MADRID — Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham struck within the first half as Actual Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 on the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday to stretch their lead over their Clásico rivals on the high of LaLiga to 5 factors.
Fermín López had briefly canceled out Mbappé’s opener within the thirty eighth minute of an incident-packed recreation just for Bellingham to web the winner 5 minutes later as Madrid ended as a four-match shedding streak in opposition to Barça. It may have been extra, too, with Wojciech Szczesny saving a second-half penalty from Mbappé, whereas Madrid additionally had three targets chalked off for offside.
Barça tried to rally late on however, aside from a late Jules Koundé likelihood that he couldn’t fairly management, they by no means appeared like troubling the house aspect. The sport led to a brawl between gamers and employees on and off the pitch after Pedri’s late crimson card for a second reserving despatched temperatures hovering. — Sam Marsden
Xabi Alonso wanted this. There have been loads of indicators of enchancment because the coach took over from Carlo Ancelotti in the summertime, however within the actually high-profile video games, Alonso’s Actual Madrid had fallen quick: overwhelmed 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain within the Membership World Cup semifinals and 5-2 by Atlético Madrid a month in the past within the Madrid derby.
Now, Alonso has his first signature win, and within the recreation that issues most to Madrid: the Clásico. Final season’s quartet of defeats to Barça have been the clearest signpost that the Ancelotti period was ending — it wasn’t simply that Madrid misplaced all 4, it was the dimensions of these losses, with an combination rating of 16-7 — and Sunday’s end result, and efficiency, is an announcement of intent.
Madrid performed right here with depth, aggression and cohesion, disrupting Barça’s buildup as they regularly pressed goalkeeper Szczesny and heart backs Pau Cubarsí and Eric García. Alonso’s determination to choose an additional midfielder, sacrificing a large participant, labored, as Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga joined Aurélien Tchouaméni and Arda Güler in a 4-4-2 when out of possession.
There are nonetheless challenges for Alonso to beat, notably how one can deal with Vinícius Júnior, who reacted so vehemently to being substituted within the 72nd minute, in a really public present of dissent. And there have been moments when Madrid’s protection appeared susceptible, even when Barça struggled to create clear-cut probabilities.
General, this was the primary efficiency — on the largest stage — that Alonso can level to as concrete proof of actual progress, despite the fact that he’ll insist that they’re nonetheless simply getting began. — Alex Kirkland
The main focus is usually on Barça’s excessive line, but when they will’t defend critically, it doesn’t matter how far up the pitch the again 4 place themselves. The defending all through this recreation was far too lackluster for a fixture of this depth.
Alejandro Balde performed Mbappé onside for the primary objective and Bellingham was left unmarked to faucet within the second after Balde had been overwhelmed too simply within the air by Éder Militão. Past the targets, Koundé was too passive defending Vinícius one on one, and there are nonetheless query marks over the center-back pairing of García, who was unlucky in giving freely the penalty missed by Mbappé, and Cubarsí. It doesn’t have the texture of a long-term partnership at this degree.
Following the massive lack of Iñigo Martínez in the summertime, many thought Flick would go along with Cubarsí and Ronald Araújo as his pairing in the midst of the backline. The choice of García, who has been good this season, right here was additional proof of the German coach’s most popular partnership, although. The pondering is that they’re the duo that give Barça essentially the most on the ball, however the larger query is whether or not they provide greater than they take away when Barça must defend in opposition to the perfect forwards on the earth. — Marsden
Mbappé ended up scoring a good 5 Clásico targets final season, however he nonetheless wanted to exorcise some demons from the sport right here on the Bernabéu, the place his debut Clásico noticed him caught offside a career-high eight instances, with out scoring, as Barça gained 0-4. There’s little question this was a big enchancment on that exhibiting, even when it wasn’t an ideal recreation from Mbappé, given his second-half penalty miss.
