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Real Madrid are better, but Barcelona showed they are improving in El Clasico

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.