The four El Clásicos of the 2024-2025 season easily matched the momentum of the previous three games, and instead even exceeded it, as Barcelona and Real Madrid continued their battle for three important La Liga points.
Real Madrid jumped out early, as Kylian Mbappé scored two quick goals to give them a two-goal lead.
Barcelona shook off their Champions League hangover and reacted quickly.
Eric Garcia and Lamine Yamal brought Barcelona level by the 32nd minute, and Raphinha scored two goals to give the Blaugrana a 4-2 lead at halftime.
After the break, Real Madrid fought back with a goal, putting Barcelona under pressure when Hansi Flick seemed to settle down.
What ensued was a fantastic response with an exchange of chances as both teams went for goals in a thrilling encounter.
Here are the 5 things we learned:
1. Resilience Under Pressure Characterizes The Team
Barcelona’s ability to recover from a 2-0 deficit in the first half, within minutes of Kylian Mbappé scoring his quick double, shows their mental resilience.
Composure was prominent in the team led by Pedri, Raphinha, and Lamine Yamal, and they managed to stabilize the game, showing the capacity to change the game and recover from difficult starts against their greatest rivals.
This mental resourcefulness is a trait of Hansi Flick’s team and was also an essential platform for a title challenge.
2. High-Risk, High-Reward Offside Trap Worked Wonders
Barcelona’s high offside trap was risky, with Real Madrid tackling Barcelona well early in the game and getting behind their defence, but ultimately threw Madrid’s momentum off.
Barcelona’s defence and Pau Cubarsí got to work after the alarming start and began catching Madrid forwards offside consistently.
This offside trap was certainly risky; it threw Barcelona’s opposition off balance and created space to transition into the attack.
We witnessed an end-to-end goal fest, which also favoured the blaugranes.
Raphinha’s El Clásico Magic
Raphinha was able to showcase his quality against Real Madrid yet again, having demonstrated many of the attacking qualities he has exhibited against Real Madrid.
Raphinha energized the game, concentrated, and exuded confidence against Los Blancos, he is a daunting asset to any opposition.
4. Young Stars Are the Score
The three young players, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, and Pau Cubarsí, cemented Barcelona’s reliance on its youthful core.
Pedri’s play-making, Yamal’s breathtaking wing play, and Cubarsí’s assurance at the back helped contribute.
These young players were not just potential stars in the future but stars now.
They helped Barcelona weather yet another big moment in the derby with poise and skill.
Attacking Flair Conquering Defensive Discipline
Real Madrid’s disciplined defensive performance (in the opening moments) stood no chance against Barcelona’s hectic attack.
Once the blaugranas settled into the game, the connections between Pedri, Raphinha, and Yamal overwhelmed the Madrid backline.
The match was an example of how Barcelona plays games open and fast, which allows them to excel in the attacking phase, especially by scoring crucial points in their La Liga title bid.
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