Real Madrid defeated FC Barcelona in El Clasico on Sunday, and here are the club’s three biggest heroes after the dream victory.
Before El Clasico, the narrative around Real Madrid was negative. Too negative. Observers around the footballing world panned Real for collapsing at the end of their first leg Champions League tie against Manchester City, and while Real deserved to bear responsibility for their role in the late-game meltdown, it seemed like the narrative ignored that they outplayed City.
On La Liga’s Matchday 26, Real Madrid righted the wrongs of the past couple of weeks, which included a loss to Levante that enabled FC Barcelona to reclaim the top spot in the league, by overwhelming their bitter rivals in front of the Madridistas at the White House.
Real Madrid prevailed 2-0 in a tactical masterclass, and while Barcelona had their chances, Real’s stalwart goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois did enough to keep Los Blancos in the match before the attack turned up the heat.
Everyone in the starting lineup and everyone who came off the bench deserves praise for their role in a picture-perfect El Clasico, but here are three players who can carry “hero” status for Los Merengues after the incredible win.
DM Casemiro
It all has to start with Casemiro, who should be considered Real Madrid’s MVP in the 2019-2020 season. If you compare his performance against City to his performance against Barca, you can see how much it means to Real when the Brazilian defensive midfielder is at his best. Any slip-ups from Case spells doom for Real, because that’s how much this team relies on him.
Casemiro can do it all in midfield, and he is quite obviously the best player in the world at the position. He neutralized Lionel Messi one week after the Barcelona superstar dropped four goals in a masterclass against Eibar, which seemed to signal Barca’s return to dominance behind the GOAT.
Instead, Casemiro put Messi in his pocket, memorably robbing the Argentina star inside the penalty box at one point. Casemiro was equally ruthless and composed, as only he can be.
Per WhoScored.com, the 28-year-old completed 87.9 percent of his passes and was impervious defensively. Casemiro owned El Clasico with a team-high four interceptions to go with three tackles, as he was all over the pitch at all times.
After this big-game performance at the Bernabeu, Casemiro has solidified himself as one of the absolute best players in La Liga, regardless of position. Don’t overlook him just because he’s a defense-minded player.
GK Thibaut Courtois
Next up is another superstar on Real Madrid with another claim to being the team’s MVP in the 2019-2020 season. Thibaut Courtois was once a scapegoat for Madridistas and suffered negative reactions at the White House that nearly rival the current reception Gareth Bale receives from the home fans.
Courtois was derided when Real drew with Club Brugge 2-2, as he wasn’t living up to expectations since joining the club before that. It all seemed to come to ahead in that Champions League game, which followed Real’s awful 3-0 display at the Parc des Princes.
The way Courtois rebounded after that match is incredible and is the stuff of legends. Since then, Courtois has established himself as, probably, the best goalkeeper in the world right now. In a league that features Jan Oblak and Marc Andre ter Stegen, who have both made Herculean saves of their own against Los Blancos this season, Courtois is number one in every meaningful category.
After El Clasico, Courtois stands alone in clean sheets. He’s also first in save percentage, ahead of Levante breakout star Aitor Fernandez. The Belgian is also first in goals allowed per 90 minutes, which is an additional testament to the men in front of him.
But even when there’s a breakdown in Real’s vaunted back four, Courtois stands tall. Look no further than his two first-half stops against FC Barcelona on Sunday to preserve the clean sheet and give Real a fighting chance in the second half. The point-blank save to deny Arthur Melo a breakaway, one-on-one goal was particularly amazing.
LW Vinicius Junior
Whereas Thibaut Courtois and Casemiro have been heroes for Real Madrid all season long and are experienced players who have been among the elite at their respective positions for years, Vinicius Junior is in just his second season with Los Blancos.
But Vinicius is already a key to victory. The 19-year-old Brazil international has been in tremendous form recently, which matters even more now that Eden Hazard is likely done for the remainder of the season with a second serious injury.
Without Hazard, Real Madrid’s attack did not miss a beat against Barcelona. After setting up Real’s only goal in the Champions League Round of 16 by forcing Kyle Walker into an error, Vini scored the opener at El Clasico by following Toni Kroos‘ lead.
Vinicius showed more heart and a stronger mind that anyone on the pitch in that game. He was working so hard to create chances for his team, providing all sorts of running on both ends of the pitch. And anyone else, especially another young prospect, would have been frustrated by the reactions of the crowd under the bright lights of the biggest game in football.
However, Vinicius kept at it and eventually got his goal, becoming a Clasico hero. Vini showed his defensive work rate with two tackles and led the team with four completed dribbles, as he was always looking to test Nelson Semedo and Gerard Pique. He loves creating for others, is always an outlet for others, and never stops working. Vinicius needs to be held in high regard by the fans, because he is a special player who embodies everything Real need in a winger.