“Whenever I emerge victorious they are unable to say anything,” the young star once remarked, but this time he came up short and opponents were coming for him. They said he spoke too much; they replied that, yeah, they were going to meet him outside; they told him words mean little. This included just the players: there was more from the preachers in media platforms, individuals who never lose.
On the eve the clásico, the teenager who says he left fear back in his hometown suggested that the Madrid side benefit from decisions and complain, or so it goes. He also offered a reminder that on his previous visit he had been the Santiago Bernabéu – a kid with blaugrana braces, a glint in his gaze and a right foot they didn’t know he had – his team triumphed 4-0. Yet that was past and this was now. Moreover, more mature currently, precisely twelve months later, he was beaten back. He knew, they told him so.
Jude Bellingham scores clásico winner as the Madrid club pull clear of their rivals
As the final whistle went on an intense, intense latest clásico that was somewhat like past encounters, the Barcelona winger walked in the direction of Madrid’s captain, hand out. Instead of accepting it, Madrid’s captain did the classic talking motion. The match was challenging keeping up with all the action that unfolded in over an hour and forty-five that preceded it, a match of numerous attempts, multiple scores recorded and additional efforts ruled out; at that moment it became too much.
All at once appeared footballers all around, running back and forth of sight and piling in, police separating individuals away from each other. In the middle the scuffle, Thibaut Courtois took up the offer to resume the dispute in the dressing room area. The Brazilian forward was restrained, he saying to someone as well they are too vocal. Raphinha was running to intervene with his countryman, the defender there too. “It was when we youth,” Aurélien Tchouaméni commented.
In April, the French star posted: “They rejoice in our losses like our winning days are over. We’ll be back.” Real Madrid were defeated in a derby Spanish Cup final 3-2 after additional minutes, emotional scenes following the end, ice cubes being thrown. Two weeks later, they suffered another loss. Over four encounters, the team were defeated four times, La Liga, cup and Super Cup won by Barcelona. They had conceded four, 5, 3 and 4. But there remains the future and it turned out Tchouaméni was right.
Only once have the Catalan side previously secured 5 clásicos in a row, Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking run ending with that 5-0 versus José Mourinho’s team, and it was not repeated. This past weekend, Madrid ended Hansi Flick’s unbeaten start in charge, defeating Barcelona 2-1 to go five points ahead at the top in La Liga.
The Madrid squad had needed the victory. The celebration reflected this, team members dancing together. So did the noise, the Bernabéu more vocal and more edgy than for such matches in recent memory: “amazing,” the English midfielder described it. Manager Xabi Alonso echoed this. When questioned whether this was a relief, if there had been a psychosis regarding important matches, a fixation, he shot back: “That is the media’s narrative.” But he did admit that this was “more than a win, but our recent history and its importance to us; the players needed that feeling of winning a major fixture.”
Last season they had not won any. Fourteen times they were defeated: French side, Italian club, Liverpool, Athletic, Espanyol, Betis, Atlético, Valencia and London club all beat them. There wasn’t a single win versus a top-tier opponent. The previous manager departed and succeeded by Alonso yet the trend persisted. Madrid won five games at the Club World Cup, signs of tactical organization emerging, a game plan, however they faced PSG.
That defeat belongs to last season, the coach stated. But the next season, his term, began with six wins consecutively until city rivals came and put five against them. It was all well and good beating Oviedo, island team and Pamplona side but what about the big teams? Finally they had beaten a major rival too. Moreover it wasn’t just that they won, but also the manner they won.
Barcelona had players unavailable: backup keeper, Gavi, Dani Olmo, star striker and Andreas Christensen were absent. Additionally the winger, an important player may at least be fully recognised by his absence. Others weren’t fully fit, Jules Koundé and Lamine Yamal included. Among substitutes they had five players who hadn’t started in La Liga, others who featured just one time; two 17-year-olds, young talents and two who are nineteen. Plus defender, Uruguayan star, who ended it in attack again. Additionally their manager was absent, Flick banned and located in a commentary box. Marcus Sorg, Sorg, has been on the touchline three times: he suffered defeats in each one.
Much discussion focuses of the team’s defensive setup, yet they did not attack effectively during the match. Among comments directed at the young player on Sunday, maybe the most telling was from the Brazilian during the game, mocking the teenager by saying: “You’re all retreating balls.” Regarding their defense, more porous than before with the defender departing, the pressure on passers dropping and the timing lacking, one opponent created six clear chances against them, Rayo five, Sevilla 5, Catalan club three. Last year they caught the French forward offside eight times in an open clásico; however, lost amid the defeats, was that in their most recent match he scored a hat-trick, Real Madrid consistently likely to get opportunities currently.
Playing like this, in particular. This was a start as well as a significant result. “Going forward we’re going to need much of what we did in this game,” the manager commented. They put shots result in goals on five occasions – three efforts disallowed for offside – missed {a penalty|a spot-kick
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