After losing four Clásico matchups last season, Real Madrid finally broke their bad luck and got their win back over their bitter rivals in a heated matchup that definitely lived up to fans' expectations. Loads of disallowed goals, sending offs, and a scuffle at the end helped bring back the vibes of the old school Clásicos from the early 2000s and 2010s.
Xabi Alonso and his men took home a 2-1 victory, and while the score line looks close, it doesn't really sum up the full story of the game. While Barcelona had more possession and completed more passes than Los Blancos, Real was by far the better team and walked away the rightful victor.
The talk all week was how Xabi Alonso would set up his team and whether he would get not only the lineup but the tactics right. He nailed every aspect of the game, and his lineup was perfection. Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham were crucial in the victory, and their tactical role under Xabi Alonso was so simple that many fans actually missed it. Thankfully, Arsène Wenger broke it down for us.
Barcelona should have realized what Arsène Wenger did about Mbappé
While speaking with beIN SPORTS (via AS) former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger perfectly broke down how Real Madrid were able to beat Barcelona. Wenger went on to explain:
"Barcelona lost Iñigo Martínez, the experienced player in the back. No Lewandowski, no Raphinha, two experienced players. Barcelona lacked maturity today. Mbappé said to his midfielders, 'I will only make runs between the CBs, look at me every time you have the ball.'"Arsène Wenger
The former Arsenal manager was full of nothing but praise for Xabi Alonso and his men after their victory, going on to say just how superior he saw Real against Barcelona:
"El Clásico was a bit like a duel of men against boys. Real Madrid’s defence was much stronger than Barcelona’s. In attack, Madrid always seemed capable of scoring, while Barcelona seemed ineffective. They had a lot of the ball, but they never seemed really capable of scoring."Arsène Wenger
Real were already in hot form to start the season but this huge win just lifted the spirits of the team even more. Sitting five points clear at the top of the table, Los Blancos head into another big La Liga clash this weekend against Valencia, before facing off against Liverpool in the Champions League on November 4th.