Real Madrid could have done with a draw, but they won. It’s a fantastic week for them, even though they haven’t won a single title. Manchester City and winning the Clásico are a huge morale boost for a team that is playing the season in three games in Europe and in keeping up the pace in a league they have practically won.
The new Bernabéu took shape with the roof and the video scoreboard that surrounds the stadium. A work of sublime engineering that has in the turf its great Achilles heel. The new Bernabéu will be the place where Real Madrid will seal their place in another Champions League final.
Before the Clásico, there was silence. Luis Gil, ex-footballer, current director of competitions at LaLiga and Rubiales’ strong man when he arrived at the AFE, died at the age of 48 of a fulminating illness. The football world remembered him and the Clásico gave him a great match to enjoy from up there.
Controversy accompanied the match in every play. Not even the VAR fixed some situations. Barça’s first goal was a mistake by Lunin at the exit of a corner that Christensen sent into the back of the net. The Whites soon equalised with a penalty that Lucas Vázquez looked for with a great move down the flank. Vinicius scored the penalty and Cancelo was beginning to look like a liability after his mistakes against PSG.
The 1-2 was the work of Fermín after a great save by Lunin. The Barça academy player gave the blaugranas hope, but Lucas Vázquez once again sent Xavi’s team to the canvas with a run down the flank to finish off the ball that Vinicius put in from the other side. The home-grown player is earning his renewal, albeit in these last few league games, with some memorable performances. Lucas, Nacho and Carvajal are completing a great season and the first two could leave the club in June.
The third goal remained. The missing Bellingham came into play. His gallops down the flank and his runs in extra time against City are a testament to his fitness, although the goals are not coming like they did at the start of the season. The Englishman’s quality is akin to the reliability of Kroos and Modric when combined in the midfield.
Brahim came on in the final minutes with the same motivation as a starter. Ancelotti is to blame for the squad coming into the league like this. A gallop from the Moroccan player that Pedri couldn’t even foul, saw the ball reach Lucas Vázquez who turned the ball to the far post. Joselu let it go through like Raúl in the old days and Bellingham sent the ball into the back of the net to give Real Madrid the league title with three goals between the two Clásicos.
In the middle of all this: the referee. Xavi leaves La Liga as a whiner and a crybaby. It’s going to be difficult for him to find a place at another club in Europe if he keeps on protesting. There was no self-criticism, only problems with the lack of goal technology for a ball from Lamine that could have gone in. Or not. Nor did he like Cubarsí’s penalty on Lucas. Barça’s image is in tatters with a guy like Xavi touring the press rooms of Spain and Europe.
That LaLiga doesn’t have that technology is odd. Gundogan himself was asking the referee to look at the clock to see if the ball had gone in, used to the Premier League. But there was no clock, no cameras, nothing to make it clear to the world what had happened. It’s four million euros to set this up, but the RFEF is in no position to give any company that job as it stands in the house of Spanish football.
Barça’s dreadful week leaves them to focus on next season and the new stadium. Real Madrid has only the Champions League to think about.
