Post-El Clasico: The main men of the show & the records
It was quite a show that Barcelona put at Bernabeu when they beat Real Madrid 0-4, in El Clasico. A few days later, the sound of the celebration can still be heard, loud and clear.
Xavi’s achievement
Just appointed a couple of months ago, but what the legendary midfielder-now-coach of Barca achieved has been beyond expectations.
According to Opta Jose, Barcelona’s manager, Xavi Hernández is the third one to win his first #ElClásico match by 4+ goals in the history of La Liga.
Ferdinand Daučík in 1951 (7-2 en Les Corts) and Helenio Herrera in 1959 (4-0 en el Camp Nou), were the only two managers who did this in the past, so, it was more than half century ago. Wow!
134 days, yes, only those number of days passed since Xavi’s appointment, but he has made Barca drastically change. It’s the undefeated streak now reached 12 games, the tactics, the players’ improvements, and the Clasico’s result.
Aubameyang – the name could now scare off Real Madrid
Ahead of the latest El Clasico match, Barca’s new signing, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has always been the one that could strike fear to Los Blancos.
During his spell at Borussia Dortmund, the Gabon star scored five goals in his last four games against them. At Bernabeu, the former Arsenal’s striker bagged a double and one assist, in his dream debut and in his very first El Clasico.
Enough of Auba? Maybe not yet.
Aubameyang is the first player to be directly involved in three goals in his first appearance in El Clasico, in all competitions in the 21st century. As fore-mentioned, 2 goals and 1 assist, Cules cannot get enough of that, as his second goal is a real sublime finish.
Arsenal fans can cry out loud now, especially when they see how a so-called ‘finished player’ turned out to be one of the best strikers in Europe. Auba has scored 7 games in 7 games for Barca in La Liga – a record as he needs fewest appearances to reach those number in the Spanish top league.
Dembele – the ‘right’ man and the right choice
Well, the French forward literally the choice at the right wing, and he turned out to be the right once like Xavi said and needed.
Xavi was key to Dembele’s stay, and the trust was well-paid. Xavi on November 8: ‘Dembélé can be the best player in the world in his position.’ Since being trained and played under Xavi, Dembele flourished.
The 24-year-old player assisted twice as Barca beat Real 4-0 to make it total 9 assists in 12 La Liga games despite missing over two months with injury.
Ronald Araujo – the man-shield
Without Karim Benzema (injured), Vinicius Jr. was the main threat from Madrid’s side.
Xavi understood that crystal clear as he put the Uruguayan defender on playing right-back, and it was one of the greatest choices of the manager in the game.
1999-born Araujo might have played his best game of the season so far, as he totally blocked Vini from creating or having any chance of finishing.
What else, Araujo scored the second game, following Dembele’s cross, with a precise and stunning header to knock Thibaut Courtois out.
Needless to tell how vital his goal was, as it doubled the advantage for the visitors. Araujo, no doubt, was one of the best players from El Clasico’s victory. After the game, people are starting to talk about how Barca’s board should tie Araujo to the club with a new contract.
The current between Barca and the player from La Masia only runs till Summer 2023. And Barca really has to do something to improve that length, as many clubs have been eyeing Araujo way before El Clasico.
