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Three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs RCD Mallorca
Four games into the season and Real Madrid are the only perfect side in La Liga. It does not require much more to understand the explosive start Carlo Ancelotti’s side have enjoyed this term.
The men in white thrashed Celtic midweek and started their UCL title defence with a bang. They return to the Santiago Bernabeu tomorrow to face off against the league’s 12th-placed side, RCD Mallorca.
Javier Aguirre’s men currently sit on five points and have won only one of their four games. Of their other three fixtures, they drew two and lost one.
With another UCL clash in less than a week’s time, Los Blancos cannot afford to lose their momentum. A win on Sunday would not only keep them high in spirits but also safeguard their lead over Barcelona.
Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Sunday’s early kick-off.
1. How will Vinicius carry on without Benzema
The best teams, indeed, do not rely on individual brilliance to win games. However, there is always that one player who provides something extra and makes a difference regularly.
For Real Madrid, that player is Karim Benzema. If one were to go back to last season’s records, they would find that Los Blancos’ worst periods of the term coincided with the Frenchman’s absence. Even in the preseason, Carlo Ancelotti’s side lost their only game without Benzema.
The striker’s role at Real Madrid goes far beyond just scoring goals. His involvement in pressing the opposition, in the buildup and as a captain on the field is invaluable.
Benzema seemed to be picking up after a slow start to the season, but the joy was short-lived as he was forced off with a knee injury against Celtic. Reports suggest that the veteran will face around two weeks on the sidelines and will miss tomorrow’s clash in the process.
The focus lights will now shine brighter on the team’s next most potent attacker- Vinicius Jr. The Brazilian’s game has levelled up significantly over the past year and has become a terror for opposition defences.
In just four La Liga games so far, he has scored three goals and provided one assist. Moreover, he opened his season’s tally in the UEFA Champions League against Celtic. With all eyes on him on Sunday, the youngster will look to show that he can lead Real Madrid’s attack on his own.
2. A new role for Eden Hazard
Karim Benzema’s unavailability opens up a starting spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s lineup against Mallorca. The manager confirmed in his press conference that Eden Hazard would take that place and added that he would play as a false nine.
Not only is this a change for the Belgian star’s role but also for the team’s overall formation. The new setup will see two strikers in Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo, supported from the halfspaces by Eden Hazard.
Such a formation will reduce the width of the team in attack as it sees no direct wingers in action. The Belgian International will thus be crucial on the night as the creative core of the team.
It will be the first time Hazard is starting a game for Real Madrid in 231 days, and he will look to make the most of his chance. The 31-year-old has endured a difficult time since his arrival from Chelsea, and this could well be his final shot at making it big at the club of his dreams.
3. Antonio Rudiger’s window of opportunity
When the news of Antonio Rudiger’s transfer arrived to Spain, it seemed clear that the German would be a regular starter for Real Madrid. It was thought that he would replace David Alaba in central defence, with the Austrian international moving to left-back.
However, the reality was far different from the expectation. Rudiger’s first few weeks at the club have been difficult, and he has started just two of Los Blancos’ six games so far. In his 200 minutes so far in La Liga, the German has averaged less than four defensive actions per game.
The manager has stuck with his tried and tested combination of Alaba and Militao so far, and continues to persist with Ferland Mendy as the left-back. For that to change, the 29-year-old will have to prove his worth to Ancelotti.
Luckily for him, that chance comes as early as Sunday. Militao’s thigh injury has ruled him out of action for at least the next two games, and Rudiger is best placed to replace the Brazilian defender. He will start against Mallorca alongside Alaba and will look to stitch up a special performance.
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.
