With a resounding 5–0 home win over Barcelona, Yang Yang's team sent shock waves through European football.
Real Madrid had thoroughly outplayed Barcelona in both matches. Whether facing domestic rivals such as Barcelona and Atletico Madrid or European powerhouses such as Paris Saint-Germain and Dortmund, they had shown tremendous collective strength and remarkable consistency.
After the match, the Catalonia media rounded on Setién, blaming his poor management for Barcelona's crushing defeats over the two legs, particularly his inept tactical setups against Yang Yang.
"Abandoning the traditional 4-3-3 and giving up their advantage in possession football was tantamount to suicide!"
"The main reason Barcelona chose Setién was his expertise in possession football, yet he opted for caution against Real Madrid, suffering a humiliating defeat away from home!"
By contrast, Real Madrid-friendly outlets such as Marca and AS sang the praises of Yang Yang's team, noting that their performances had been consistent throughout the season, just like Yang Yang's playing style.
"Real Madrid under Yang Yang are just like he was as a player: always reliable when it matters!"
"He never lets anyone down!"
Across Europe, outlets including German Image Report, France Team Report, and Gazzetta dello Sport also expressed amazement at Real Madrid's performances that season. They declared that, after the 5–0 demolition of Barcelona at the Bernabéu, the destination of the La Liga title was no longer in doubt. Real Madrid had already secured the championship.
"Real Madrid are racing away, Barcelona are trailing far behind, and Atletico Madrid are down in sixth. At least for now, no team has the strength to challenge Real Madrid. The La Liga title is already firmly in Yang Yang's grasp."
Beyond La Liga, The Times analyzed the intriguing situation Real Madrid faced that season.
With their league advantage established so early, the Copa