MADRID — Robert Lewandowski scored twice, whereas Lamine Yamal and Raphinha tallied targets every, as Barcelona capped a outstanding week by routing Actual Madrid 4-0 in Saturday’s Clásico on the Santiago Bernabéu. With the lopsided loss, Actual Madrid noticed their 42-game unbeaten streak in LaLiga ended.
Veteran striker Lewandowski scored twice in three second-half minutes to set Barça on their approach, with Yamal firing the third into the roof of the web and Raphinha lofting the fourth over the top of goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who was filling in for injured Thibaut Courtois.
The win comes simply three days after Barça trounced Bayern Munich 4-1 within the Champions League, and it strikes them six factors away from rivals Madrid on the prime of the LaLiga desk after 11 video games.
Madrid had not misplaced within the league since falling to Atlético Madrid initially of final season, and even a draw right here would have seen them draw stage with Barça’s LaLiga file 43-game unbeaten streak.
Nonetheless, after a scoreless first half by which Kylian Mbappé and Actual Madrid wasted a slew of probabilities, Carlo Ancelotti’s facet had been torn aside by a ruthless Barça facet, whose unimaginable begin to the season below new coach Hansi Flick continued on the dwelling of their largest rivals.
Listed here are the large speaking factors from El Clásico:
Mbappé has a Clásico debut to overlook
This was presupposed to be the Clásico of Mbappé, his first since becoming a member of Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain in the summertime within the largest blockbuster transfer of the summer season switch window. He has at all times loved enjoying Barça, scoring six occasions in opposition to them in 4 appearances with the French facet, however his luck was out on Saturday.
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An early miss, later dominated offside, set the tone for a night of misses and offside calls. A kind of calls was given after he thought he had opened the scoring, dinking the ball over Iñaki Peña, however VAR revealed he mistimed his run behind Iñigo Martínez.
In whole, Mbappe was caught offside six occasions within the first half, greater than any sport beforehand in his profession, earlier than one other two offside calls within the second half. His eight offside calls in a single sport is tied for essentially the most of any participant within the final 15 LaLiga seasons.
His first official shot on purpose did not arrive till the 61st minute in the long run. Extra adopted, in addition to one other offside purpose, however his ending left one thing to be desired. Peña denied him every time. He may have discovered a factor or two from Lewandowski on the different finish.
It has not been a disastrous begin to his Madrid profession by any means, however these are the video games on which he was signed to have an effect.
He has eight targets in all competitions up to now, however the feeling is Madrid followers are nonetheless ready for him to click on in a new-look assault alongside Vinícius Júnior and with Jude Bellingham behind.
There was palpable frustration from supporters as extra offside calls adopted within the second half and the sport, maybe fittingly, ended with one other offside flag and one other save from Peña as Mbappé raced by means of.
Lewandowski anchors the youthful revolution at Barcelona
Barça fielded their second-youngest workforce in a Clásico fixture in 80 years and their youngest since 1956. The difference-maker, although, was 36-year-old Lewandowski, who wrestled the sport away from Madrid with a masterclass in ending initially of the second half.
The Poland worldwide, performed onside by Ferland Mendy, completed brilliantly within the 54th minute after being performed by means of by Marc Casadó after which, three minutes later, guided an excellent header previous Lunin from Alejandro Balde’s left wing cross.
Lewandowski’s type was criticised at occasions final season, however he has been sensible below his former Bayern boss Flick. He has now netted 14 targets in LaLiga in simply 11 appearances this season — and 17 in all competitions. He’s benefitting from staying extra central, getting extra of the ball in and across the space and letting the children do the operating round him.
It was one of many kids, 17-year-old Yamal, who took the sport away from Madrid late on. Predominantly left-footed, he maybe caught Madrid out by taking his likelihood early on his proper foot, blazing the ball previous Lunin as a surprised silence fell across the Bernabeu. In doing so, Yamal turned the youngest scorer within the Clásico.
Raphinha, contemporary from a midweek hat trick, added the fourth and Barça will look again at missed probabilities earlier than Yamal’s purpose — one completely evident miss from Lewandowski particularly — and surprise if they could have scored much more on the night time.
Barça’s excessive line reaps rewards once more
A theme of Barça’s season has been their aggressive excessive line, together with their relentless urgent. Earlier than the Clásico, that they had the very best defensive position in LaLiga at 61 yards when the ball is within the opposition half. Because of this, they’ve drawn over 70 offsides this season — greater than double another facet within the prime 5 European leagues.
After coming although the Bayern take a look at in midweek, the large query was whether or not they would pull it off in opposition to Madrid, Mbappé and Vinícius?
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Moreno: We did not know Barcelona had been at this stage
Ale Moreno pours reward on Hansi Flick and his younger Barcelona workforce for demolishing rivals Actual Madrid 4-0 away from dwelling.
There have been some bushy moments within the first half, not least the disallowed purpose from Mbappé, however Pau Cubarsí and Martínez caught to their process, caught as near the midway line as doable and caught Madrid offside again and again. Ultimately, Los Blancos had been offside 12 occasions within the sport — and eight within the first half alone.
The offside entice was helped by the relentless urgent in midfield and additional ahead from the likes of Casadó, Fermín López and Raphinha, with the previous rewarded with an help for the opening purpose. It feels as if this workforce below Flick may go far now.
Ancelotti has work to do along with his Actual Madrid workforce of superstars
No matter approach you take a look at it, it was a disastrous night time for Madrid. Not solely did they lose their lengthy unbeaten run and fall six factors behind Barça in LaLiga, however they suffered their third-largest loss in LaLiga of all time. They haven’t suffered a bigger defeat at dwelling within the league since 1974.
It brings again to the the floor plenty of points which have been current all through this season, even when they’ve usually been papered over by sensible particular person shows, resembling Vinícius’ hat trick within the midweek comeback in opposition to Borussia Dortmund.
Nonetheless, they deeply miss Toni Kroos. What Mbappé and Vinícius would do to have his passing in behind. There’s nonetheless one thing missing in assault, regardless of the plain high quality, and there may be the Bellingham subject. He’s and not using a purpose in 11 video games this season after registering a career-high 23 final time period.
To cap all of it off, with Courtois and David Alaba lacking, they collapsed defensively within the second half.
The season continues to be younger, and Madrid have a behavior of peaking when it issues, however Ancelotti has work to do.
