Real Madrid News
Real Madrid’s worrying away problem exposed by dramatic 57% drop in goals – report
Real Madrid find themselves in a less-than-ideal situation in La Liga, sitting six points behind league leaders Barcelona at a very early stage of the season.
Los Blancos have lost two games so far, to Real Betis and Atletico Madrid, and Mourinho has some work to do with his squad during the international break.
The team have looked capable of overwhelming opponents at the Santiago Bernabeu this season. Take Mourinho’s side away from home, however, and the transformation has been alarming.
According to Diario AS, Madrid have played four matches at home and four away this season. Their Bernabeu record consists of four victories, while every away fixture has developed into either a defeat or a desperate late escape.
Madrid are scoring 57 per cent fewer goals away
The difference is particularly striking in attack.
Madrid have scored 20 goals across their opening eight matches, with 14 coming at the Bernabeu. They hit four against Real Sociedad, Malaga and Rayo Vallecano, while also beating Inter 2-1.
Away from home, Madrid have managed only six goals. Mourinho’s side lost 1-0 at Real Betis and 2-1 against Atletico Madrid.
Their two victories were hardly convincing either. Carlos Espi needed a 90th-minute winner to secure a 2-1 victory over Espanyol before rescuing Madrid again in the 91st minute of a chaotic 3-2 win at Elche.
The consequence of this is a remarkable stat: Madrid are scoring 57 per cent fewer goals away from the Bernabeu.
The chances are still being created
The difference in numbers is not simply because Madrid are becoming passive away from home.
They have attempted 79 shots across four home matches, compared with 69 away. That works out at 19.75 attempts per home game and 17.25 on the road.
The bigger discrepancy comes in accuracy. Madrid have produced 38 shots on target at home, compared with only 23 away.
That means Mourinho’s team are still getting into shooting situations, but the quality and efficiency of those attacks deteriorate considerably outside the Bernabeu.
Four games is a large enough sample size for a pattern to be emerging.
Mourinho must solve this problem before brutal fixture run
Madrid will soon face four consecutive away matches against Barcelona, Racing Santander, AEK Athens and Valencia because of the NFL event being staged at the Bernabeu.
While there is still a while to go before that fixture run arrives, Mourinho needs to be proactive in handling this weakness before it becomes a decisive problem.
Madrid are already six points behind Barcelona. They cannot keep relying on stoppage-time interventions from Espi whenever an away performance leaves a lot to be desired.
Mourinho has built a team capable of looking dominant at the Bernabeu. His next challenge is making them equally potent on the road.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho considering starting 23-year-old Real Madrid ace against Villarreal – report
After impressing during the international break, Eduardo Camavinga has a major opportunity to establish himself in Real Madrid’s midfield rotation.
Indeed, according to Defensa Central, Jose Mourinho is considering starting the Frenchman against Villarreal, with injuries and doubts over several players limiting his options.
Real Madrid cannot afford to drop points against Villarreal if they want to remain in the title race. However, Mourinho has issues to deal with in the squad, which could lead him to turn to Camavinga for a crucial role.
Camavinga could replace Tchouameni in midfield
The 23-year-old star could line up as the defensive midfielder in the double pivot, with Bernardo Silva or Arda Guler alongside him, and will be tasked with providing balance in midfield.
Real Madrid face Villarreal with several problems in central defence. Ibrahima Konate is expected to be a late call, leading Mourinho to consider moving Aurelien Tchouameni into defence alongside Antonio Rudiger.
Meanwhile, Federico Valverde could also struggle to be ready after the ankle injury he sustained in the derby before the international break.
The Uruguayan has continued to work individually away from the group and might return to group training tomorrow. Even then, his readiness to start remains in question.
That would leave a place open in midfield, with Camavinga in line to fill in.
Camavinga impressed during the international break
Camavinga has started only one match this season, the defeat against Real Betis.
Despite his limited opportunities, Mourinho is keen to bring the Frenchman back into the fold after he impressed for France during the international break.
Zinedine Zidane called the Real Madrid star up for his first France squad, and the midfielder performed well during the break.
That has given Mourinho and Real Madrid reason to be optimistic about using him against Villarreal, with the hope that he can move closer to the level he showed after first arriving at the club.
Therefore, the Villarreal match could represent an important test for Camavinga and a chance for the Frenchman to show that he can provide the balance Real Madrid need in midfield.
