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The environment on the Santiago Bernabeu final night was electrical, and rightfully so on condition that it was the primary Clasico of the season.

Latest occasions within the buildup to the conflict, in actual fact, solely made the stadium extra of a fortress and a frightening expertise for Barcelona.

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On the sphere, Actual Madrid confirmed up with the identical depth because the followers within the stands and each participant got here out of the dressing room determined to drag a win over the reigning champions.

And they also did, with some dominance.

The sport had all the pieces in it, from a penalty disallowed to offside objectives and a penalty missed.

However all these cases concerned Actual Madrid within the assault, and it’s clear that they’d Barcelona by the collar from the get-go.

Kylian Mbappe ultimately opened the rating with a exact end earlier than Fermin Lopez pulled the Catalans stage.

A Jude Bellingham aim late within the first half, nonetheless, turned out to be the winner for Actual Madrid.

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Madrid Common brings you three takeaways from Actual Madrid 2-1 Barcelona.

Breaking the streak

Actual Madrid have lastly overwhelmed Barcelona. (Picture by Angel Martinez/Getty Photos)

An extended wait got here to an finish on Sunday for Actual Madrid, one which they needed to look forward to over a yr.

Final season was disastrous for Los Blancos in El Clasico as they slipped to 4 consecutive defeats to Barcelona throughout all competitions, permitting them to finish a clear sweep.

On Sunday, that streak lastly broke and allowed Actual Madrid to announce to the world that they’re effectively and really again.

In any case, they not solely gained the sport however deserved it in each sense of the phrase.

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Actual Madrid have been comprehensively higher than Barcelona in each respect with catching Hansi Flick and Co. fully without warning.

Their assault was just too ruthless for Barcelona on the night time and the scoreline might effectively have been much more dominant of their favour.

In the meantime, their defence was rock strong and didn’t permit the guests any inroads, capping off an all-round show.

The midfield delivers

Actual Madrid midfield delivered towards Barcelona. (Picture by Angel Martinez/Getty Photos)

The midfield was all the time the division the place the sport was going to be gained or misplaced on the Santiago Bernabeu final night time, and that was certainly the case. Evidently, Actual Madrid got here on prime in that respect too.

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Xabi Alonso pulled a masterstroke together with his beginning lineup, putting 4 midfielders on the sphere in Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler.

Together with Federico Valverde who began at right-back, Actual Madrid had 5 efficient urgent gamers that suffocated Barcelona.

Alonso’s concept on the night time was clear – to permit Barcelona to retain possession and to strategically deploy the press on the proper moments to win the ball and transition to harmful breaks.

That plan labored completely, and the efficient urgent construction helped in its success.

Camavinga staying on the proper aspect helped neutralise the specter of Balde and allowed Valverde to focus extra on marking Marcus Rashford – taking away Barcelona’s largest energy from them.

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Lamine Yamal, in the meantime, was marked effectively by two males and the remainder of the midfield outnumbered Pedri and Frenkie de Jong.

Jude Bellingham and Guler, along with shining off the ball, labored magic in breaking Barcelona’s traces when in possession and each gamers loved good video games

Whereas the latter is certainly responsible for the aim conceded and thus did have a black spot, Bellingham’s recreation was merely flawless as he sliced by means of the defence for Mbappe’s opener after which stood on the proper place on the proper time to dispatch the winner.

The lead grows

Actual Madrid have prolonged their result in the highest. (Picture by Angel Martinez/Getty Photos)

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The result’s a magnanimous one for Actual Madrid, not solely by way of their confidence and as a psychological enhance however by way of what it does for the league standings.

Actual Madrid already boasted of a two-point lead over Barcelona earlier than kick-off, and have been thus enjoying to defend their lead and deny the Catalans their finest probability to drag forward.

Nevertheless, they not solely denied Barcelona their probability to go forward however went on to increase their lead themselves as they took three factors and now stand 5 factors away from Flick’s males.

The season forward is lengthy and solely ten match-days have been performed in La Liga to date. A five-point lead this early within the marketing campaign could also be removed from decisive but it surely serves as a testomony to Alonso’s venture going the proper approach.

Barcelona have been outclassed and humbled by Actual Madrid within the first Clasico of the season, and the 2-1 scoreline is form on them given the quantity and type of probabilities they allowed the hosts on the night time.

