MU Shorts
Real Madrid youngster puts in a coming-of-age performance in 4-0 win over Barcelona
Real Madrid’s makeshift left-back Eduardo Camavinga put on a stunning show against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final second-leg clash as Los Blancos cruised to a 4-0 win at Camp Nou.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti was forced to give him a special mention in the post-match conference after the way the youngster carried himself under pressure at Camp Nou.
“He’s very young and he’s in really impressive form, whether he plays at the base of midfield or left-back,” said the manager.
“He played really well up against Rapinha and he’s getting used to that position. He played a top-class game, like all the others. I still think he’s a left-back in emergencies and he gives us another option there,” the Italian added.
For someone who was only used as an ‘emergency’ left-back, a return of 27 defensive actions against league leaders FC Barcelona speaks volume. The story of Camavinga’s dominance against the Blaugrana certainly does not end there.
Camavinga dominates against Barcelona
A deep dive into the statistics of the 20-year-old reveals he was, in fact, the most accurate passer in the game, having finished with an accuracy of 100% (33 passes).
Playing in front of a vocal Camp Nou crowd is always a thing of worry for the opposition, but Camavinga made sure he leaves his mark by winning each of his eight attempted tackles. To put things in perspective, the next player to attempt the most tackles on the night was Toni Kroos (4).
Furthermore, he also won the most duels (10/14) than any other player on the field across both teams. Above all, he also made one last-man tackle that denied Barcelona a goal.
During one of the instances, Raphinha found himself clear on goal, ahead of Camavinga with the ball arriving from the left. As it turns out, the 20-year-old Frenchman somehow got ahead of the Brazilian to make the clearance. And that was one of the seven clearances he made during the game.
A brief look at his heatmap explains that he was not involved in the attack much but despite that, he had a wonderful combination play with Vinicius Jr. on the wing.
In fact, he somehow managed to play five line-breaking passes last night, which was the joint-most return alongside Toni Kroos.
“How good is this Camavinga kid, seriously! I’m lost for words watching him play. The best player on the pitch,” raved BT SPORT pundit Glenn Hoddle (h.t Madrid Xtra).
“He is not even a left back… this is ridiculous he dominated that side. Benzema scored a hat-trick, Vinicius created two goals yet I’m sat here talking about Camavinga, that says a lot,” he added.
Camavinga’s influence can be understood by the fact that Barcelona could not really do much from the left side. Be it Raphinha or Ferran Torres, Camavinga dealt with the threat with relative ease by blocking everything that the Blaugrana tried from the flank.
As a result, he ended up with 66 touches, which was only three fewer than Dani Carvajal and two fewer than Toni Kroos. Given his absolute dominance, Barcelona were forced to move their game centrally, but Madrid’s defence managed to handle the threat.
With renewed energy, Real Madrid approach the summer transfer window oozing optimism. The air in the Spanish capital is filled with anticipation as Los Blancos prepare to embark on a new chapter — one that promises to bring numerous changes and opportunities.
Following the exits of several high profile names, with the most recent departure of Karim Benzema leaving a gargantuan void in the front-line, Madrid are necessitated to act swiftly in the window. They are reportedly set to prepare for a revolutionary summer.
Currently, Los Blancos maintain emphasis on five operations that hold priority. These are as follows:
Jude Bellingham
The English starboy with the world at his feet continues to be one of football’s hottest commodities. Bellingham has amassed considerable interest from Europe’s top sides, but appears to be closest to striking a deal with Real Madrid.
While the player had no shortage of suitors, his desire to play for the Royal Whites has given Madrid a very realistic chance of obtaining the teenage sensation’s signature.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid aspire to complete details of Jude Bellingham’s deal next week. Talks are in the final stages, with add-ons as well as the €100m fixed fee to BVB.
In spite of his high price tag, Bellingham has bedazzled at the tender age of 19, having also won the Bundesliga player of the season. Strengthening the squad with a talent as renowed as him is bound to engender energy in the midfield department next season.
Harry Kane
Karim Benzema’s exit has given rise to several top class strikers being linked with Madrid, but Kane’s name stands out most remarkably. The English forward enjoyed a spectacular season with Tottenham Hotspur, despite the club’s collective shortcomings.
Los Blancos face a whopping price tag of €120 million due to the player’s significance for Spurs, but possess an edge in negotiations, owing to the absence of a direct domestic conflict.
According to Jose Felix Diaz, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is willing to let Harry Kane leave, as long as his next destination is outside of England.
Kane has established himself as one of the world’s most demanded forwards. Interest from Real Madrid particularly makes sense, with how many stylistic similarities he possesses with Benzema.
The forward is adept at dropping deep and linking plays, while also possesses an incredible eye for goal. Kane ended the Premier League season as the second top scorer, scoring 30.
Kai Havertz
The German international appears to already have one foot in the Spanish capital. Havertz has garnered great interest from Perez, who will be tasked with filling a barren front-line, where Rodrygo and Vinicius are the only two forwards remaining at the club.
The 23 year old was signed by a grand figure of €80 million, but failed to live up to expectations. With a difficult period at the English club, Chelsea would not present much resistance if an adequate offer is presented.
However, Chelsea are reportedly demanding Madrid to put a figure of around €60 million to sign Havertz, which by no means is an amount the Merengues throw around lightly.
Still, Havertz has proven to be a talented youngster when the conditions favour him. At Bayer Leverkusen, he soared to incredible heights. The player is also well acquainted with the German players in Madrid’s squad, which will ease the adaptation process.
Alphonso Davies
While Madrid yearn to reconstruct most of their attack, the club have not abandoned the defensive side of the squad and particularly appear interested in bolstering the left-back position, where Davies has emerged as a potential signing.
As Ferland Mendy faces an almost imminent departure or, at the very least, a demotion in the pecking order, Davies looks to be the chosen one to reinforce the area.
The Bayern Munich left-back is one of the world’s most productive full-backs as he has undeniably proven to be one of the Bavarians’ main assets.
According to Spanish outlet MARCA, Madrid have contacted the German side in hopes of sealing a deal. The reported figure is expected to exceed €60-70 million.
Moreover, Alphonso Davies has dual citizenship, Canadian & Liberian and with the Cotonou agreement, he doesn’t take a NON-EU slot in the squad.
Joselu
Joselu has been one of the most mentioned links with Madrid ahead of the summer transfer window. As Madrid are willing to especially beef up their attacking depth, the Espanyol man would prove to be a solid buy.
After bidding farewell to Mariano and Asensio, the need for a reliable back-up striker exists in the squad. In such a context, Joselu would aid the depth department.
The Spaniard ended the league season as the third top scorer, securing an impressive 16 goals. Despite Espanyol’s relegation, he looked to be one of the few bright spots in a struggling side.
To successfully reinforce the squad, Real Madrid aim to create a formidable lineup capable of competing at the highest level. They are targeting both established stars and young individuals, believing that a blend of experience and potential will formulate a well-rounded squad.
Following a bucketload of player exits as well as failures in La Liga and Champions League, the club believe a transformative phase is essential to move forward.
