Fury Against Yamal: Los Blancos Celebrate Clásico Win After Heated Comments

“As long as I win they can’t say a word,” Lamine Yamal once stated, but this time he didn’t win and opponents were coming for him. They said he was overly vocal; came the response that, indeed, they were going to see him off the pitch; they told him talk is cheap. This included just the players: further remarks from commentators in their pulpits, men who never lose.

Just before the clásico, the teenager who says he abandoned nervousness back in his hometown suggested that the Madrid side rob and complain, or so it goes. He also provided a recollection that the last time he stepped onto the Santiago Bernabéu – as a youngster with blaugrana braces, 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, more mature currently, exactly a year on, he was beaten back. He knew, as opponents made sure.

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

As the final whistle sounded on a wild, intense latest clásico that felt somewhat like past encounters, Lamine Yamal walked towards Madrid’s captain, hand out. Rather than accepting it, Madrid’s captain did the classic jibber-jabber gesture. The match was challenging following with everything that unfolded in the 105 minutes that went before, a match of numerous attempts, three goals scored and additional efforts disallowed; at that moment it became too much.

All at once appeared footballers all around, racing back and forth of sight and piling in, security pulling individuals away from each other. In the middle the melee, Madrid’s goalkeeper took up the invitation to continue the dispute in the dressing room area. Vinícius was restrained, he saying to someone as well they are too vocal. Raphinha was running to intervene with his compatriot, Antonio Rüdiger also present. “The scene resembled when we young,” Aurélien Tchouaméni commented.

Turning Point

Earlier this year, the French star had written: “They rejoice in our defeats as if we will never win again. We’ll be back.” Madrid had just lost the derby Copa del Rey showpiece 3-2 in extra time, emotional scenes greeting the end, projectiles flying. Two weeks afterwards, they suffered another loss. In four encounters, Madrid were defeated four times, league, cup and Spanish Super Cup going to their rivals. They had conceded 4, 5, three and 4. However there remains the future and as it happened he proved correct.

Only once had Barcelona previously won 5 clásicos in a row, Pep Guardiola’s historic run ending with that 5-0 versus José Mourinho’s side, and it was not repeated. This past weekend, Madrid brought to a close Hansi Flick’s perfect record in charge, beating their arch-rivals 2-1 to go five points clear at the top of the table.

Significance

The Madrid squad had needed the victory. The celebration reflected this, team members dancing in circles. So did the noise, the Bernabéu more vocal and intense compared to for such matches in recent memory: “amazing,” the English midfielder described it. Manager Xabi Alonso said so too. When questioned if the win represented a relief, or there had been a psychosis regarding important matches, an obsession, Xabi Alonso shot back: “That’s you lot’s thing.” But he did admit that the result represented “not just a win, and where we come from and what it means for the squad; the boys needed that feeling of securing a victory in a big game.”

In the previous campaign Madrid failed to secure a win any. Fourteen times they lost: Lille, Milan, Liverpool, Athletic, city rivals, Sevilla-based, city foes, Valencia and Arsenal each defeated them. They did not achieve one victory versus a truly big side. The previous manager departed and succeeded by Alonso but it continued. The team won five games at the Club World Cup, signs of a structure developing, a game plan, however then came PSG.

Current Campaign

That defeat belongs to last season, Alonso stated. But the next season, under his guidance term, began with six wins consecutively before city rivals visited and scored five past them. It was positive beating Oviedo, island team and Pamplona side however, against the big teams? Finally they defeated one of them as well. Moreover not only that they won, but also the way they achieved it.

The opposition had players out: backup keeper, young midfielder, Dani Olmo, star striker 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 young forward among them. On the bench were five players who not begun in La Liga, two more who had started only once; teenagers, four 18-year-olds and a couple who are 19. And a centre-back, Ronald Araújo, who finished the match in attack once more. Even head coach was absent, Hansi Flick banned and located in a radio cabin. His assistant, his assistant, has been in the dugout on three occasions: he suffered defeats in each one.

Tactical Analysis

Much is made of Barcelona’s defensive setup, yet their offense struggled effectively on Sunday. Among comments directed to Lamine Yamal on Sunday, maybe the most telling came from the Brazilian mid-match, taunting Yamal by telling him: “Your play is backwards passes.” As for that backline, more porous than before with Iñigo Martínez leaving, defensive intensity on opponents dropping and coordination off, one opponent created six clear chances versus Barcelona, another team 5, Sevilla five, Girona 3. Last year they caught the French forward offside on multiple occasions in an open clásico; yet, overshadowed by the defeats, was that in their most recent match he scored three goals, Madrid consistently positioned to get opportunities currently.

Key Moments

Playing like this, especially. This was a start as well as a significant result. “In the future we will require much of what we did in this game,” the manager commented. The team had shots in the net on five occasions – three efforts disallowed for offside – failed to convert {a penalty|a spot-kick