Getting into the sport of Joan Garcia, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski, the Catalans have been at an inherent drawback and Actual Madrid ensured to capitalise on each probability offered to them.

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They not solely carried out with extra intent in midfield however have been defensively extra strong and sharper in assault, whereas Barcelona defended in shambles, have been sluggish by way of the center, and attacked with zero intent.

Ultimately, targets from Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham helped Los Blancos take all three factors over Hansi Flick’s facet, who had simply to indicate as comfort.

A disgraceful defence

If there may be one division to start the firing on Barcelona’s efficiency from, the defence presents itself because the clear favorite.

Actual Madrid entered the sport figuring out effectively that Barcelona’s excessive defensive position is their ticket to paradise, and so they started the sport deliberately not urgent excessive, thus inviting Barcelona’s defence excessive.

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Pau Cubarsi and Eric Garcia, whereas an honest pair when it comes to distribution, failed totally in what they have been presupposed to do primarily – defend. Kylian Mbappe and Actual Madrid punished them time and time once more on the night time, and the scoreline is form on the duo.

It’s certainly unfair to pin the whole blame of the defeat on two centre-backs, however the reality stays that they’ve been lacklustre this season and that the identical continued final night time.

It was not a fantastic day on the workplace for Pau Cubarsi. (Picture by Angel Martinez/Getty Photos)

Each time Actual Madrid acquired the ball, Cubarsi and Garcia have been out of concepts on the right way to cease the break. They have been sliced in half with ease and easily didn’t have the legs or instinct to make the fitting challenges.

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Jules Kounde, for one more, was precisely as poor as was predicted of him earlier than kickoff. Coming off a mean run throughout all competitors, the participant was regularly caught napping on the fitting and allowed Vinicius an excessive amount of area.

Barcelona’s defence, at this level, is in absolute shambles and an pressing repair is required. Hansi Flick has to swallow his pleasure, for this defence is not going to win the staff any titles this season provided that they’ve been discovered.

Two unfit forwards

Whereas the defence struggled to maintain up with Actual Madrid at one finish of the sphere, Barcelona’s assault merely didn’t present any concepts on the right way to penetrate Los Blancos’ defence on the night time.

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Marcus Rashford was the one Barcelona participant who seemed impressed and keen to run into the field to make a distinction. Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal, nevertheless, have been astoundingly poor.

The duo’s shockingly poor present didn’t appear to be merely an evening off. Each gamers seemed removed from their bodily greatest, rusty on the ball, and much from match sufficient to make a distinction.

Ferran, having simply come off an damage hiatus, was understandably rusty in entrance of the objective and together with his actions. Yamal, nevertheless, was anticipated to be match however didn’t try any take-ons on the night time and seemed reluctant to take part – probably hinting at discomfort.

Maybe there is a component of blame on the administration for not figuring out the state of affairs and making substitutions earlier, however given the dearth of choices on the bench, a half-fit Torres and Yamal have been in all probability Barcelona’s greatest guess.

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They have been, nevertheless, nowhere near the extent required to take Actual Madrid down.

League race heats up

Ten video games into the league season and Actual Madrid have taken a five-point lead over Barcelona, satirically simply weeks after Barcelona took the lead again from them.

The defeat to Sevilla was sufficient for the Catalans to lose steam and permit Actual Madrid to catch up, and final night time’s end result solely widens that hole.

Marcus Sorg was in control of Barcelona in Flick’s absence. (Picture by David Ramos/Getty Photos)

However with over two-thirds of the season but to go, nevertheless, it’s something however completed. The primary Clasico might set the tone, however it means nothing when it comes to the title race.

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The title race is heating up and will probably be nearer and extra tightly fought than it was final season, however Barcelona has each purpose to be optimistic regardless of their poor run of type.

By the point the subsequent Clasico comes round, they are going to hope to have their first-choice gamers in Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and Joan Garcia again from damage and the likes of Lamine Yamal more healthy and higher geared up to ship a standout efficiency.

The state of affairs Barcelona entered the Clasico noticed them begin with an obstacle, and whereas it might sound like an excuse, it’s the absolute reality.

This staff is nowhere near its greatest, and nonetheless has what it takes to beat Actual Madrid and any high elite staff when at 100%. Discovering that gear, nevertheless, is on Hansi Flick and the supervisor should discover that change quickly.