Real Madrid are a better team, but Barcelona are improving

Spanish football vocabulary has a great word, resultadista, which criticises those whose conclusions stem purely from the result of a match rather than a wider view of the performance or ideas of a particular team, player or coach. So while Real Madrid were stronger, quicker and more clever than Barcelona during Sunday's 3-1 win in El Clasico (stream a replay on ESPN+) and unquestionably deserved their win, it is arguable that reaction to how Xavi's team performed in several key aspects has been… resultadista.

Barcelona's defeat has repeatedly been described as «soulless» and «gray,» with only two positive points: defender Jules Kounde's return from injury and the impact of the substitutes. Generally, there has been the rumbling sound of people gearing up to suggest that Xavi isn't the right man for this job. However, with no wish to be controversial for the sake of it, much of the Barcelona's work in this defeat was significantly better, clearer, more organised and interesting than anything they've done since the thrilling display against Bayern Munich in Germany one month and six matches ago.

The flaws — player laziness, player errors, lack of a clinical pass or finish in the final third — were there, should never be ignored nor underestimated. But nor should they erase the improvement. Watching the match I was sure of it, watching it for the second time it was still clearer and the stats support the argument.

— Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.)

Barcelona were on the ball nearly 10 full minutes more than Madrid and used that to make more than twice the number of passes in their attacking third (147) than Los Blancos (73). In other words it wasn't sterile, «shuffling the ball about» possession…