Güler clears the way for Real Madrid

Real Madrid came out on top in the match leading up to El Clásico , showing improved play and confidence, with Güler at the heart of it all. The Turkish player was instrumental in breaking the deadlock with a spectacular goal just minutes after a play involving Peque in which a foul was called. Arda risked a red card, it’s true, but so did the fact that he improved Real Madrid’s play in the midfield. Madrid was also more compact with Valverde on one wing and Diomande on the other. Vinicius played better—that’s a fact. Sevilla competed with pride, fueled by indignation. They played well, but the referees’ calls went against them.

A suspension and a dozen games sent Madrid back to where they were a year ago. Mourinho reviewed data and statistics to position Valverde on the right wing and Güler in the center of the field for the penultimate warm-up match before the Camp Nou. That decision cost Xabi his first clash with the squad, and after two adjustments to win two tough matches (against Villarreal and Roma), the Uruguayan moved to the wing, with Trent and Dumfries available. In short, it wasn’t a desperate move. Fede did it all: fullback, central midfielder, and winger.

His was the first clear chance of a match that began with a protest. Ten minutes of chants against Tebas, Laporta, Negreira, and the Federation. Anyway, shortly after the protest ended, Bellingham broke through on the right, played a pass back, and Valverde popped up at the edge of the box to unleash a right-footed shot. Mbappé cleared it with his back. Sevilla, arriving at the Bernabéu sharing the team’s anger toward the referees (and rightly so), struggled early on, and just when they were starting to feel more comfortable in the match, their frustration only grew. Without Isaac Romero, Luis García deployed Robbie Ure as the striker and Peque behind him in a dual role: to cut into the spaces between the lines and to mark Güler. That’s when he grabbed Arda during a counterattack, and the Turkish player broke free. Peque fell to the ground, apparently after being elbowed. The Sevillians protested, but Cuadra Fernández in the VAR booth apparently couldn’t find any clear and obvious footage showing that the foul had occurred. Although it seemed even more obvious than Vinicius’s hair-pulling incident. To make matters worse, seven minutes later, Diomande—generous with and without the ball—played it back from his wing, and Arda, on the first touch, curled a left-footed shot into the opposite top corner.

Sevilla closed ranks before play resumed. Well-organized, they had found good ways to break free from Madrid’s pressure and sought to stay in the game. They struggled because, with the lead, Madrid’s strengths came to the fore. Endrick looked to get behind the defense with his weaker foot, Bellingham made runs into the box, and Güler showcased his passing ability. Take, for example, a pass to Valverde, which the Uruguayan sent into the box but failed to connect with Mbappé. The Frenchman was saving his moment of brilliance. Sevilla looked to counter; Ure battled with Konaté—including some pulling—but Courtois made the save, played it out wide, the ball reached the edge of the box, Bellingham backheeled it, and Kylian scored a stunning goal: a spin, a sharp cutback past Salas, a one-two against Odysseas, and into the net. The Sevilla fans called for a foul beforehand, just like Cucho’s handball the day before. No luck there. Sevilla tried to pull one back before halftime, but Agoume’s hard shot was met by a miraculous save from Courtois. Decisive.

Luis García made a change on the right wing after the break, bringing on Ejuke for Vargas. The fans’ complaints about the refereeing didn’t let up, even though there was a sense in the air that this time there was no reason for them. Quite the opposite, in fact. Diomande capitalized on a mistake by Juan Iglesias and a give-and-go in midfield that allowed him to break free toward the edge of the box. He lacked finesse on the final touch in both plays, while the newly substituted Ejuke was giving Cucurella a hard time. Juan Iglesias made a run down that flank, chipping the ball to the far post where Correia volleyed it. Valverde made a providential save, keeping the lead intact to seal the victory. It came on a deep pass from Diomande to Mbappé, which the Frenchman turned into a penalty by cutting in behind Castrín. Of course. Kylian changed his approach and executed a perfect Panenka. And just as in the first half, Courtois stepped up again to secure the lead. Sevilla made a good run to the edge of the box, Fofana took a shot, and the Belgian made the save.

Mourinho made some smart substitutions

Güler left the field to a standing ovation from the crowd. Bernardo and Brahim—who hadn’t played since the match against Inter—got some playing time. The fact is, Real Madrid’s intensity dropped a bit, and Sevilla took advantage of it. Manu Bueno gave a warning sign after a rehearsed free kick—the same player who capitalized on a turnover by Mbappé to score a great goal, a low shot with his left foot. He barely had time to enjoy it, because Diomande sealed the deal with another great goal, breaking from the left and unleashing a powerful right-footed strike. That was the end of a match that Sevilla will rightly complain about—every refereeing decision went against them. Controversy aside, Madrid improved in their play, their intent, and their tactical variety. They looked more compact. It remains to be seen whether this version of the team will be enough to stop Barça.