What would the Champions League, even in its revamped version, be like without remontadas from its most celebrated asset? Real Madrid were able to pull off a 3-2 win vs Manchester City at the Etihad to take a sizeable advantage back to the Santiago Bernabeu. Here are three observations from the beautiful match.
Real Madrid’s right side
Lucas Vazquez, who has become Real Madrid’s right-back for the entire season, had been ruled out a couple of days before the Manchester City clash. There was only one option left — start Fede Valverde in defense. And, as it happened on Tuesday, Real Madrid looked the most secure they have ever looked defensively since Dani Carvajal’s injury, and a lot of that was due to Valverde’s shift at right-back.
It makes you think, doesn’t it? Real Madrid do not have a right-back, and yet they keep insisting on starting a right-winger there all the time when it clearly does not work. And the only other alternative (besides looking at Castilla) is to start the best central midfielder the club has in his place. Of course, that is only until Vazquez returns. And he will, at some point, take over the right-back spot.
But what if he didn’t? What if Valverde stayed as the right-back in all of Real Madrid’s big games until they signed another fullback or until Carvajal returned from injury? Of course, Vazquez will start in most games where a lot of coverage may not be required. But, having Valverde at right-back in big games gives Real Madrid the solidity they have desperately craved all season. Except for the goal conceded, almost none of the attacks that Real Madrid faced came from the right side. Valverde was a relieving breath of fresh air at right-back, and it felt like a dream no one wanted to wake up from.
Real Madrid will obviously lose something in midfield if Valverde is not there — more on that later — but they will also gain something in defense, and in some cases, that may be the deciding factor in Real Madrid’s big games this season.
Tchouameni and Asencio’s best game together
They have not been rolling together for long, but Real Madrid’s makeshift defensive pairing gave out their best performance together, and it was not even close.
As shocking as it is to say, fans were more worried about Tchouameni’s performance than they were about Asencio’s. The Spaniard has been great since getting promoted to the first team, but even then it was one of the best games I have seen him have as a Real Madrid player.
For Tchouameni, it is a bit more complex to analyse. Tchouameni has had great games in the past, in this very fixture too, but given how much he has been struggling this season, it was high time that the player got his mojo back. And he did.
Tchouameni gave his best performance at centre-back all season in making sure that Real Madrid are able to contain Erling Haaland’s exploits as well as they can. Without the anti-Haaland (Antonio Rudiger) present on the pitch, the challenge was already very difficult, but Tchouameni showed up at the right moment.
Even Ferland Mendy, a player who has been heavily criticised all season for his lacklustre performances, had one of his better performances of the season when it mattered most, and it is certain that is how Real Madrid win these games. It is not some juju or black magic — although some of it might be — it is the fact that their players simply know when to step up and do enough to capitalise on the other team’s mistakes, while trying their best to mask their own.
That is what separates the great teams from the best, and a reason why Real Madrid have statistically been the best in this competition.
Real Madrid’s midfield problems
As said in the first observation, Real Madrid losing their best central midfielder would have its drawbacks, and plenty of them.
Real Madrid were without Valverde in midfield, forcing Ancelotti to go with a double pivot of Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos, and Jude Bellingham roaming around in front of them or on the left.
Ceballos had a decent first half but slowly saw his influence wane down, and ultimately paid the price as he gave away the penalty for Manchester City’s second goal. Camavinga was not much better, clearly lacking the match fitness and sharpness required to play a game of this magnitude.
He looked sluggish in possession, and in the first half, tried way too many difficult passes which put his teammates in very difficult positions. He improved in the second half, especially when the Frenchman started playing it safe and had Luka Modric next to him.
It was far too easy for Manchester City for large stretches of the game to get past Real Madrid’s weakened midfield, and it is something Ancelotti will need to fix before the return leg at the Bernabeu.