A dream begin within the twelfth minute — thrashing the ball into the web from distance, with the sweetest of finishes — was denied by a VAR test, which revealed Mbappé had been fractionally offside. Undeterred, he scored 10 minutes later, to make it 16 targets in all competitions this season, and 11 in LaLiga. There was no hesitation with the end, and little question he’d discover the web.
There was one other offside objective later — clearer this time — after which a penalty, which Szczesny did extraordinarily effectively to avoid wasting. Mbappé was unreliable at instances from the spot final season, saying he hit “all-time low” after misses in opposition to Liverpool and Athletic Membership. This marketing campaign, he’d scored 5 penalties in a row, till now.
When he was substituted within the 91st minute, his stats recommended restricted involvement, with the fewest touches of any participant on the pitch. However the actuality was very totally different. — Kirkland
Lamine Yamal was public enemy No.1 on the Bernabéu after feedback he made in midweek suggesting Madrid “get all of the refereeing calls” and nonetheless “complain.” The remarks didn’t go down effectively with Madrid followers and his identify was fiercely jeered when learn out earlier than the sport. Each contact was subsequently met with whistles, from the primary minute to the final.
Among the greatest cheers got here when Álvaro Carreras, who defended him effectively, acquired the higher of him, or when he fired a second-half shot comfortably over the bar.
Yamal has usually produced his greatest performances when the highlight is most on him. Barça assistant coach Marcus Sorg mentioned earlier than the sport “the criticism motivates him,” however this time he couldn’t dig Barça out of a gap only a week after coming back from a groin damage. He was shifted right into a central position late on, shifting him away from Carreras, however it was a transfer that in all probability got here a bit of too late.
“Whereas I’m successful they will’t say something,” Yamal purred as Barça loved Clásico domination final season. There can be loads of speaking in Madrid on Sunday night time. — Marsden
Bellingham constructed his Madrid status on defining moments in Clásicos: scoring well-known, match-winning targets in each dramatic video games with Barça in his debut marketing campaign, 2023-24. Final season was tougher, failing to attain in any of Madrid’s 4 heavy defeats, his kind matching the group’s struggles.
However right here, there was one other match-winning objective, and it was Bellingham’s second in every week, following the one objective of the sport in opposition to Juventus on Wednesday. It was one among most simple targets Bellingham will ever rating, a close-range tap-in, however as ever the midfielder’s knack of being in the suitable place on the proper time shone by. Earlier than that, there was an help for Mbappé, too, with a trademark, completely executed by ball.
For Madrid to be at their greatest — and to compete on the highest degree, in Europe in addition to LaLiga — they want their greatest, star gamers to ship. Right here, Mbappé, Bellingham and Vinícius have been all necessary, even when Vinícius sullied that together with his response to being substituted. There’s work to do on precisely the place Bellingham matches into Alonso’s Madrid, however right here — in a midfield 4, typically outdoors, typically switching infield — he appeared comfy.
Bellingham’s return from shoulder surgical procedure in July has been sluggish and regular, and he was rushed again forward of schedule. However now, prior to now week, we’re seeing the Bellingham of his first season in Spain, and that’s excellent information for Madrid. — Kirkland
Fermín was on course once more after netting a hat trick within the midweek UEFA Champions League win over Olympiacos. He has a knack, not dissimilar to Frank Lampard, of arriving within the field simply on the proper time. That was the case right here as he timed his run completely to fulfill Marcus Rashford’s move and degree the sport. His depth can be one thing Barça missed when he sat out a stretch of the season by damage earlier within the marketing campaign.
Nonetheless, his want and thirst for targets, so usually a constructive for Barça, additionally price his group within the second half. On two events, across the fringe of the realm, as a substitute of passing, he took on the shot. Each instances, Thiubaut Courtois saved comfortably.
In the end, although, it was Barça’s lack of our bodies that haunted them late on. They needed to wait till the ultimate quarter-hour to make a change attributable to an absence of attacking choices on the bench. And with Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Gavi and Dani Olmo amongst these lacking, it was and Araújo and Marc Casadó who have been tasked with making an attempt to show this recreation round. — Marsden
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