Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona, Sorg admits fault
Mbappe and Bellingham scored to help Real Madrid win 2-1. Assistant coach Marcus Sorg admitted that Barcelona made many mistakes, the defense was weak; the Catalan team is 5 points behind after 10 rounds of La Liga.
Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 in El Clasico in Madrid. Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham scored for the home side. After the match, assistant coach Marcus Sorg admitted that Barcelona played below standard, especially in defense and lacked sharpness in the final third. The defeat left Barcelona 5 points behind Real Madrid after 10 rounds of La Liga.
Development: Mbappe opened the scoring, Fermin Lopez equalized and Bellingham sealed the victory
Real Madrid got revenge on Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham.
Barca were not sharp in attack, unable to stop Mbappe and Bellingham in defense. The Frenchman and the English midfielder were both very active throughout the match.
Tactical analysis: Barcelona's defense is weak, the final third of the field lacks sharpness
Marcus Sorg was candid after the match: “I think we made more mistakes than usual in the end. The fact is that our defense was underperforming. In the final zone, the penetration was not strong enough to create more clear-cut chances.” This assessment points to two prominent bottlenecks: a decrease in defensive security and a substandard ability to create chances in the opponent’s half.
On the right flank, Lamine Yamal was the focal point. Sorg said Barcelona adjusted at half-time to encourage Yamal to find more 1v1 situations, but Real Madrid actively set up 2v1 situations, blocking the way into the box. “They were better than us, and we had to accept that. Many times they defended with 2 men and clearly wanted to stop Yamal from getting into the box,” Sorg said.
Lamine Yamal: under double pressure from tactics and the stands
Sorg defended the youngster: “It’s not easy… Yamal is young, he needs to improve and we will help him.” When asked about the impact of media pressure and booing, Sorg admitted: “Maybe a little. Because he is learning to face the audience, the booing from the stands. It’s a process.” From the coaching staff’s perspective, Yamal’s lackluster performances were a result of tight marking and his inexperience at the top level.
Key statistics and match indicators
- Score: Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona
- Goal scorers: Fermin Lopez (Barcelona); Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
- La Liga table gap: Barcelona 5 points behind Real Madrid after 10 rounds
- Goal time: not announced
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Result | Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona |
| Score | Fermin Lopez; Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham |
| Point distance | Barcelona are 5 points behind after 10 rounds |
Post-match reaction: Sorg admits mistakes, emphasizes development process
The highlight of Sorg's speech was his frank attitude towards Barcelona's performance: the team made more mistakes than usual and were not sharp enough in decisive areas. He also expressed his belief in Yamal, affirming that the coaching staff will accompany the young player to adapt to the pressure of the stands and the intensity of big matches.
Impact: La Liga balance and pressure to improve
The defeat left Barcelona trailing by 5 points after 10 rounds. On the other hand, Real Madrid consolidated their lead thanks to a comeback win. For Barcelona, the short-term priority lies in strengthening the defense, improving decision-making efficiency in the final third of the field and finding solutions to support Yamal against dense man-marking systems.