El pais real madrid

atlético de madridfootball club

The Merengue side did not do badly in their retirement from Di Stéfano. In the silence imposed by the pandemic, barely broken by the indications of the missing Sergio Ramos, they won a League (2019-20) and stepped again in the Champions League semifinals. In total, 31 matches with better statistics than in the previous 31 duels played at the Castellana: more matches won (23-18), fewer drawn (4-6) and lost (4-7), with fewer goals scored (60-65) and far fewer conceded (23-38).

With the new arrivals (Alaba – down against Celta due to an overload – and Camavinga) in the observatory, in reality the big variation from the team that left the stadium on March 1, 2020 are those who are no longer there. Among those who stayed, not much has changed either. Neither in their assets (Benzema, Courtois and the magic formula in the middle) nor in their liabilities: the youth squad has not finished hitting its stride, two big shots (Isco and Marcelo) have not been able to stop their slump and Hazard is still trying to reset his life.

real madrid confidential

Having recovered and won their postponed match against Athletic, Real Madrid consolidates its position at the top of La Liga on the eve of two direct matches against its closest pursuers: Real Sociedad and Atletico, whom they already lead by seven points, although Simeone’s side have played a game less. Sevilla, also with a game to make up against Barcelona, is eight points ahead of them and Atletico 13.

All cold and real data that repeatedly do not coincide with the footballing sensations given off by Ancelotti’s team that, in almost every game, suffers dangerous disconnections, a drop in tension, which leaves it at the mercy of the opponent of the day and in which it survives thanks to its individualities. To the saves of Courtois (42 with an average of 2.8 per game and high percentage of decisive actions) and the goals of Benzema (12 goals and 11 assists) and Vinicius (9/3), all supported by the bursts of inspiration of Modric and Kroos, who are never lacking, even if they do not arrive with the desired continuity.

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And if they called the roll, they found that my seat was empty. And this was the match I had marked in red to return to San Mames, to my place that I still don’t know because after the already forgotten works of the change of field I haven’t had the chance to meet us. I do not know if it will happen to any of you but there is a certain apprehension inside my head, a certain reluctance, a certain fear, perhaps because of excess of responsibility or information or apprehension, or all together, but it was seeing all the red and white shirts that filled Bilbao this Wednesday to go closing the chapter of purchases and, at the same time, warming up for the night’s match and, suddenly, my mind activated a warning light and I began to think seriously about the option of watching the match from home, from where never, never, never, never, a match of this kind is the real match. Ever. But my head won over my heart and I stayed at home, proving that the mind also has reasons that the heart does not understand.

the barca country

Courtois, Dani Carvajal, Alaba, Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Modric, Casemiro (Camavinga, min. 64), Kroos (Federico Valverde, min. 80), Rodrygo (Marco Asensio, min. 80), Benzema (Jovic, min. 16) and Vinicius Junior.

Until the Jovic moment, for moments, the duel at the Reale was reminiscent of the old Atocha of nights of mud and epic. Today there is no more mud in these stadiums as cathedrals. But there are still matches in combustion, fought to the bone. A fight for every breath. One breaststroke after another. No one was shy there, neither the eternal Kroos and Modric nor the novices Guevara and Zubimendi, rebelled against the opponent’s nomenclature.

Real felt the jolt. So much so that their solid rearguard was unable to contain Casemiro, who headed in a corner kick from Kroos. Jovic, the most rogue, finished off Remiro. That was the moment when Real, dumbfounded by the intrusive Jovic, broke down. They had never had any contact with Isak and Sorloth and had barely had any sign of Oyarzabal, but with the 0-2 score they were left without scaffolding. Suddenly, out in the open. Imanol’s changes did not give him any momentum. Meanwhile, Ancelotti, who squeezes his praetorian guard so much, was able to manage the times. For example, protect Casemiro from the card that would have discounted him from the derby next weekend. And give an air to Kroos, whose observatory is capital.

Gerardo Olivares