From the very start of the match, Real Madrid showed an aggressive momentum. Taking advantage of the kickoff and home-field advantage, they immediately put Barcelona under attacking pressure, while Barcelona, playing away, appeared more cautious and adopted a steadier tactic.
Even so, just two minutes into the match, Real Madrid created a dangerous situation inside the penalty area.
Carvajal surged forward down the right and sent in a cross. Yang Yang reached the ball first inside the box, but Umtiti couldn't beat him to the position. He stuck out a foot first, disrupting Yang Yang's shot, but at the same time he pulled a dirty trick, kicking Yang Yang in the calf as he followed through and sending him tumbling inside the penalty area.
Unfortunately, the referee hadn't seen Umtiti's foul and did not award a penalty.
After making the first move, Real Madrid adjusted for a few minutes before decisively pushing their defensive line forward.
Kanté faced Messi—one short man against another. Whether it was physical agility, footwork, explosiveness, or even changes of rhythm, Kanté was in no way inferior to Messi. He kept up with the Argentine every step of the way, leaving Messi extremely frustrated.
As a result, Barcelona failed to produce even a single shot in the first ten-odd minutes.
Louis Enrique was helpless in the face of it. He repeatedly adjusted things from the touchline, trying to break Real Madrid's pressure, but none of it worked. Once Messi was locked down and Real Madrid's midfield had suppressed Barcelona, Cristiano Ronaldo and Parker up front couldn't receive passes from the midfield or defense, and their effectiveness was greatly reduced.
At that moment, no one knew that an undercurrent was already surging restlessly beneath the surface.
In the seventeenth minute, a Real Madrid attack broke down,