So far, it has been a season of many ups and few downs for Los Merengues. They sit two points behind league leaders FC Barcelona and topped their group in the UEFA Champions League. Though it’s been tough recently, they go into the World Cup break on a high after beating Cadiz by two goals to one.
Positives for Real
New signings have settled in well
Aurélien Tchouaméni and Antonio Rüdiger were brought in to bolster and bring healthy competition to the squad. Casemiro’s departure allowed the Frenchman to get more minutes than he previously expected. With those minutes, he has performed at a high level and brought a different dynamic to this Madrid team. He’s more comfortable on the ball than Casemiro which allows the team to be more flexible in their build-up. Additionally, he joins the attack more often than the Brazilian which allows for more overloads in the third phase.
Though the German hasn’t started many games, he has brought the leadership and quality that the team needs whenever he’s played. In a recent interview, Rüdiger told DiarioAS, “I think I’m playing a lot. I’m not the one who only looks at the negative. These players won La Liga and CL last season, you have to respect that. Everything comes in its own time.” This shows his humility and eagerness to continue to work hard to get his spot on the team.
No Benzema, No Problem
Image Credit: DAX Images/BSR Agency
There’s no denying that Karim Benzema is an integral part of Carlo Ancelotti’s system and Real Madrid as an institution. He has shown that he’s crucial to everything they do as a team. Many fans were concerned about what will happen if he gets injured this season as the board bought no backup striker and they sold Luka Jovic.
Rodrygo entered the starting lineup in his absence and has replaced him almost perfectly. Fundamentally, they’re similar players. They both want to get involved in the build-up and create chances for others while being a goal threat at the same time. Rodrygo still has a long way to go before he reaches Benzema’s level, but he has to be given credit for what he has done so far.
Fede Valverde
Fede’s goals and overall performances have been superb throughout the campaign. He has elevated his game and shown why he’s one of Real’s most important players. He’s now a guaranteed starter and it’s all down to his hard work and incredible man-management by Carlo.
Finished 1st in UCL Group
Qualifying for the RO16 as group winners is always important as you face a team that finished second in their respective group. Real Madrid achieved that and now meet familiar foes, Liverpool, in February.
Won the two biggest games if the season so far
Beating Barca and Atleti is never an easy job. The opposing players and fans are always up for it which boosts its difficulty. Real beat both teams 3-1 and 2-1 respectively and showed that their desire and quality to come out victorious in big games are still there.
Negatives
Defensive Record
Image Credit: REUTERS/Susana Vera
In La Liga, Madrid have played 14 matches and conceded 14 goals. They have kept two clean sheets in those games.
In the UCL, they’ve played six, conceded six, and kept two clean sheets.
Besides the number of goals they’ve conceded, the amount of chances that opponents get per game is too high for a team like Real Madrid. Of course, the objective of the game is to win, but winning comfortably boosts confidence and confidence will be crucial going into the second half of the season.
Carlo Ancelotti and the coaching staff have some time to review the matches and come up with solutions to improve the team’s defensive record.
Second in the league
Real’s loss against Rayo Vallecano allowed Barca to remain in first position and their win over Osasuna saw them confirm their spot as league leaders going into the break. It’s a tough pill to swallow for Los Blancos as they were leading for large parts of this season.
It’s never easy knowing that you fumbled a lead and allowed your title challenger to overtake you. However, it’s only two points and Real will back themselves to come back stronger after the World Cup.
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