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“As long as I emerge victorious they can’t say a word,” Lamine Yamal previously remarked, but on this occasion he didn’t win and they were coming for him. Comments were made he was overly vocal; they replied that, yeah, they were going to meet him outside; the message was words mean little. And that was just the players: there was more from commentators in their pulpits, men who always have opinions.

Just before this epic clash, the teenager who says he abandoned nervousness behind in Mataró implied that Real Madrid benefit from decisions and moan, according to reports. He also offered a reminder that on his previous visit he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – as a youngster with blaugrana braces, a glint in his gaze and a right foot was unexpected he had – he beat them 4-0. But that was then and this was now. And, more mature now, exactly a year on, his side fell short. He knew, as opponents made sure.

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As the final whistle went on an intense, heated 262nd clásico that was somewhat like old times, Lamine Yamal approached towards Dani Carvajal, hand out. Rather than accepting it, Madrid’s captain made the old talking gesture. The match was hard enough following with all the action that happened in over an hour and forty-five that preceded it, an encounter of 38 shots, three goals recorded and additional efforts ruled out; at that moment it became too much.

Suddenly there were players all around, racing back and forth of view and piling in, police separating people away from each other. In the middle the melee, Madrid’s goalkeeper took up the offer to resume the dispute in the dressing room area. Vinícius was restrained, him saying to another player as well they are too vocal. Barcelona’s winger was running to intervene with his countryman, the defender there too. “The scene resembled when we young,” the midfielder commented.

Turning Point

In April, the French star had written: “Opponents celebrate our defeats like we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Real Madrid had just lost the clásico Spanish Cup final 3-2 after additional minutes, emotional scenes greeting the final whistle, ice cubes flying. A fortnight later, they were beaten again. Over four encounters, Madrid were defeated four times, La Liga, cup and Super Cup going to their rivals. Their defense allowed four, 5, 3 and four. But there remains tomorrow and as it happened he proved correct.

On just one occasion had Barcelona ever secured 5 clásicos in a row, Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking run ending with that 5-0 versus Mourinho’s team, and it was not repeated. On Sunday, Real Madrid ended the coach’s perfect record in charge, beating their arch-rivals 2-1 to go five points clear in first place of the table.

What It Means

Madrid had needed this. Their post-match joy said so, team members dancing in circles. So did the crowd’s roar, the Bernabéu more vocal and intense than on a clásico day for years: “amazing,” the English midfielder described it. The coach echoed this. Asked whether the win represented a weight off his shoulders, if there had been a psychosis regarding big games, an obsession, he shot back: “That is the media’s narrative.” But he acknowledged that the result represented “more than a win, but our recent history and its importance for the squad; the boys required the experience of securing a victory in a major fixture.”

Last season they had not won in such matches. On fourteen occasions they lost: Lille, Italian club, Liverpool, Athletic, Espanyol, Betis, Atlético, eastern side and Arsenal all beat them. They did not achieve a single win versus a top-tier opponent. Carlo Ancelotti went and succeeded by Xabi Alonso but it continued. The team won five games in the global tournament, indications of a structure developing, a game plan, but then came PSG.

Current Campaign

That defeat is part of last season, the coach said. But the next season, under his guidance term, started with six wins in a row until Atlético came and put five past them. The results were all well and good beating Oviedo, island team and Osasuna but what about elite opponents? Finally they defeated a major rival too. Moreover it wasn’t just that they triumphed, but also the manner they won.

Barcelona had players unavailable: Joan García, Gavi, Dani Olmo, star striker and Andreas Christensen were all missing. Additionally the winger, whose significance may at least be appreciated by his absence. Others weren’t fully fit, defender and young forward among them. On the bench they had five players who not begun in La Liga, two more who had started only once; two 17-year-olds, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are nineteen. And a centre-back, Uruguayan star, who finished the match up front again. Even their manager was absent, Hansi Flick banned and stuck in a commentary box. His assistant, Sorg, was in the dugout three times: he has lost each one.

Tactical Analysis

Much discussion focuses of Barcelona’s vulnerable high line, but their offense struggled effectively during the match. Of all comments that were said at the young player that day, maybe the most telling came from the Brazilian during the game, mocking the teenager by saying: “Your play is retreating balls.” Regarding their defense, more porous compared to past after Iñigo Martínez departing, the pressure on opponents decreasing and coordination off, one opponent made multiple opportunities versus Barcelona, another team five, Sevilla five, Girona three. Last year they caught the French forward offside on multiple occasions in a high-scoring game; yet, overshadowed by losses, was that in their most recent match he got three goals, Madrid always likely to get opportunities currently.

Decisive Actions

Playing like this, in particular. This was a beginning and also a significant result. “In the future we will require a lot of our performance today,” Alonso commented. The team had the ball result in goals on five occasions – three efforts disallowed for offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick