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Real Madrid 2-1 Osasuna: Player Ratings | Copa del Rey final
Real Madrid and Osasuna faced off at Estadio de La Cartuja late on Saturday night in the finale of the Copa del Rey. However, the clash meant more to Carlo Ancelotti’s side than the mere silverware on the line.
The Cup has been elusive to the Santiago Bernabeu in recent years but it was theirs to lose this time around. More importantly, the Merengues were chasing some vital momentum heading into the UCL semifinal tie against Manchester City.
Los Blancos stole the early lead in the final through Rodrygo and appeared to be in the driver’s seat until Osasuna’s rocket equaliser in the second period. In the end, a second goal for the Brazilian protege sealed the deal.
Madrid Universal brings you the player ratings from Real Madrid 2-1 Osasuna.
Thibaut Courtois: 8
Far from a simple day in the office for Thibaut Courtois who was regularly forced into the important involvement. Made multiple saves in the first half and the early part of the second half but stood no chance against Lucas Torro’s bullet equaliser.
Daniel Carvajal: 8.5
The Spaniard dished out a top-class performance in defence for large parts and even came up clutch with a clearance off the line in the first half to deny Osasuna an equaliser. Partially to blame for the eventual goal conceded, however, as he left Abde free on the wing to deliver the assist.
Eder Militao: 8
Carried the crest with his everything on the occasion of the Copa del Rey final and put up a resilient performance against the Pamplona based-side. Completed the game with 14 defensive actions.
David Alaba: 8
The Austrian, who was initially not supposed to be fit for the cup final, started against Osasuna and had some big moments. Alaba hit the crossbar from a free-kick attempt in the first half in addition to a masterclass in distribution and some solid defensive involvements.
Eduardo Camavinga: 7
The Frenchman started on the left side of defence once again but was far from the level he showed in previous games. Looked dull in the final third on the night with some hard-fought duels being his solace.
Federico Valverde: 8
The Uruguayan was the star in midfield for Los Blancos as he not only controlled the tempo but dictated the proceedings in Luka Modric’s absence. He was immaculate with his passing accuracy and invaluable off the ball.
Aurelien Tchouameni: 8.5
The French international received a long pending start in the Cup final and showed the world why he is so highly rated. Tchouameni was splendid on the night, completing a whopping 98% of his passes and providing two key passes. Further, he had eight defensive actions.
Toni Kroos: 7
The German international had a big part to play in Real Madrid’s second goal of the night but that was just a speck in his great cup final showing. Kroos may not have been flashy with his skills or contributions, but his mere intelligence and interpretation of the game steered the team out of adversity on numerous occasions.
Rodrygo Goes: 10
The star of the night. Rodrygo Goes is a gem of the highest order and Real Madrid must do everything possible to keep him polished.
It was simply impossible to keep the youngster away from the ball and the goal against Osasuna. He saw the big occasion, stepped up and wrote his name in history as he single-handedly led the fight in the final third.
His opener in the second minute showed a special understanding of spaces and combination play while his second of the night was yet another case of being at the right place at the right time.
Karim Benzema: 8
Karim Benzema did not get on the scoresheet against Osasuna but it was not for a lack of effort. The Frenchman was a constant threat to Sergio Herrera’s goal, as he recorded one shot on target, two shots blocked and two key passes.
Vinicius Jr: 8.5
The Brazilian can boast to have created and assisted Rodrygo’s opening goal through skill and pace. His early contribution set the for the rest of his ninety minutes as he finished with a staggering eight successful and fourteen attempted dribbles.
SUBSTITUTES:
Antonio Rudiger: 7
The German replaced Tchouameni in the 70th minute. Considering that Real Madrid regained the lead seconds after he came on, his primary role on the night was to defend the lead.
Luka Modric: 7
The Croatian magician did indeed return from his hamstring injury on the night and came on for Kroos late in the game. Did not do much wrong after coming on.
Real Madrid will walk down the tunnel of Santiago Bernabeu one last time this season on Sunday night. The men in white are pitted against Athletic Club on their final match-day, and the game will not be an easy affair by any means.
The Basque side sit in seventh place on the league standings with 50 points in 37 appearances. However, their qualification for the UEFA Conference League is in danger with Osasuna lurking close behind with an equal number of points.
Anything less than a win could prove insufficient for the visitors and it is clear that they arrive at Santiago Bernabeu with nothing less than a win on their agenda. Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Bilbao.
1. The end of an era for the number 9 shirt?
The grey area around Karim Benzema’s future has only widened in recent days. From a situation where his continuity at Real Madrid was taken for granted, it did not take long for the Frenchman’s story to enter a steep deviation.
An economically tempting proposal from Saudi Arabia had Benzema seriously contemplating a move away from Santiago Bernabeu, and reports stated that his departure from the Spanish club was close to complete.
The world, thus, looked in anticipation of his next official interaction with the media. The Ballon d’Or winner publicly addressed the topic for the first time earlier this week, and it is safe to say that his words gave nothing away.
Benzema neither confirmed nor completely refuted the rumours of his exit to the media. His situation is balanced on the blade of a knife and could tip in either direction.
In that sense, there is a good chance that tomorrow’s clash at Santiago Bernabeu is Karim Benzema’s final game for Real Madrid. If the striker does choose to change loyalties, it would mark the end of an era for the team’s number nine position.
It has been over a decade since the Frenchman took over the prestigious kit. He has played 647 games for the club so far in his career, scoring a stunning 353 goals in the process. Of them, 98 have been match-winning contributions.
2. A day of farewells
Earlier today, Real Madrid announced the departure of Marco Asensio from the club. The Spanish winger appears set to sign for PSG for the 2023-24 season and will bid adieu on Sunday. However, he will not be the only player playing his final game for the club tomorrow.
Nacho Fernandez has been a critical part of Real Madrid’s success in recent years but is another name close to sealing an exit. The defender is not satisfied with the playing time under his belt at the club and has not yet responded to the renewal offer on his table.
With his contract running out in less than 30 days, he appears closer to leaving than staying. One can expect an announcement from Nacho on Sunday night after the game at the Bernabeu, which could be his final game in white.
The situation with Dani Ceballos is quite similar. The Spanish midfielder is still undecided on his future, although there is still a slight chance he could continue at the club. Staying on the subject of players making their final appearance, however, he could be one on the list.
Away from the stories of incomplete renewal negotiations, Mariano Diaz is one player whose departure from the club is confirmed. Ferland Mendy, Jesus Vallejo, Alvaro Odriozola and Eden Hazard are some of the other candidates well-placed to make departures, although nothing can be said for sure.
3. A tight race for second place
There is not much to play for on Sunday night except for the emotional tag of it being the season’s final game. Yet, the men in white will not be without an objective against Athletic Club.
Los Blancos sit on 77 points in 37 league appearances this season and just have a one-point lead over third-placed Atletico Madrid. Needless to say, they must be vary of their position on the standings for any complacency could see them drop down the ladder.
Diego Simeone’s men take on fifth-placed Villarreal at the same time as Real Madrid’s game against Athletic Club. Even if Carlo Ancelotti’s men settle for a draw against the Basque side, the second place would be Atletico Madrid’s to lose.
With both games kicking off simultaneously, there will be nerves throughout the ninety minutes in Madrid. One can only hope for action-filled games to keep the anxiety and adrenaline high.
