This Sunday Real Madrid sent FC Barcelona home empty handed keeping all 3 points in the Spanish capital. This El Clásico win puts Madrid on a total of 105 wins against their rivals Barcelona. The match included Kylian Mbappé continuing his goalscoring form scoring the opener, Fermín Lopez evening the score and a match winner from Jude Bellingham. It finished with Barcelona midfielder Pedri being sent off after receiving a second yellow card after lunging into a challenge after taking a bad touch. This win puts Xabi Alonso’s side 5 points clear from their rivals at the top of La Liga after having played 10 games.
While Ferran Torres was back in Hansi Flick’s match day squad Flick’s men were still missing other key players such as Joan Garcia, Dani Olmo and Polish starting striker Robert Lewandowski which gave Ferran Torres the opportunity to start at the point of the attack for Barcelona, even though he just returned from injury. The Spanish international seemed unable to step up to the challenge providing no goals or assists in the game. Raphina was also unable to participate in Sundays match due to an injury he sustained during training the Thursday before the game. The Brazilian international is expected to be sidelined for up to a month. Madrid on the other hand were missing key players in their defence such as Antonio Rüdiger, David Alaba and Ferland Mendy.
First Half: Madrid exploit the Barcelona high line
Xabi Alonso’s men put their guests under pressure asking questions from the first kick of the game. Which is reflected in the amount of corners Barcelona had conceded in the first half in which Madrid won 8 corners against Barcelona’s 2. The game plan for los blancos seemed clear in the first half: take advantage of the visitors’ high line. As predicted Kylian Mbappé was able to do this on multiple occasions. Firstly breaking through and causing commotion on a penalty call which wasn’t given by the referee and later scoring finding the back of the net from a volley which was ruled as offside against the French star. He did however add onto his goal tally for the season by opening the score in the twenty-first minute by receiving and finishing a pass from Jude Bellingham. The English international was able to score himself at the end of the first half at the 43 minute mark. This after Fermín Lopez had evened out the score for the Blaugrana in the 38th minute. Furthermore Barcelona seemed to defend very compact, setting up a narrow block occupying the central and inside channels as they had done before throughout the season. Xabi Alonso’s side clearly seemed informed on this as whilst setting up attacks his wingers clearly positioned themselves on the outside channels. From the left wing Vinicius Junior was able to put the pressure on the visiting defence. Which was proved successful in his lobbed cross through which he set up Eder Militao’s assist on Bellingham’s matchwinner. On the right side Both Kylian Mbappé and Arda Güler were also happy to position themselves in the space left out wide.
Second Half: A game of cops and robbers
The score remained unchanged in the second half but it did come with enough drama. Madrid tried to extend their lead to which they came close early on in the 52nd minute when Mbappé received a penalty. This however ended up being saved by Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny. The rest of the second half played out like a game of cops and robbers in which both teams took turns trying to run away with the game. Barcelona’s play became faster paced with faster movement off the ball, quicker passes. The visitors’ game became more decisive needling away outside the sixteen yard box. In search of that killer pass which would open up the hosts’ defence. which. It was like cracking a safe. They came closest to finding that killer pass with a 88th minute inventive pass from Lamine Yamal which found Jules Koundé bombing into the Madrid 18-yard box but after taking a touch the ball was caught by Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Madrid however was successful in keeping the robbers out. Xabi Alonso’s side defended compactly whilst looking to quite literally run away with it. Still hoping to exploit Barcelona’s high line. Which even resulted in a disallowed goal from Bellingham in the 68th minute for which Brahím Diaz was caught in an offside position whilst setting up this chance for the Englishman. This was however made more difficult for Xabi Alonso’s side since his wingers who had often found themselves in acres of space on the wing were now more tightly covered in the second half. The hosts however were able to lock up shop. The match did however end with late drama with a second yellow card being awarded to Pedri who had been booked at the end of the first half causing the Barcelona playmaker to be sent off.
Carreras locks up shop
Lamine Yamal seemed M.I.A. for most of the match. New singing Álvaro Carreras was able to lock up shop and nullify the Barcelona star. This wasn’t the first time the two Spanish talents have found themselves opposite on the pitch. Last seasons Carreras put up two stellar performances against Yamal in the Champions league when he was still suiting up for Portugese side S.L. Benfica. Carreras who is a Manchester United graduate is looking to lock down the starting position on the left side of Xabi Alonso’s defence. Doing so will increase his chances of getting a first call up to the Spanish national team which he is yet to receive.
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