Madrid always likely to get opportunities now.

Decisive Actions

With this approach, especially. This was a beginning and also an end in itself. “Going forward we’re going to need much of our performance in this game,” the manager said. They put shots in the net five times – three efforts disallowed due to offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick