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After an El Clasico that will haunt many players for their lifetime, Real Madrid took on Real Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid went with a 4-3-3 formation opting for a front three of Bale, Benzema, Asensio. Varane and Marcelo were out with injuries and were replaced by Nacho and Reguilon.
Real Madrid once again did not begin the match well, conceding two opportunities which were not converted. They looked like a troubled side and there was a lack of energy and dynamism on the pitch. Karim Benzema missed a couple of tap-in’s and with each passing game, his place in the side is being increasingly questioned. In the second half, Madrid played like a totally different side and they dominated the possession. Finally, Vinicius Jr’s attempt at goal deflected off a Valladolid defender and Madrid finally had a lead. Sergio Ramos scored a penalty at the 88th minute and in the end Real won 2-0. Here are the 3 reasons why Real Madrid registered a victory on Saturday,
#1 Solid defence
For this whole season, Real Madrid’s defence has been the most worrying thing for fans. Under Lopetegui they played a high line and with Ramos trying to score goals, there was a lot of empty space for the opponents. But the biggest positive outcome for Madrid from this match is the manner in which they maintained their defensive shape in spite of pacy counterattacks.
Arguably for the first time this season, Ramos held his position well to deny Valladolid forwards any easy runs into the box. Overall in this match, he registered 6 clearances, 4 interceptions and 76 passes with an outstanding pass accuracy of 91%.
This was an inspiring performance from the captain and he badly needed it. Nacho who replaced Varane did a solid job. There is no replacement for Varane’s pace or his gifted ability to spot danger but throughout the match, Nacho was in great positions to deny through passes into the box and contributed a lot with his distribution.
#2 Sergio Reguilon’s unforgettable debut
The only glimmer of hope in an otherwise forgettable el Clasico was Marcelo’s performance. For the last few matches, Marcelo was the only one who looked like scoring a goal and the news of his injury was disheartening to all the Real Madrid fans.
The young Sergio Reguilon replaced him and he produced a performance which would have Marcelo proud. He was everywhere on the pitch and made 5 key passes in the match, the most by a Madrid player. The most striking thing about his performance was the versatility on display. He looked adept at both defence and attack.
He was running up and down the left flank right until the last minute of the game. His crosses were accurate, intentional and on another day he would have bagged two assists. He won almost all duels with the opposition defenders and he injected some much-needed energy into the Madrid side.
#3 Santiago Solari’s attacking tactics
Last week during his first press conference Santiago Solari said that he realizes the weight of expectations that come up with taking the Real Madrid job, especially after a disastrous Clasico.
He started well with a convincing Copa Del Rey victory and his La Liga debut though not exactly impressive provided some much-needed confidence for players and fans. At the end of the first half, Real Madrid players were booed and things seemed pretty grim once again. Solari decided to go with an all-out attack and decided to comprise defensive midfielder Casemiro for a playmaker in Isco.
This was a very bold move especially considering how Madrid defence has struggled this season. But, Isco brought some much-needed creativity to the Madrid midfield and suddenly there was a lot of goalscoring opportunities. At the 70th minute, Vinicius Jr came in for Asensio and it was his shot that resulted in the first goal. Solari still has a long way to go but this was a decent first outing.
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