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“Whenever I win they can’t say anything,” the young star previously remarked, however on this occasion he didn’t win and they closed in for him. They said he was overly vocal; came the response that, indeed, they would meet him off the pitch; the message was words mean little. This included just the players: further remarks from commentators in their pulpits, men who never lose.

Just before this epic clash, the teenager who claims he abandoned nervousness behind in Mataró suggested that the Madrid side benefit from decisions and moan, or so it goes. Additionally, he offered a recollection that the last time he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – as a youngster with blaugrana dental work, a spark in his gaze and a right foot was unexpected he had – his team triumphed 4-0. Yet that was past and the present differed. Moreover, an adult currently, exactly a year on, he was beaten back. He knew, they told him so.

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When the match conclusion went on an intense, heated latest Madrid-Barca match that was somewhat like past encounters, the Barcelona winger walked towards Madrid’s captain, offering a handshake. Instead of accepting it, Carvajal made the old talking motion. It had been hard enough keeping up with everything that happened in the 105 minutes that preceded it, a match of numerous attempts, three goals recorded and additional efforts ruled out; at that moment it became impossible.

Suddenly there were footballers all around, racing in and out of sight and converging, police separating people away from each other. Amidst the melee, Thibaut Courtois was accepting the invitation to resume the dispute in the dressing room area. The Brazilian forward was restrained, he telling another player as well they talk to much. Raphinha was running to stop his compatriot, Antonio Rüdiger there too. “It was when we young,” the midfielder said.

Shift in Momentum

In April, the French star had written: “They rejoice in our defeats as if our winning days are over. We will return stronger.” Real Madrid had just lost a derby Copa del Rey final 3-2 after additional minutes, a collective breakdown following the end, projectiles being thrown. Two weeks afterwards, they were beaten again. In four encounters, the team had lost on each occasion, league, Copa del Rey and Super Cup going to Barcelona. Their defense allowed four, five, three and 4. But there remains the future and as it happened Tchouaméni proved correct.

On just one occasion had Barcelona ever secured 5 clásicos consecutively, Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking run ending with the famous 5-0 versus Mourinho’s side, and it was not repeated. This past weekend, Madrid brought to a close the coach’s unbeaten start in charge, beating Barcelona 2-1 to go five points ahead in first place of the table.

What It Means

The Madrid squad required the victory. The celebration said so, team members dancing together. So did the crowd’s roar, their stadium more vocal and intense compared to for such matches for years: “incredible,” the English midfielder described it. The coach said so too. When questioned if the win represented a relief, if there had been a mental block regarding big games, an obsession, he responded: “That is the media’s narrative.” But he acknowledged that this was “more than a win, but where we come from and its importance for the squad; the players needed the experience of winning a big game.”

Last season they had not won in such matches. Fourteen times they were defeated: Lille, Italian club, English team, Bilbao, city rivals, Betis, Atlético, eastern side and Arsenal all beat them. They did not achieve one victory versus a truly big side. The previous manager went and was replaced by Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid secured five games in the global tournament, indications of tactical organization developing, a game plan, but then came PSG.

Season Progress

That defeat is part of last season, Alonso said. But the new campaign, under his guidance season, started with six wins consecutively before city rivals came and scored 5 against them. The results were positive defeating newly promoted, Mallorca and Pamplona side however, against the big teams? Finally they defeated a major rival as well. And it wasn’t just that they triumphed, but also the way they won.

Barcelona were missing unavailable: backup keeper, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski and Andreas Christensen were all missing. So too the winger, whose significance may at least be fully recognised by his absence. Several players were not at 100%, Jules Koundé and Lamine Yamal included. Among substitutes were five players who hadn’t started in La Liga, two more who had started just one time; teenagers, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are nineteen. And a centre-back, Uruguayan star, who finished the match in attack again. Even head coach was absent, Flick banned and located in a radio cabin. Marcus Sorg, his assistant, has been on the touchline on three occasions: he has lost each one.

Game Breakdown

Much is made of Barcelona’s vulnerable high line, yet their offense struggled well during the match. Among comments directed to Lamine Yamal on Sunday, maybe the most revealing came from Vinícius mid-match, taunting Yamal by saying: “Your play is retreating balls.” As for their defense, more porous compared to past after Iñigo Martínez departing, defensive intensity on passers dropping and the timing off, one opponent made multiple opportunities against them, another team five, Sevilla 5, Girona 3. Previously they trapped the French forward in an offside position on multiple occasions in an open clásico; yet, lost amid the defeats, was that in the last meeting he scored a hat-trick, Madrid consistently positioned to get opportunities now.

Key Moments

With this approach, in particular. This was a beginning as well as an end in itself. “In the future we’re going to need a lot of what we did today,” the manager said. The team had the ball in the net on five occasions – three efforts disallowed for offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick