Real Madrid News
Real Madrid target may have played his last game with Portuguese giants
The FIFA Club World Cup has been full of surprises so far with several European heavyweights facing shocking results at the hands of non-European oppositions.
Real Madrid too faced an unexpected draw in their opening game of the tournament and are now in a virtual must-win game against Pachuca. Another club that has suffered similarly is Benfica.
Having drawn to Boca Juniors on matchday 1, the Portuguese side beat Auckland City by a six-goal margin last night.
However, even that may not be enough to guarantee their progression to the next round for they face Bayern Munich next and could end up tied with Boca after match-day three.
Real Madrid’s target moves closer
As relayed earlier this week, Benfica star Alvaro Carreras was supposed to make the switch to Real Madrid before the Club World Cup.
Delays from the Portuguese side over negotiations, however, saw him registered as a Benfica player in the event.
Now, MARCA relay that once Bruno Lage’s team are eliminated from the event, the full-back could fast-track his departure. His future is still undecided but Real Madrid appears to be the most likely destination if he forces the exit.
His team do indeed have another game in the group stage to try and put their best foot forward to progress. However, Carreras will play no part on the night after he received a suspension for an accumulation of cards.
With the Real Madrid target ruled out for the Bayern Munich clash and the team on the verge of a group-stage exit, there is a good chance that he has already played his final game for Benfica ahead of his transfer. With every passing day, his signing moves closer.
In 32 league appearances in Portugal last season, the young left-back racked up three goals and provided one assist. Further, he averaged one key pass per game and created two big chances.
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.
