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Three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Alaves | La Liga MD 32
Real Madrid put up a performance to be proud of for the greater part of the game against Bayern Munich last week, especially taking into consideration the team’s poor form heading into the game.
In the end, however, an unnecessary red card and a late collapse undid all the work Los Blancos put in and saw them get eliminated from the UEFA Champions League in the quarterfinal stage.
Tomorrow night, they will take to the field for the first time since that elimination as they face Deportivo Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The atmosphere at the home stadium, needless to say, will not be a pleasant one given the team’s recent results but Alvaro Arbeloa’s men will be desperate to turn their situation around against the league’s 17th-placed side.
Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Deportivo Alaves.
And then there was one
Real Madrid’s season took a turn for the worse after the international break, one that has seen them virtually out of all competitions in a matter of weeks.
The UEFA Champions League and La Liga were the two remaining competitions in which Los Blancos were alive ahead of the last hiatus.
Having faced elimination from Europe against Bayern Munich over two legs, however, Real Madrid are now alive only in one competition – and that too seems to be a formality.
In that sense, Real Madrid’s season is all but over as they now have to play only the remaining league fixtures hoping for a miracle in the competition. Nine points behind Barcelona with seven games to go, the chances are near zero.
Los Blancos, in that sense, are set for another season without major trophies, setting a rather gloomy situation ahead of the summer transfer window.
There is hope for a miraculous turnaround in the league, but Barcelona are unlikely to go on a tilt and Real Madrid will have to play their remaining games in the competition with virtually no goals.
Worst run in a long time
Real Madrid’s form since returning from the international break has been despicable, so much so that the numbers take one back several years to find an equally poor run of form.
The Merengues have played four games since the return of club football after the break. Of them, they have somehow even failed to win a single game.
Barring a draw against Girona, all of Real Madrid’s games after the break have been defeats, leaving them winless in four straight games across all competitions.
To draw perspective on how poor that run is for the club, the last time they endured a comparable run of form was back in September to October of 2018 when they went five straight games without a win with four defeats under Julen Lopetegui.
The damage is indeed already done, and the four poor results have shut down all potential routes to a trophy. However, there is an urgent need to turn the situation around, at least for the club’s reputation.
Seven games remain in the season, and while there is nothing left to fight for, finishing with wins would be massive for the players, the management, and the administration.
Players on alert
The season may be complete in terms of the squad’s hunt for silverware, but there is a lot left for the players to play for – in fact possibly even more than before.
Real Madrid have seven games to go, but their inability to win a major title for the second straight season implies that massive changes are incoming in the summer.
Reports have already begun to float in about Los Blancos’ revamp and how the administration is looking to trim the squad by doing away with players who are not living up to the billing.
No one, on that front, is safe and every game from this point will be an audition for every player representing the club’s crest for a place in the squad next season.
The likes of Ferland Mendy, Fran Garcia, Dani Carvajal, Dani Ceballos, Eduardo Camavinga, and Brahim Diaz are some of the names that stand out as players who may potentially be forced out who will all look to step up.
Beyond the aforementioned list too, however, it is safe to say that very few Real Madrid players, if any, are truly safe. There is, thus, a lot to play for from the players’ perspective as they head into the final run of the season.
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.
