- Vinicius. Particular classes of controls and shots
- Chronicle.Artwork by Luis Suárez
«The air is another, that is undeniable. A game like Saturday's, in September we would have tied it. Or lost ». From Valdebebas , this Sunday frightened any threat of triumphalist analysis after the new league victory, against Espanyol, without ignoring the change in trend. Since the defeat in Mallorca , Real Madrid links seven wins and two draws, in the domestic tournament and the Champions League, with only four goals received. The team has grown two-seater road: Sunday in Mestalla and 72 hours later, the Camp Nou, with the title at stake. Since the League is played with three points per game, the two greats had never been tied at the head of the table after 15 days, as they are now.
Rigor behind
It has been a long time since a white goalkeeper had been seen in the top positions of the Zamora classification, the prize at least scored for the season. Since Iker Casillas , in 2007/08, no Real Madrid goalkeeper lifts the trophy. Today Courtois appears at the head of that classification, reflecting the team's level rise in defensive tasks. The Belgian goal has left behind doubts and begins to exhibit its potential. Ahead of him, Ramos and Varane shine in their work and also add in attack, with so many important in the last two games. In the improvement of the rear, it is forced to look towards the work of the medulla.
Valverde for everything
Zidane repeats with the Uruguayan midfielder what he did with Casemiro in March 2016, a couple of months after arriving at the bench. That canterano (signed for Castilla long ago) became a pillar of the team that linked three European Cups. The Frenchman does not aspire so much now with Valverde , although his irruption is being a revulsion for the team. With him in the field, Madrid does not know defeat. It covers a lot of space, assists Casemiro in the recovery and leaves behind shyness when it comes to approaching the opposite area. They warned in the club of the good foot spent by the boy who grew up in Peñarol and was transferred by Deportivo. It is hard to think of Mestalla's eleven or, above all, the Camp Nou without him, no matter how much his presence supposes the substitution of a figure like Luka Modric .
Waiting for Bale
Benzema can not be reproached by his coach, with a great streak of goals in the championship, in conflict with Messi for the pichichi, but against Espanyol Madrid again showed lack of forcefulness (compared to Barça) at the time of Sentence a much inferior rival. The crash was open too long, with the risk involved. Hazard's loss, when he was beginning to stand out the most, has been a blow to Zidane, who needs the urgent revival of a striker with a goal like Gareth Bale. The contribution of Vinicius and Rodrygo is valuable, but the coaching staff believes that to give the face in the Camp Nou you need the Welshman.
Prudence and optimism
Neither the high command of the club nor the costumes breastfeed in this good stretch of results, the best in a long time. They assume that the competition in Europe and the League is very strong, with a Barça that is at the top of the table despite having left a good handful of points in 15 days. Even so, nobody hides in Madrid his satisfaction for the good reaction of the team in recent weeks. Zidane's formula, that mix of good football and accurate resource management, has already proved successful in the past. Now, without Cristiano Ronaldo, everything would have much more merit.
The Barca awakening
In the offices of Barcelona it is hard to imagine another season with Ernesto Valverde at the head of the first team, regardless of the resolution of the course and with the shadow of Ronald Koeman increasingly imposing on the horizon. What President Josep Maria Bartomeu is clear about is that, after pardoning his coach last summer, he is confident that a match like the one completed against Mallorca (5-2), perhaps the best of the Extremaduran coach on the Barça bench , is not a simple anomaly, but the preamble of a routine that can approach the titles. Especially the Champions League, the great obsession of the box.
Rakitic joins the team
Less than two weeks ago, and after an unbearable triumph in Butarque, Valverde exposed his conviction, but also the raison d'être of Barcelona: "We are required to win and teach a football lesson in each game." With the classic against Real Madrid just around the corner, it seems to approach the goal. And much of it is to blame for having returned to its origins and obsessions. That is, Rakitic , his fetish footballer. The Croatian, in limbo until three games after the club traded with him throughout the summer, had only been a starter in the fall in Granada. He returned to eleven in the duel at home in front of Dortmund, where he overcame a rude error just at dawn, to link a position of privilege both in the Metropolitan and in the duel against Mallorca. Three consecutive titles, three victories.
The constant absences of Arthur allow to venture the configuration of a center of the field that fulfills the aspirations of balance of Valverde. Rakitic, from inside right-handed, escorts Busquets in the fold, saves Messi and Sergi Roberto's back, and also allows Frenkie de Jong to release his football (50/52 in passes against Mallorca). The Croatian stole seven balls and, most importantly, led to his team finally joining lines and advancing in a group towards the rival goal.
Vidal's step back
The night that Barcelona suffered in Anfield one of the most painful defeats ever, Arturo Vidal was one of the starting players. Not only that. His game was even the most celebrated before the team ended up collapsing. The Chilean extremist game has cyclically served Valverde in the survival exercises - he has already scored four goals this year - but never in the governance of the matches. Rakitic's reentry has returned Arturo Vidal to a supporting role that he was never willing to accept.
Sergi Roberto raises his voice
It must be the season in which he left the shore to compete for a spot in the midfield. It should be the moment when Semedo, not transferable to the club, finally secured himself as a starter on the side. Instead, time has once shown that Barcelona has no better right-handed lane than Sergi Roberto. After two months of the most irregular and having no idea what his role was, the absence due to Semedo's injury has again stabilized the youth in the lane. His performance against Mallorca was excellent. He intervened more than anyone (111) and reminded Luis Enrique with his game that the Eurocopa train has not yet escaped.
Messi blesses Griezmann
Injured the first day of the preseason and limited in the beginning of the course, the Argentine has returned to his own with 12 goals in the last eight days of the League. But, beyond the goals, the Argentine has finally made Antoine Griezmann a part of the associative game, without fear of substitution - Dembélé lives in the infirmary - and to abandon that left-handed extreme where it used to be consumed.
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