Features
Five takeaways from Real Madrid 2-1 Sevilla
The Santiago Bernabeu hosted a thriller of a game in matchday 15 of La Liga as leaders Real Madrid took on an in-form Sevilla. The Andalusian side have been rock-solid this year, and their coherent attack has often found ways to salvage even the most difficult of games.
Yet, it was not enough against Los Blancos on Sunday as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Carlo Ancelotti’s side. Here are five takeaways from the big clash of the weekend.
1. A game of 2 parts
For long parts of the game, the spoils seemed to be shared between the two sides. With both Sevilla and Real Madrid defending deep but going harsh on the counter, one expected a stalemate to follow. Even up until the hour mark, the match followed a see-saw pattern with both sides creating equal opportunities. However, what followed was a domination of the highest order.
With 15 minutes to go, Ancelotti’s side switched to the highest gear. The visitors failed to cope with the sudden change in intensity and began to lose the ball in dangerous areas.
Moreover, the abrupt shift in tempo caught the Sevillan defence off guard as Real Madrid launched wave after wave of potent attacks. The refreshed and rejuvenated men in white took the field by storm and eventually found a winner at the Bernabeu.
2. Mentality of the highest level
The scoring on the night opened as early as the 12th minute through a Sevilla corner. Acuna’s corner was met in the air by a dominant Rafa Mir to give the visitors the lead in the opening minutes of the game. However, Real Madrid’s elite mentality came into play immediately after the goal was conceded.
Instead of the regular response of feeling overwhelmed after conceding, Los Blancos continued to play with the same intensity. There was no dip in the mentality of any player on the field as they constantly looked for ways to come back into the game.
Thibaut Courtois pulled off save after save, the midfield continued to press and break lines with ease and the forwards posed a constant threat to Sevilla’s goal. Ancelotti’s side eventually found a way back into the game and even went ahead in the dying minutes.
3. Benzema the dream
Karim Benzema has been Real Madrid’s best player over the past two seasons. On Sunday, he once again showed why he is one of the best in the business. The Frenchman needed only one shot on the night to make a decisive difference. His goal came in the 32nd minute when he skillfully darted through the Andalusian defence to slot in the ball.
Apart from the goal too, Benzema was magnificent on the night. He recorded one key pass, one successful dribble and two duels won against Julen Lopetegui’s side. Needless to say, he will be a big part of Real Madrid’s title pursuit this season if they are to go on and win the league.
4. Vinicius levels up his game
Despite being a dominant force in the final 15 minutes, the hosts struggled to find a winner until Vinicius’ moment of magic. When all hope seemed lost, the Brazilian wonderkid came up with a stunning goal to give his team all three points.
When all hope seemed lost in the 85th minute, Vinicius lit up the Bernabeu with his lightning-fast feet. After receiving the ball on the left flank, he drifted centrally towards the box. When everyone least expected it, the Brazilian fired an unstoppable curling shot past Bono from outside the area.
The 21-year-old attempted eight dribbles on the night of which he completed three. Despite having a rather silent game until his goal, his outstanding effort in the closing minutes helped his team get past a tricky opposition.
5. A red hot unbeaten streak
With this victory, Real Madrid make six wins in their last six games. The streak started with a win over Elche before the international break, followed by positive results against Shakhtar Donetsk and Rayo Vallecano.
The team returned with a bang against Granada last week in a 4-1 rout of the Spanish side. FC Sheriff Tiraspol were Ancelotti’s next victims as Los Blancos cruised past them in Moldova. The win over Sevilla is the sixth consecutive win.
However, daunting challenges lie ahead in Athletic Club and Real Sociedad. The two basque sides are seldom easy to beat, especially in away games. Moreover, Inter Milan lay next on the schedule after the Basque duo. Needless to say, Ancellotti has his work cut out for him in the coming month.
Real Madrid made a mess of their game against Elche last night, and it is clear that the men in white have several flaws with no answers at the moment.
From being 2-0 up, the men in white bottled their lead and threw the game into jeopardy by permitting Elche to score two goals. The result, as many saw it, was set to end in a draw.
With some persistent attacks in the dying minutes, however, Real Madrid managed to build pressure on Elche and eventually scored one more goal at the death to take home the three points.
Needless to say, however, the negatives from the game far outweigh the positive news of the three points.
Madrid Universal brings you three takeaways from Elche 2-3 Real Madrid.
Another second-half collapse
After Real Madrid’s win over Rayo Vallecano at the weekend, Jose Mourinho stressed the fact that Real Madrid actually played only one half and that the fatigue began showing after the break.
On the night, the opposition began to enjoy more dominance and create chances after half-time as they outran and outpressed Los Blancos to good effect.
Last night was no different, and the second half went completely awry.
The men in white entered the half-time break cruising with a 2-0 lead and significant dominance over the proceedings. They had a massive xG, with Elche barely creating any chances of note.
After the break, however, the entire dynamic of the game changed as Real Madrid took a step back and handed the impetus to the hosts. Pressing high and attacking without fear, Elche dominated Real Madrid for most of the second half and had a staggering 60% of possession.
They scored twice – in the 71st and 83rd minutes – and equalised Real Madrid on the night. Given the visitors’ shambolic display, it was deserved for Elche.
At this point, the constant second-half collapses and fatigue struggles of the team after just 45 minutes of action must worry Jose Mourinho immensely. Heading into a derby away from home, Real Madrid have to do much better.
The away curse continues
While Real Madrid’s form at home has been imperious this season, their form away from home has been equally shocking.
They began their season with a last-minute win over Espanyol, and their second league game of the season on the road came against Real Betis and ended in defeat.
Heading into their third away game last night, there was an element of worry about how they would perform, and the trend continued once more.
Real Madrid did well to take the lead on the night, but they made the second half a massive war and far more difficult than it should have been.
At this point, serious questions have to be raised about Real Madrid’s form on the road and their inability to keep games under control when playing in away stadiums.
Heading forward in the season, Los Blancos have some massive away games coming up against far more difficult opposition. The Madrid derby is up next, and the team’s form is nothing promising heading into that fixture.
Carlos Espi saves the day… again!
Real Madrid are currently on 15 points after six games in the league, but Carlos Espi has directly contributed to a massive chunk of that.
If not for the new Spanish striker’s ability to come up clutch in big moments, Real Madrid could well have been on just 11 points at this stage in the season, and the four points he has added are absolutely crucial.
Against Espanyol, it was Espi who scored a stoppage-time winner to hand Real Madrid all three points after a complicated match. Last night, he repeated the same heroics once more.
With the team staring at a draw, the new signing was at the right place at the right time to bury Kylian Mbappe’s assist in stoppage time, handing Real Madrid all three points at the death.
He may not have played a large part on the night, but his cameo was again powerful and it is clear that he elevates the team’s attack and provides new solutions in front of goal. Espi has already proven his talent, and his ability to perform under pressure is what makes him special.
