El Casico: Things we learn after Bellingham’s brace beat Barcelona
El Casico: Things we learn after Jude Bellingham’s brace beat Barcelona, with Aurelie Tchouameni’s injury and Xavi’s reaction after the defeat.
El Clasico Result
Real Madrid pulled a magnificent comeback as they battled to win 2-1 at Barcelona in a dramatic El Clásico in La Liga.
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A second-half brace by top scorer Bellingham, who continues to impress with his superb form with a thunderous strike and a tap-in, closed an epic first Clasico of the 2023/24 season.
Defending champions, Barca dominated the first half. Ilkay Gündogan found the ball at his feet for an easy tap-in after Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni passed backward to centre-back David Alaba who barely reached the ball.
Then last season’s runner-up Madrid started to find their mojo after manager Carlo Ancelotti brought Eduardo Camavinga and Modric off the bench, and Bellingham again took the spotlight.
First, he unleashed an unstoppable strike from range into the upper left corner in the 68th minute, and then, in stoppage time, he scored the winner after collecting a Modric pass inside the box.
The crucial victory put Los Blancos atop the standings on 28 points, level with Girona.
Things we learn
Bellingham is THE MAN
Tell us something we don’t know.
Jude Bellingham already has more league goals than Zinedine Zidane ever scored in a season for Real Madrid.
Zinedine Zidane never scored more than nine goals in a LALIGA season during his time at Real Madrid.
Bellingham already has ten league goals, and we’re still halfway through the season…. and he’s still only 20 years old. Los Blancos have a new icon, and he’s from England!
Tell us more.
Bellingham has already scored THREE 90+ minute winners for Real Madrid:
- 90+2′ vs Barcelona
- 90+4′ vs Union Berlin
- 90+5′ vs Getafe
The shortage of key players was the difference
While Real Madrid were able to bring on Modric in the second half, key players in midfield, such as Frenkie de Jong and Pedri, were unavailable. It’s unfair to use those as excuses, but while Barca’s current squad is a mixture of experienced players and young talents who still need to experience, their rivals still pivot on the veterans for years.
Tchouameni’s injury
The worst news for Real Madrid is confirmed. Aurélien Tchouaméni will be out for six to eight weeks after suffering an “incomplete stress fracture of the second metatarsal of the left foot” in the Barcelona derby.
Real Madrid’s Clasico win, with good news regarding the result, leaves one negative for Carlo Ancelotti. He loses Tchouaméni for an estimated time of between a month and a half and two months, according to sources at the club.
“Following tests carried out on our player Aurélien Tchouameni by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with an incomplete stress fracture of the second metatarsal of the left foot,” said Madrid in a statement on Sunday.
What’s next for Barca after El Clasico defeat
Barcelona‘s 13-game unbeaten run in all competitions to start the season comes to an end, and it’s time to set new targets.
Between now and Christmas, the Catalans want to seal their place in the last 16 of the European competition as group winners and are focused on trying to cut a few points off Real Madrid. It is not an obsession to finish top at the end of the year, but to be closer when the competition enters its decisive half.
Author Details
TOM is a dedicated soccer writer whose words come alive on the page, mirroring the electric energy of the pitch. With a keen eye for detail and an unbridled love for the sport
