Real Madrid News
Eden Hazard orchestrates the move for his goal by giving mid-game advice to Carvajal
Real Madrid’s defence of their UEFA Champions League crown was off to a great start as they defeated Scottish giants Celtic 3-0 away at Parkhead.
It was not the most comfortable of wins for Los Blancos as the scoreline might indicate as Celtic pushed and probed hard in the first half which ended goalless.
However, Real Madrid stepped it up a notch after the break to cruise to a crucial victory, even though they were without star man Karim Benzema, who had been taken off with an injury.
Vinicius Junior got the ball rolling before Luka Modric doubled the Merengues‘ lead. The third goal came from Eden Hazard, the man who was sent on to replace the injured Benzema.
The Belgian international has made a slow start to the season and was low on confidence after the penalty miss against Celta Vigo a couple of weeks back.
However, he looked in good touch at Celtic Park and made things happen on the pitch, before finding the back of the net, which was the cherry on top. Apart from putting the ball into the net, Hazard had a key involvement in the buildup to his goal.
It was the 31-year-old who instructed right-back Dani Carvajal to make a forward run into the box, which was then found by Toni Kroos’ sublime pass. And Carvajal squared it up for Hazard to tap in and make it 3-0. It was his first goal from open play in the Champions League in five years.
Hazard points to Carvajal to make the run.
— Hazard Xtra. (@HazardXtra) September 7, 2022
Then he shields the defender to keep Carvajal onside.
Attacks the space and scores a goal.
Brilliant @hazardeden10 💫 pic.twitter.com/xyp7kDclCz
Hazard’s return to goalscoring form bodes well for Real Madrid as Benzema is likely to miss out against RCD Mallorca this weekend in La Liga.
After three successive wins to start the season, a 1-0 loss to Real Betis came as a reality check for Real Madrid, who are still some way off matching the quality and consistency of Barcelona.
In light of the defeat, the Real Madrid coaching staff is analysing the best way to get the most out of the current setup.
More expected from Valverde
According to Defensa Central, one of the key conclusions drawn from the Betis defeat is that Real Madrid need greater involvement from Federico Valverde with the ball.
The Uruguayan has been deployed as the pivot, largely due to the absence of the injured Aurelien Tchouameni, but he is yet to make the step up in quality the team requires from that role.
While his effort and commitment are never in doubt, Mourinho and his staff, led by Sami Khedira, feel Valverde spends too much time positioned behind the opposition’s midfield line.
As a result, he fails to offer passing lanes to his teammates when they are under pressure, forcing them into hurried, aimless clearances rather than playing out cleanly from the back.
That concern has already been communicated to Valverde, who is still adapting to a position he has never truly played, making the challenge all the more difficult for him.
A collective issue to fix
However, the problem is not Valverde’s alone, with the coaching staff identifying a wider issue in the team’s structure.
Khedira has reportedly noted a certain passivity from the attackers in the videos of the match, particularly Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe, when it comes to offering themselves as the ball transitions from midfield into attacking areas.
That lack of movement compounds the difficulties for the deeper midfielders.
Mourinho, for his part, remains unfazed by the departure of Rodri to Barcelona, insisting his squad has the tools to cope.
“I’m not missing Rodri. We have solutions, we have quality,” the Portuguese said, before adding that he backs his ability to improve players.
With a Champions League opener against Inter Milan on the horizon, Mourinho and his staff will be keen to iron out these issues quickly.
