Proud of the team, but that hurts
Barcelona’s unbeaten start to the season has come to an end thanks to a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the first El Clásico of the season at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium. Despite being without some of their best players due to injury, Barça clearly outplayed Madrid for 60 minutes and would have deserved much more from the game, but Jude Bellingham’s special second half gave Los Blancos all three points in a game that definitely didn’t deserve them had to win.
FIRST HALF
Barça got off to a fantastic start to the game, largely due to Xavi Hernández’s initial tactical build-up, which clearly confused Madrid early on with and without the ball and resulted in the home team exploiting plenty of space between the lines, while the Blaugrana quickly used incisive passes to move the ball from the back to the front and create a good offense.
They only needed six minutes to reward their strong initial work and score the opening goal when Ilkay Gündogan tried a one-two with Ferran Torres on the edge of the penalty area and never gave up the play before winning the ball against David Alaba in the penalty area and letting it go calmly passing it under the legs of Kepa Arrizabalaga to give the home team the lead.
Madrid took some time to understand Barça’s formation but eventually found their way into the game and enjoyed some possession, but were never able to really threaten Marc-André ter Stegen in the first 30 minutes. The Blaugrana continued to play with excellent poise and composure on the ball throughout the half, with young Fermín López at the heart of every good attacking move, and completely neutralized Madrid’s biggest threats, thanks in large part to the sensational individual defending of Ronald Araujo and Gavi was thanks.
The half-time whistle ended a first period dominated by Barça thanks to a very good tactical plan and several outstanding individual performances, and the Catalans were in excellent shape before the final period. Madrid looked out of ideas and visibly frustrated, but had enough talent on the pitch and on the bench to turn things around. Would Barça maintain the momentum or would Los Blancos respond in the second half?
SECOND HALF
Barça almost doubled their lead just five minutes into the half before Madrid could even react, as Iñigo Martínez hit the post and Araujo forced Kepa into a brilliant stop on the rebound, and the Blaugrana were determined not to let the visitors grow into the game in the first moments of the second half.
Madrid had slightly more possession and were more aggressive in and out of possession, and Jude Bellingham was almost one-on-one with Ter Stegen before Gavi came out of nowhere and made a spectacular tackle to stop the Englishman from going through with a shot on goal. However, this was the only truly dangerous moment for Madrid and Barça did well to keep control of the game as we reached the hour mark.
Xavi made his first substitution with 30 minutes remaining when Robert Lewandowski returned from injury to replace Ferran Torres and try to score the all-important second goal for the home side, while Carlo Ancelotti brought Luka Modric and Joselu off the bench to help A Madrid team still lacks creativity and attacking power.
Ter Stegen had to work for the first time in the entire game in the 67th minute when Aurélien Tchouameni fired a rocket from outside the penalty area that required a strong save from the Barça keeper, but the German couldn’t stop the next long-range rocket: Bellingham tried his Lucky from 30 meters and finding the top corner before ter Stegen could reach the ball, and with 20 minutes plus stoppage time left the game was suddenly completely normal.
The goal energized the visitors, who suddenly began to dominate the game, and Xavi’s response to Madrid’s momentum was to send in Oriol Romeu to add some defensive steel to the Blaugrana midfield. Soon after, the coach also made two substitutions in attack, as the returning Raphinha and young Lamine Yamal came on to punish Madrid as the visitors began to send more force forward.
The home team began to attack again, Lewandowski and Gavi both coming relatively close with long-range shots, and after a difficult period, Barça finally showed signs of attacking life in the final ten minutes.
The game seemed completely open and all three points were up for grabs in the crucial seconds, and it was Madrid who grabbed the ball: Dani Carvajal’s cross was deflected by Luka Modric at the near post and the ball went over his head by Dani Carvajal Iñigo Martínez fitted perfectly into Bellingham’s run, scoring his and Madrid’s second goal in stoppage time.
There was no time for a late comeback and with the final whistle blowing, Barça’s unbeaten run this season ended in heartbreaking fashion. We didn’t deserve to lose and were the better team for 60 minutes, but Jude Bellingham really is that good and continues to find ways to rescue Madrid from games that didn’t deserve to win.
The result hurts me but I’m proud of the way Barça played given the circumstances. Araujo, Fermín and Gavi have been great and once they’re back at full strength, this Barça team can compete for absolutely anything this season.
Further. Forward.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Araujo, Christensen, Iñigo, Balde; Fermín (Romeu 72′), Gavi, Gündogan; Cancelo (Yamal 76′), Ferran (Lewandowski 61′), Félix (Raphinha 76′)
Goal: Gündogan (6′)
real Madrid: Kepa; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Alaba, Mendy (Camavinga 52′); Valverde, Tchouameni, Kroos (Modric 63′), Bellingham; Rodrygo (Joselu 63′), Vinicius (Vázquez 90+5′)
Goals: Bellingham (68′, 90+2′)
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