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Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid endured another disappointing result on Sunday afternoon, this time losing 2-1 to Espanyol in La Liga. After their thumping 6-1 win over Mallorca on the 23rd of September, many expected Real Madrid to ascend to the top of La Liga. The next 10 days have seen them drop four points in two La Liga games, forcing most Real Madrid supporters into disbelief.
On Sunday, Real Madrid's players were outdone by an energized Espanyol outfit who never looked nervous while taking the game to the mighty visitors. Espanyol struck in the first half through former Real Madrid man Raul de Tomas and later saw Aleix Vidal double their advantage.
Karim Benzema, the player of the match, pulled one back for Real Madrid, but even the Frenchman was unable to complete the turnaround.
Many Real Madrid players were below par in the 2-1 defeat, but the five we have noted below were beyond redemption. Now without further ado, let us get to it!
#5 Luka Modric
2018 Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric is one of the best in the world on his day. On Sunday, he was having one of his worst days in La Liga. The Croatian captain was fielded alongside Eduardo Camavinga and Toni Kroos in the middle of the park. Without Casemiro acting as the anchor, Modric was often the most reserved player in Real Madrid's midfield.
Being overburdened with defensive responsibilities was not the only reason behind his disastrous outing at Espanyol. He also looked completely spent and in desperate need of rest. He failed to chase Espanyol players on the counters and could not put in the shift Real Madrid required when surging forward during attacks.
The 36-year-old needs to take a week off to recharge his batteries or else Real Madrid are looking at a sequel to their trophyless 2020-21 campaign.
#4 Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos is arguably the best midfielder in La Liga. His performance on Sunday, however, did not do justice to his lofty standards. The German has been suffering from Pubis bone irritation since the start of the season and made his first La Liga appearance for Madrid since recovering. However, judging by the way he performed, we suspect he needed a longer rehabilitation period.
Kroos maintained his passing accuracy at Espanyol but his deliveries, especially from inviting positions, were not satisfactory. His corners were also incredibly predictable and failed to trouble the goalkeeper. He was visibly fatigued in the second half and was immediately taken off in favor of Casemiro after Espanyol’s second goal.
#3 Thibaut Courtois
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been one of the team’s best performers since 2019. This season, too, he has been instrumental in keeping the opposition at bay more often than once. On Sunday, however, he cut a frustrating figure at the RCDE Stadium.
He collected the ball a couple of times and even made a save before Raul de Tomas put Espanyol ahead in the 17th minute. Adrian Embarba’s cross should have been cleared by defenders to begin with, but Courtois could have also done better to defend his goal.
After being beaten at the near post for the first goal, he was once again undone by Vidal in the second half. Vidal’s shot was venomous, of course, but Courtois should have done better to defend the near post.
A keeper of his caliber cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes, especially over the course of a single match. Like Modric, the Belgian must also sort his head out and try to bounce back after the international break.
#2 Vinicius Jr
Alongside Karim Benzema, Vinicius Jr was slowly emerging as Real Madrid’s most potent attacking option. However, over the last three matches, his spark seems to have faded, with the young Brazilian once again showing signs of two-mindedness.
His runs down the left-hand channel were impressive against Espanyol, but the opposition defenders thwarted most of his efforts. When released, Vinicius produced a couple of encouraging touches inside the area, but failed to pull the trigger when he needed to.
The player has often struggled with a lack of confidence in the final third, and it was visible on Sunday afternoon. Ancelotti must find a way to bring Vinicius’ confidence back, making him as potent as he was until the sixth matchday in La Liga.
#1 Nacho Fernandez
The departures of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane were always going to be difficult to swallow for Real Madrid, especially without the acquisition of a proper centre-back. A good string of performances from Eder Militao and Nacho Fernandez last season encouraged the club to take the leap anyway.
Inevitably, the duo have lost their purple patch this season and are now struggling to guard Real Madrid’s goal. Nacho, who has been at the club for more than a decade, has been disappointing in all fixtures this season.
On Sunday, he was immensely responsible for Espanyol’s second goal, allowing Vidal to nutmeg him en route to doubling the hosts’ advantage.
His form has to be Real Madrid’s biggest concern, at least until January. He looks lost without the guidance of Ramos and we are not sure whether Real Madrid can win silverware with Nacho as their primary centre-back.
