Sid Lowe

You talk about the quality of Lumi and Jamal.

We talked a lot, obviously, when we analysed them tactically about the high line, but it's about Pedri who keeps the game flowing the way they want it to be.

There was a really interesting interview, actually, Dan, this Saturday in one of the Spanish papers with Comisanya, the Villarreal midfielder, and he talked about how the thing with Barcelona is that, yes, you know there's a high line, but it's all about whether you can escape the pressure to be able to play that pass and all about whether you can get onto the ball enough to be able to play that pass.

And that Pedri is a key reason why you can't.

Now, we look at Pedri and we look at the gloriously smooth touch that he's got.

But I think we sometimes overlook the intelligence to close things down, the intelligence to speed up and slow down the game according to what Barcelona need, that prevents the other team from being able to put the pressure on, win the ball back, that prevents the other team from having the possession and being able to have the time to look at that pass and go, right, there's the space behind the high line.

We've analysed the high line endlessly.

But it's also about the midfield and Pedri is a key part of that.

And then, as you say, you look at that pass for Lamine today and you look at the quality that he has to pick that ball out that isn't really there.

Now, I know this is said before, but maybe it's worth just reminding ourselves of how a lot of us are looking at him and thinking, wow, he's got a bit of Xavi and a bit of Iniesta.

How good a player are you if you've got a bit of the two best midfielders that Spain maybe has ever produced?

I think the reaction to the performance was that they got away with it.

That this was a really, really poor performance from Real Madrid, in my opinion.

I thought they went for a spell in the second half where Rayo Vallecano were the better side.

It was very interesting seeing Rayo kind of shift through phases.

A phase in the first half where they were hoping to sit deep, rob the ball and run.

And then the second half, they started to use the ball.

And Madrid really and truly couldn't get to that ball very often.

They had a couple of chances, Madrid, as you say, that opportunity for Mbappé.

I think, by the way, the answer to Shaq's question about what's the goalkeeper doing, I think there's a moment in which he realises, hang on, if I commit a foul here, I'm off.