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“As long as I win they are unable to say anything,” Lamine Yamal once stated, but on this occasion he came up short and opponents were coming for him. They said he was overly vocal; they replied that, yeah, they would see him off the pitch; they told him talk is cheap. This included only the players: further remarks from commentators in their pulpits, individuals who never lose.

On the eve this epic clash, young Lamine Yamal who says he abandoned nervousness behind in Mataró suggested that the Madrid side rob and moan, or so it goes. He also offered a reminder that on his previous visit he stepped onto Madrid’s home ground – a kid with blaugrana braces, a glint in his eye and his shooting ability they didn’t know he possessed – his team triumphed 4-0. Yet that was past and this was now. Moreover, more mature now, exactly a year on, he was beaten back. He knew, they told him so.

Bellingham nets clásico decisive goal as the Madrid club pull clear of Barcelona

When the final whistle sounded on an intense, intense 262nd clásico that felt somewhat like past encounters, Lamine Yamal walked towards Madrid’s captain, hand out. Instead of taking it, Carvajal did the classic talking motion. The match was hard enough keeping up with everything that unfolded in over an hour and forty-five that preceded it, a match of numerous attempts, three goals scored and three more disallowed; at that moment it became impossible.

Suddenly there were footballers all around, running in and out of sight and piling in, police pulling people apart. In the middle the scuffle, Madrid’s goalkeeper took up the offer to resume the dispute in the dressing room area. The Brazilian forward was restrained, he telling another player as well they are too vocal. Barcelona’s winger was running to stop his compatriot, Antonio Rüdiger there too. “The scene resembled when we youth,” the midfielder commented.

Shift in Momentum

In April, Tchouaméni posted: “They celebrate our defeats as if we will never win again. We will return stronger.” Real Madrid were defeated in the clásico Copa del Rey final 3-2 in extra time, emotional scenes following the end, projectiles being thrown. A fortnight later, they suffered another loss. Over four clásicos, the team were defeated four times, league, Copa del Rey and Super Cup won by Barcelona. They had conceded four, five, 3 and four. But there remains tomorrow and it turned out he was right.

Only once had Barcelona ever won 5 clásicos consecutively, Pep Guardiola’s historic run concluding with that 5-0 against José Mourinho’s side, and it was not repeated. On Sunday, Madrid ended Hansi Flick’s perfect record in charge, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to go a significant margin clear in first place in La Liga.

What It Means

The Madrid squad had needed the victory. The celebration reflected this, players dancing in circles. So did the crowd’s roar, the Bernabéu louder and more edgy compared to for such matches in recent memory: “incredible,” the English midfielder described it. Manager Xabi Alonso said so too. Asked if this was a relief, if existed a mental block regarding important matches, a fixation, he responded: “That’s you lot’s thing.” But he did admit that this was “more than a win, and where we come from and what it means for the squad; the boys needed the experience of securing a victory in a big game.”

Last season they failed to secure a win any. On fourteen occasions they were defeated: Lille, Italian club, English team, Bilbao, city rivals, Betis, city foes, Valencia and Arsenal all beat them. There wasn’t one victory against a top-tier opponent. The previous manager went and was replaced by Xabi Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid secured several victories in the global tournament, signs of a structure developing, a game plan, however then came PSG.

Season Progress

That defeat is part of last season, the coach stated. Yet the new campaign, his season, started with six wins in a row until Atlético visited and scored five past them. The results were positive beating newly promoted, Mallorca and Pamplona side however, against elite opponents? Finally they had beaten a major rival as well. Moreover it wasn’t just that Madrid won, it was the way they won.

Barcelona had players unavailable: Joan García, Gavi, Dani Olmo, star striker and Andreas Christensen were absent. So too the winger, whose significance may at least be fully recognised by his absence. Others weren’t fully fit, defender and young forward among them. On the bench they had several individuals who hadn’t started in La Liga, two more who had started only once; two 17-year-olds, young talents and two who are 19. And a centre-back, Uruguayan star, who finished the match up front once more. Additionally their manager was absent, Flick suspended and stuck in a commentary box. Marcus Sorg, Sorg, was on the touchline on three occasions: he has lost each one.

Game Breakdown

Much discussion focuses of Barcelona’s defensive setup, but their offense struggled well during the match. Among comments directed to Lamine Yamal on Sunday, perhaps the most revealing was from Vinícius mid-match, taunting the teenager by saying: “Your play is retreating balls.” As for that backline, more porous compared to past with Iñigo Martínez leaving, defensive intensity on passers dropping and coordination lacking, Levante created six clear chances against them, another team 5, Andalusian side 5, Catalan club three. Previously they caught Kylian Mbappé offside eight times in a high-scoring game; however, overshadowed by the defeats, is the fact in their most recent match he scored a hat-trick, Madrid always positioned to get opportunities currently.

Key Moments

Playing like this, especially. This was a start as well as a significant result. “Going forward we will require much of what we did today,” the manager said. They put the ball result in goals on five occasions – three ruled out due to offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick