What a difference 13 months can make. Before kick-off on Saturday evening in El Clasico, despite Barcelona being top of the table, Real Madrid were prohibitive favourites, especially on their own turf at the Santiago Bernabeu. Carlo Ancelotti’s team were on a 42-match unbeaten run in La Liga, and with Kylian Mbappe signed in the summer after a half-decade-long pursuit, a repeat of last season’s 10-point title triumph was widely expected.
The Flick-Lewandowski show
Instead, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona team handed out the mother of all thrashings. Barcelona have enjoyed famous victories over their bitter rivals before, mostly notably under Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola, but none as unexpected as this. Till Robert Lewandowski scored in the 54th minute, it was a fairly even game. Real had threatened sporadically in the first half, and there was little sign of the rout to come.
But the moment Marc Casado put Lewandowski through with a beautifully measured pass, the game changed. Lewandowski, a star of Flick’s Bayern Munich team that romped to the Champions League in 2019-20, made no mistake, and two minutes later, he showed his prowess with his head when Alejandro Balde swung one into the box. Having scored 26 goals last season, Lewandowski already has 17 this term, including 14 from just 11 La Liga outings.
Just over a year ago, in September 2023, Flick’s reputation was in tatters. After Japan thrashed his Germany team 4-1 in Wolfsburg, Flick and his players were jeered off the pitch by irate fans. The axe fell soon after, and the brilliance of his Bayern sides was fast becoming a memory.
It’s doubtful if Flick would have got the Barca job if they weren’t in such a poorly managed, dysfunctional and bankrupt mess. So bad was the situation that Ilkay Gundogan, signed on a free transfer in 2023, was let go this summer because the club couldn’t afford to have him on the payroll. Dani Olmo was the only marquee signing and with Frenkie de Jong and Gavi out injured, whoever took over the coaching job from Xavi Hernandez was taking on the biggest of challenges. So far, with 10 wins from 11 La Liga games, Flick is acing it.
Yamal and Raphinha pile on the pain from out wide, young guns boss the middle
With Real left to chase the game, Barca picked off the gaps ruthlessly. Lamine Yamal became the youngest goal-scorer in El Clasico history with a powerful driven finish past Andriy Lunin at his near post, and Raphinha applied gloss with an 87th minute strike.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s La Masia academy continues to churn out the most incredible talents. Yamal is now an established star, but it’s the progress made by those who have stepped into midfield that is really responsible for Barcelona’s stunning results this season. Casado and Fermin Lopez wouldn’t have been playing but for the injuries to Gavi and de Jong, but along with Pedri, they have formed a dazzling triumvirate in midfield.
Raphinha was one of those Barca looked to sell last summer, but his goal-scoring exploits this term have played a huge part in the start Flick has enjoyed. Real’s discomfort was all the more acute because the longest unbeaten run in La Liga history was Barcelona’s 43, between 2016 and 2017. Flick’s team ensured that the record stays with the Blaugrana, leaving Ancelotti to go back to the drawing board.
High line trips up Real
Mbappe has yet to settle fully after moving from PSG, and his two efforts, chalked off for offside, summed up Real’s disappointing night. All night, Barca’s back four played high up the pitch, frequently catching Mbappe and his fellow attackers offside. “We always play with the back four very high,” Flick said afterwards. “It looks dangerous - but it's not."
Blank for Bellingham
So good was Jude Bellingham’s debut season for Real that he catapulted himself into the Ballon d’Or conversation with 23 goals from 42 matches. This season, he has yet to open his account in 11 matches. With Mbappe now the focus of the attack, those around him have had to relearn their roles. This adjustment also resulted in a shock loss to Lille in the Champions League, and a barrage of criticism for Aurelien Tchouameni and his midfield colleagues, who have the thankless task of replacing the peerless Toni Kroos.
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