What would the Champions League, even in its revamped model, be like with out remontadas from its most celebrated asset? Actual Madrid had been capable of pull off a 3-2 win vs Manchester Metropolis on the Etihad to take a sizeable benefit again to the Santiago Bernabeu. Listed below are three observations from the attractive match.
Actual Madrid’s proper facet
Lucas Vazquez, who has grow to be Actual Madrid’s right-back for the whole season, had been dominated out a few days earlier than the Manchester Metropolis conflict. There was just one possibility left — begin Fede Valverde in protection. And, because it occurred on Tuesday, Actual Madrid appeared essentially the most safe they’ve ever appeared defensively since Dani Carvajal’s harm, and numerous that was attributable to Valverde’s shift at right-back.
It makes you assume, doesn’t it? Actual Madrid don’t have a right-back, and but they preserve insisting on beginning a right-winger there on a regular basis when it clearly doesn’t work. And the one different various (apart from Castilla) is to start out the most effective central midfielder the membership has in his place. After all, that’s solely till Vazquez returns. And he’ll, in some unspecified time in the future, take over the right-back spot.
However what if he didn’t? What if Valverde stayed because the right-back in all of Actual Madrid’s massive video games till they signed one other fullback or till Carvajal returned from harm? After all, Vazquez will begin in most video games the place numerous protection is probably not required. However, having Valverde at right-back in massive video games provides Actual Madrid the solidity they’ve desperately craved all season. Apart from the aim conceded, virtually not one of the assaults that Actual Madrid confronted got here from the proper facet. Valverde was a relieving breath of contemporary air at right-back, and it felt like a dream nobody needed to get up from.
Actual Madrid will clearly lose one thing in midfield if Valverde isn’t there — extra on that later — however they may even acquire one thing in protection, and in some circumstances, which may be the deciding think about Actual Madrid’s massive video games this season.
Tchouameni and Asencio’s greatest recreation collectively
They haven’t been rolling collectively for lengthy, however Actual Madrid’s makeshift defensive pairing gave out their greatest efficiency collectively, and it was not even shut.
As surprising as it’s to say, followers had been extra fearful about Tchouameni’s efficiency than they had been about Asencio’s. The Spaniard has been nice since getting promoted to the primary workforce, however even then it was probably the greatest video games I’ve seen him have as a Actual Madrid participant.
For Tchouameni, it is a little more complicated to analyse. Tchouameni has had nice video games prior to now, on this very fixture too, however given how a lot he has been struggling this season, it was excessive time that the participant received his mojo again. And he did.
Tchouameni gave his greatest efficiency at centre-back all season in ensuring that Actual Madrid are capable of include Erling Haaland’s exploits in addition to they will. With out the anti-Haaland (Antonio Rudiger) current on the pitch, the problem was already very troublesome, however Tchouameni confirmed up on the proper second.
Even Ferland Mendy, a participant who has been closely criticised all season for his lacklustre performances, had one among his higher performances of the season when it mattered most, and it’s sure that’s how Actual Madrid win these video games. It isn’t some juju or black magic — though a few of it may be — it’s the truth that their gamers merely know when to step up and do sufficient to capitalise on the opposite workforce’s errors, whereas attempting their greatest to masks their very own.
That’s what separates the nice groups from the most effective, and a cause why Actual Madrid have statistically been the most effective on this competitors.
Actual Madrid’s midfield issues
As mentioned within the first remark, Actual Madrid shedding their greatest central midfielder would have its drawbacks, and loads of them.
Actual Madrid had been with out Valverde in midfield, forcing Ancelotti to go along with a double pivot of Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos, and Jude Bellingham roaming round in entrance of them or on the left.
Ceballos had an honest first half however slowly noticed his affect wane down, and finally paid the worth as he gave away the penalty for Manchester Metropolis’s second aim. Camavinga was not a lot better, clearly missing the match health and sharpness required to play a recreation of this magnitude.
He appeared sluggish in possession, and within the first half, tried means too many troublesome passes which put his teammates in very troublesome positions. He improved within the second half, particularly when the Frenchman began taking part in it secure and had Luka Modric subsequent to him.
It was far too straightforward for Manchester Metropolis for big stretches of the sport to get previous Actual Madrid’s weakened midfield, and it’s one thing Ancelotti might want to repair earlier than the return leg on the Bernabeu.
