Chronicle.Courtois holds the League and Casemiro bites it in Valladolid
As soon as he stepped onto the
José Zorrilla
lawn
to warm up,
Casemiro
began to joke with
Vinícius Jr
while he got serious to warm up.
Smiles here, concentration there.
Some to reduce the tension of his young teammate, starting one more day before the loss of
Eden Hazard
, the other to focus on the work that was ahead: in attack, enlist in the midfielder to leave room for
Kroos and Modric
in the construction In defense, return to the axis that avoids the great evils of
Real Madrid
.
The Real Madrid midfielder is not one of the captains, an honor that on the night of Valladolid and with the absences of Sergio
Ramos, Marcelo and Benzema
corresponded to
Raphael Varane
, on staff since 2011, but the Brazilian leads the way in the locker room.
He constantly encourages his teammates, especially his friend Vinícius - "Let's
go, Vini caralho
!", He shouted at him - and orders each play of the team. His was the first row after the initial stops by
Courtois
, who put on the cape as a hero one more night, and his were also the best occasions in Zidane's painting, thick in
Pucela
.
His connection with Kroos
brings the league closer to Madrid.
They do not speak much, despite the fact that German shows almost perfect Spanish, but their relationship is based on the game.
In the air, rather.
Casemiro laughed after the first wrong header
after a cross from his teammate.
Looking ahead and denial of the sky.
And he scratched his head incessantly after the second, in which, being alone in the area, he sent the ball out.
The smile gave way to rage.
He didn't believe it.
And in the third he did not fail.
Fifth goal of the season and
second white scorer after Benzema
.
A striker in the body of an all-field player, in the mind of a central defender.
"
We believe in the League
, not only because Atlético played, there are still 42 points, there are many and there is a lot of league left," expressed the '14' merengue to the Movistar + microphones.
"We believe in the League," he repeated: "In the dressing room we always talk about it, we know it is difficult but we believe."
Mariano's obsession
Before Casemiro, only
Mariano
had tried
, obsessed with scoring from the warm-up.
As he jumped onto the grass in
Valladolid, he
lifted the ball and began tapping with his gaze fixed on the ball.
He set it aside and began the exercises with his eyes on the horizon.
Concentrated.
Not a word.
Not a gesture.
He continued with shots on goal, where almost all the shots hit the net, and went to the locker room.
The television cameras were fixed from the beginning on him, a substitute for
Benzema
and a starter for the third time in the League when he visited
Valladolid
.
The statistics, always interesting, explained that the Merengue youth squad had a better league scoring average than the French nine:
one goal every 137 minutes for Mariano
, one every 145 for Karim.
The opening whistle did not distract Mariano from his ultimate goal in Pucela: the goal.
Necessary for Madrid, dependent on Benzema for too long, and necessary for him, who adds only a little this season.
From that desire came his first two goals of the night.
A double canceled for offside that resulted in his leaving the field in the 60th minute. With him
Asensio and Vinícius
left the game
, an unprecedented trident for Zidane that made waters.
"
It is positive that it is difficult for the rival to create a chance,
" Butragueño insisted just before a start in which
Courtois saved Zidane's men
.
The Frenchman was reflective on the bench, aware that at his side he only had one solution of experience: Isco.
The rest, the champions of the Youth Champions.
Consequences of the eternal plague that plagues the squad.
The Andalusian came out at the same time as
Hugo Duro
, a white debutante, although he had already played in the league with Getafe, and
Arribas, always electric
.
Zidane and Benzema's doubt
"We are not taking chances with Karim."
Zinedine Zidane was direct when asked about the possibilities of Benzema playing this Wednesday the first leg of the knockout stages of the Champions League against Atalanta.
"If you play the final of the Champions League or the final of the League it may be, but the season is long," summed up the Frenchman, aware that his team is now three points behind the lead, although Atlético have one game less.
"We will see from tomorrow, that Karim has another resonance. We are never going to risk with a player."
Regarding the squad, which currently has twelve healthy players, Zidane stressed that the homegrown players Hugo Duro and Arribas "worked well" during the minutes they had.
"Many things come together and it is not easy to add. We come from many suits and we have to continue," claimed the Frenchman.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
Casemiro
Madrid
Mariano Diaz
Getafe
Isco Alarcon
Marcelo
Real Madrid
Luka modric
Eden Hazard
LaLiga Santander 2020 - 2021 Mysteries, science and an important anger: the problem of injuries at Real Madrid
LaLiga Santander 2020 - 2021Zidane and the "madness" of the league calendar: eight players in Madrid's infirmary
LaLiga SantanderThe story of Marvin Park, Zidane's remedy
See links of interest
2021 business calendar
Jennifer Brady - Naomi Osaka, live
Southampton - Chelsea
Elche - Eibar
Atlético de Madrid - Levante, live
Real Valladolid - Real Madrid, live