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Three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Girona | La Liga MD 31
Real Madrid are wounded after back-to-back defeats and will be looking to get back to winning ways once more when they take to the field on Friday.
Los Blancos have one game nestled between the two legs of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals against Bayern Munich, and it is Girona they face on Friday night at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Notably, Michel’s side held Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw when they met earlier this season and it was only a penalty by Kylian Mbappe that helped the team equalise Azzedine Ounahi’s opening strike.
This time around, they will look to take revenge although they must do so with great care so as to not damage any of their chances in the massive game next week.
Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Girona.
No room to slip up
Coming back from the international break, Real Madrid has lost two out of two games. While the recent one to Bayern Munich was understandable given the quality of the opponent, the result against Mallorca was a shocker.
Having dropped three points, Real Madrid took a massive blow to their hopes in the league title race, one where they already trailed Barcelona by four points.
With the Catalans beating Atletico Madrid in La Liga, they now have a seven-point lead over Real Madrid, and with just eight games to go, have one hand on the trophy already.
At this point, Los Blancos are hanging in the title race by a thread and any further slip-up will see them definitively out of the running. The game against Girona, thus, is critical.
While Real Madrid would have loved to have some breathing space ahead of the second leg against Bayern Munich, they simply cannot afford any further slip-ups in La Liga, and balancing both objectives becomes a difficult task.
Rotations are a must
As important as it is for Real Madrid to take the win on Friday night, there is barely any doubt that they will see the UCL game against Bayern Munich as their primary priority.
Alvaro Arbeloa, thus, will undoubtedly look to hand his starters some rest on the night, and the only question is around the extent to which he will rotate.
Given how it is important to secure a result against Girona as well, it becomes critical that the manager does not go overboard with his rotations and strikes the right balance. After all, Girona already took two points off Real Madrid earlier this season.
For starters, the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger and possibly even Alvaro Carreras can start on the bench given the availability of quality alternative options. All three, after all, have good chances of starting midweek.
In midfield, the likes of Federico Valverde and Arda Guler could benefit from some rest and Aurelien Tchouameni can be handed a bigger role. After all, the Frenchman is suspended for the reverse fixture against Bayern Munich.
Whether or not the coach sees Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. as starters against Girona remains another massive decision, one that can potentially change the direction the result flows.
Two stars to make a case
Two big names who did not start Real Madrid’s game against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu were Jude Bellingham and Eder Militao – both of whom were coming back from injuries.
The decision to start Militao on the bench was taken keeping in mind his fragile fitness in recent times and the need to avoid a relapse. After he came on, however, the team’s defensive performance immediately improved on the night.
Bellingham, on the other hand, was benched in favour of Thiago Pitarch despite reportedly having been completely fit and ready for the game. The manager’s decision infuriated him, and he will be pumped to show why he deserves to be an undisputed starter.
Arbeloa has already confirmed that Bellingham and Militao will be starting against Girona and both will be looking for statement performances to deliver.
With the reverse fixture against Bayern Munich just days away, their performance on Friday may directly impact their participation and starting berth at the Allianz Arena. The special night it may well be, both will not wish to miss out on a place in the XI.
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.
