Real Madrid impress but Vinicius tension grows – Clasico talking points

After undergoing shoulder surgery for a long time, Jude Bellingham recovered with his first league goal and assist of the year.

In his first Clasico in the dugout, Alonso’s tactics worked like a charm, while Kylian Mbappe continued his deadly form in front of goal.

The Vinicius Junior issue then resurfaced.

The Brazilian winger ranted as he stormed down the tunnel and ran straight past his manager in the 72nd minute before returning to the bench a short while later.

This wasn’t a bad Clasico, as the first ones came out, for Alonso. Seven of Real’s previous eight managers lost to Barcelona in their first La Liga encounter.

Alonso’s positional game-model was the first significant outcome after Carlo Ancelotti’s laissez-faire, player-oriented approach failed to produce any notable results last season.

“He hit the nail on the head.” Real Madrid were very good, but Barcelona struggled to play well, according to Balague, according to Balague.

Without the ball, they held on high for as long as they could, and if they were defeated, they would follow Vinicius in a well-organized fashion.

They “defended in two lines, five to ten meters apart.” Barcelona was unable to maneuver through.

Bellingham, who was essentially asked to play everything in midfield and more, appears to be enjoying the new system.

The 22-year-old appeared to play to the right of midfield, but in practice he had the freedom to step inside and support Mbappe or crash the penalty area.

You gain more dynamism and ways to close down the channels when you use Eduardo Camavinga in the center midfield, “said Balague.”

That made them place Bellingham on the right-hand side. When he had the ball and space, and he had found him several times, I’m sure he would have been asked to watch Mbappe’s runs.

A passionate Bernabeu crowd chanted Vinicius on numerous occasions, making it unquestionable that Madridistas love him.

However, despite numerous reports in recent months, Los Blancos may have made an offer to let him leave.

At the end of the season, Vinicius will have a year left on his contract, but negotiations for a new deal have stalled.

With 20 minutes left, the player’s response to being replaced echoed tension in the room. He had to be restrained as he attempted to confront Lamine Yamal after the full-time whistle.

Everyone will be aiming their eyes at him, and that’s right because Rodrygo, who took his place, didn’t show any respect for him, Balague said.

He says, “But he has lived in a hostile environment since he was a child, and he feels like everyone is against him.”

When you feel like you’re in the top 100, and the club drives the axis in your direction as the star, that’s difficult to shake.

He has felt that the club isn’t protecting him this season. There are reports that the club might have leaked information or that the club wouldn’t be upset if someone offered him 250 million euros and let him leave.

He feels all of that, and when Alonso pats him fairly, Vinicius says, “Why me, why me again, because Vinicius stopped dropping back as he should,” he says in his own head. ‘.

Sunday’s performance, which included four Clasico victories from the previous season, epitomized Barcelona’s unconvincing start to the campaign.

Key players like Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and Dani Olmo have been harmed by injuries, and Hansi Flick’s system isn’t functioning without them.

The entire team is “a little less sharp without the ball, less hungry to recover it, and less aggressive to recover it,” according to Balague.

It’s simpler to attack them, they claim. If the defensive line isn’t as effective as it should be, as the Mbappe goal wasn’t helped by the midfield and forwards not closing down those on the ball as much as they should, as they weren’t because Alejandro Balde played him onside.

Lamine Yamal, the Real tormentor-in-chief last season, was largely kept under control.

Their performers “weren’t at their best,” they claimed. Perhaps Lamine has groin issues that prevent him from displaying his talent and makes it seem like he’s in good shape.

Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Lamine are currently playing together, which was the Barcelona of a year ago, and they are now no longer playing together.

They lack Raphinha in both attack and defense, he adds with intensity.

Since joining Barcelona on loan from Manchester United on a personal level, Marcus Rashford has been a star in the Barcelona organization, but he looked sluggish on Sunday.

He attempted to make a threat on the left, but he was too frequently forced to run away from the Madrid defense.

Barcelona “acquired one, two, or three defenders because they attacked too quickly.”