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The Five Key Factors Behind Real Madrid's Dramatic Clasico Success Over Barcelona
Real Madrid produced a stunning performance against the odds to shock Barcelona in their own back yard.
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By Andreas Vou (@AndreasVou89)
The latest Clásico was thought to be of little relevance with FC Barcelona way ahead of the chasing pack and seemingly unbeatable, but Zinedine Zidane and co. had other ideas.
A calculated performance from Real Madrid resulted in a late winner from Cristiano Ronaldo to bring an end to the Catalans’ 39-match unbeaten streak, pumping new life into a title race that had gone flat in recent months.
Seven points from the top with seven games left may still be too much to ask for Madrid, but for the players, and arguably even more so for the manager, it was beyond three points that Los Blancos took from the Camp Nou.
As ever, there was plenty to mull so we have picked out the five things that stood out from the game.
Zizou masterminds victory
Following a lifeless display in his first ever derby against Atlético, there was a lot of pressure on the new Madrid boss to demonstrate his managerial qualities.
The Frenchman set his side up for a marathon rather than a race and earned the biggest possible reward as a result.
Madrid absorbed pressure in the first-half – not ultra-defensive, nor gung-ho. And even after Gerard Pique put Barça ahead early in the second period, there were only minor tweaks to the system.
As the Catalans tired, Madrid steadily pushed on. The players showed immense character to get the winner on 85 minutes, especially after Gareth Bale’s header moments earlier was inexplicably disallowed and Sergio Ramos had received his customary Clásico red card.
There was more pressure on the manager than many believed, bearing in mind the erratic nature of his boss upstairs. With his astute gameplan, Zidane became the first Real Madrid manager to win his first Clasico since Bernd Schuster in December 2007.
The Casemiro effect
The Brazilian’s omission from the first Clásico of the season was an uncharacteristic move from then-manager Rafa Benitez, as an ultra-offensive Madrid side was picked apart by Barça.
Zidane did the same for the Madrid derby where the team was again found lacking against the hardest-working team in the league. Since then however, Casemiro has played all six games, resulting in a clean sweep of victories.
His contribution on Saturday was massive, providing stability between defense and midfield. He certainly has not been flawless this season, but the difference between Madrid with and without him is clear for all to see, especially in the big games.
Barça unsure how to play with a lead
As noted in the match preview, Barça seem to be unsure of how to go about the game when they have a significant advantage in hand. In the recent Champions League last-16 return leg against Arsenal, Luis Enrique’s side looked to allow the opponents onto them due to the perceived safety of their 2-0 aggregate lead. Yet Arsenal had more than a few chances to get back in the tie.
With a ten-point lead over their rivals going into the big game, Barça had no obligation to go out for the win, but when that is the case, they tend to drop a gear which adversely affects their performance.
It is perhaps the only flaw of this side but is one that needs to be addressed with similar scenarios likely to arise in the final stretch of the season.
Player power still an issue
After their equalizer on the hour-mark, Madrid began to break out of their shell and were evidently seeking to pick their moments to go for the kill. It was their only option.
Barça on the other hand were heading towards a good point which would have maintained a ten-point lead over their rivals and seven from second-placed Atleti.
The tide of the game had clearly turned against the hosts, so it was a shock to see Ivan Rakitic – Barça’s most industrious midfielder – taken off on 74 minutes.
The front three are the beloved sons of Barcelona these days, yet they should not be treated as such by the boss. Luis Suarez and Neymar have completed the full 90 minutes of every game they have played in all competitions this season while only injuries have forced Lionel Messi off the field.
And after each returning from lengthy and demanding World Cup qualifiers in South America just two days ahead of El Clásico, one has to beg the question whether player power is still an issue at the club, as neither was taken off when it appeared to be the obvious decision to make.
Accustomed to petulance
Almost every incident during Saturday’s game brought an overreaction from the opposing side. We have grown accustomed to it over the years and therefore accept it as the norm, yet it should not be the case.
The constant exaggerations and tattle-tailing after each foul are the causes of constant breaks in play, less-flowing football and error-prone referees. It has become a trademark of this famous duel as much as the quality of football.
Some of the hours indulging in the brilliance of either Ronaldo or Messi could instead be spent focusing on maligning the immaturity of a host of the fixture’s key figures in the hope of seeing a change in attitude from both sides.