Why Barcelona are better and Real Madrid are worse

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Barcelona and Real Madrid are inverting expectations this season.

Real Madrid finally brought in their star striker, Kylian Mbappe, to complete their new Galacticos team. Ancelotti has the best attacking players in the world at his disposal, however his team seems to be struggling to create chances for them.

Meanwhile, Barcelona's tumultuous 2023-24 season culminated in Xavi being sacked after being convinced to stay for an additional season. Many expected Hansi Flick's tenure to have a rocky start, yet here they are flying at the top of the table.

How has this happened?

Joe Devine is joined by JJ Bull and Jon Mackenzie to explain.
This is The Athletic's Week in Football.

#barcelona #realmadrid #laliga

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Timestamps:
00:00 Why Barcelona are better and Real Madrid are worse
00:25 Are Real Madrid worse than expected?
01:30 Different players, different dynamics
02:04 Mbappe, Bellingham, Toni Kroos and ball progression
06:35 Example from Champions League against Dortmund
13:27 Evangelos Marinakis' Fine | The Athletic FC Newsletter
14:11 Are Barcelona better than expected?
15:04 What's changed for Barca?
17:06 Tactical Changes
19:56 Hansi Flick's counter-press and an ageing Lewandowski
23:39 Why Dani Olmo might not play after December | The Athletic FC Podcast
25:51 New La Masia Graduates
28:01 Where does Gavi fit in?

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Additional footage sourced from AP Newsroom

[TheAthleticFC]

Hello! Apologies, we used an image of Pau Victor for Hector Fort at 27:04 and also mislabeled him as aged 22 instead of 18.

We'll be more careful in the future.

[linusxv]

Posting this before the 4-0 thrashing is wild

[OserojiemenKing]

Because Madrid, instead of signing to improve on a very well balanced system, ditched the system to sign (and accomodate) a galatico. Barca, on the other hand, got a a very good coach who built a very good system around what the club has available.
Both clubs basically reverted to type.

[TheSiemek]

Again, after so many years, there is some thrill in watching El Classico.

[TheSiemek]

I love how Madrid used Mbappe to solve the problem that didn’t exist in the first place…

[OddEyes]

Dude said Mbappe got 6 goals like 5 of them weren’t from penalties.

[jaejunpark-lhun]

Who’s here after Barca won Madrid 4-0😂

[wira]

as a barca fan, the unhealthy amount of hype toward the current barca somehow make me worried about el classico. guess i haven't recovered from the trauma of these past few years of suffering lmfao.

edit : i guess im worried for nothing, and the only thing that could make it better is if lewa could just score the hat trick. but that aside, very well done barca.

[galaxy]

What a great video. In an online world of football where there is so much noise for so called content. These guys so chill and delivering fact after fact without agendas.

[jeranokt]

Rudiger’s goal came from a Mbappe cross from the right wing.

Vini’s goal was an open goal, tackle on Mbappe by Dortmund defender.

Lucas’ goal came from the right, he passed the ball, it deflected back to him & he scored individually.

Vini’s 2nd goal, he got the ball inside his own half & ran with & scored from outside the box. Kylian’s run making it easier.

Vini’s 3rd goal is individual brilliance.

No goal was scored from proggresive plays through the middle like they say in this video.

[moezbd]

Picture of Pau Victor speaking of Hector Fort 😂😂
Great video though

[thenamesbarretto]

I guess I'm the first. Cheers!!

P.S. JJ Bull's "Pedri Pedri Pedri" needs to be heard in the new Spotify Camp Nou.

[antonystark]

27:02, That's not Hector Fort ; That's Pau Victor

[RichD]

That reply to “Do you drink soup or eat it?” 🤦🏾‍♂️😂

[aryan.]

Hansi's Barcelona : Collective Teamwork
Carlo's Madrid : Individual Quality

[VictorMadristas]

Without watching the Full vid.. you're right

[dontwannaname]

Toni Kroos was the Joe Devine of Real Madrid

[arglc]

1. Bellingham is an average Central midfielder.

2. Mbappe is at his best when there is a Central striker for him to play off, usually off the left.

3. Vinicius is at his best attacking space off the left, very much like Mbappe, but he is also able to create more than Mbappe does.

3. Without Kroos and Modric playing limited minutes, due to his age, the Real Madrid midfield isn't creative enough nor is dominant enough with the ball. A very physical midfield but something that can't dominate a game.

[Aarya-vn]

The last hyped up El Clasico and which was very even pre-game and delivered as well was the 2-2 draw, in Ronaldo's last El Clasico. Ronaldo, Messi, Bale and Suarez all scored.
These current players still don't give the same hit as Messi and Ronaldo, but it will be damn exciting. I support Madrid and Man United, but if Flick's Barca continue to believe in their aggressive style and win today, mad respect for them. We forget that Barca do have a talented squad but a squad which is very very young. Flick is doing wonders.

[LeeRenthlei]

For the first time in a long time El Clasico hyped people up and what a game it was!