There were two Madrid. A weak one in the first part; another hungry in the second. Neither became brilliant, but the dynamics saved a derby that leaned over the precipice. A Mendy’s grotesque mistake drew the rojiblanco goal. He broke a party that Rodrygohero in the nights that demand miracles, he sewed with an anthological goal. Thus, an extension was reached that ended with a goal from Benzemasentence of Vinicius and a ticket to the semifinals.
Headlines
Courtois: with hardly any work, beyond a left footed shot from Correa that he managed without problems and a missile from Griezmann from a free kick that he stopped with a save. He couldn’t do anything on Morata’s goal.
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Nacho (114′): once again, signing an enormous performance outside of his main role. “He likes being a central defender more, that’s why he will play as a winger against Atlético,” Ancelotti joked at a press conference. Very solid in defense and brave in offensive forays. He continues to show that he is a tall, very tall footballer.
Military: He was more of a defense boss than ever, consistent to dry Atleti’s trident. Nothing could be done in Morata’s goal, he was sold before the start of a play that should have been cut from the side; once the ball reaches Nahuel, it is already ‘sold’. He was encouraged on several occasions to join the attack.
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Rudiger: correct, no errors. He did not have a brilliant game because it was not conducive to it either.
Mendy (44′): for grapes in Morata’s goal. He made a flagrant mistake, going out into ‘no man’s land’ and leaving his band completely free, where Nahuel Molina entered to serve first. Before getting injured, he put in a low suspenseful performance. Very weak and without appearing in attack. He comes out -even more- touched than he already was.
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camavinga: In the first part it was one of the few salvageable things in the midfield. In the second, already as an improvised left back, he complied. In defense he hardly had a job, but he was brave to join the attacks.
Kroos (74′): He went from less to more, until he went to the bench after signing a 97% success rate in passes. In line with the German reliability that he treasures, he had a correct game. More shy than Modric, but approved. In the first part he was better than the Croatian and in the second, more discreet.
Modric: there was no color between his first and his second part. In the first he was missing and unrecognizable, hardly worrying Atleti and pointed out by his team’s lack of control. But in the second he took a step forward and left remnants of the great player that he is. Leading the engine room, seeking to surprise with passes between the lines. He was less successful than Kroos (93%), but because he also risked more.
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Valverde (69 ‘): it’s still more Birdie that Hawk. In the creation he only had a 78% success rate and with respect to the shots, 20% (of his five shots, only one went to the goal). And it is that since that hard blow that he suffered against Celtic, he has not been the same. He underperformed in the last games of December, he was not a superstar in the World Cup and after his return, he has continued to leave a bitter taste. Ancelotti asked for “tranquility” around him. But when it came to introducing Rodrygo, he removed it before Kroos or Modric.
Vinicius: before Rodrygo’s appearance, when Madrid most needed a goal… he missed two resounding chances. And in both, for trying to control inside the area, instead of shooting first. For resting on your laurels. In Benzema’s goal, to make matters worse, he hit the air. The scriptwriter of the night gave him the opportunity to be the hero -several times- and he did not take advantage of them. The derbies, at least, stopped being his Achilles heel: at the last minute he sentenced… with the first goal of his entire career against Atleti.
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Benzema: in a bland match, he ended up scoring the winning goal. Because he has been shining an aura of knowing how to be in the right places for several weeks. And it is that without showing the best version of him, he has scored nine goals in his last nine games as a starter. He may not have quite the competitive pace yet, but he hasn’t lost his nose.
substitutes
Ceballos (44 ‘): the team improved a lot with his entry. Because it went from being a flat and predictable midfield to one with pure dynamite. He contributed an energy that made us dream, but it was insufficient. The party reinforced its name a little more and confirmed its positive dynamics.
Rodrygo (69′; 114′): the miracle boy, once again. As Opta points out, 44% of his goals with Real Madrid have been in the last quarter of an hour of the games. He has a special aura to appear when anyone would hide. A gift. The negative note is that he had to be replaced due to muscular discomfort.
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Asensio (74 ‘): energetic, but without being an offensive vein either. The ‘pulse of the revulsives’ was clearly earned by Rodrygo. Despite not being outstanding, good game.
Odriozola (114 ‘): He was the second player in the squad who had played the fewest minutes (51 ‘all season), but with Nacho exhausted, Ancelotti entrusted him with the last minutes. With hardly any appearances. It is conclusive that in the face of Mendy’s injury, Carletto He opted for a patch like Camavinga on the left side, rather than move Nacho there and leave him on the right. Does not count.
Mario Martin (114′): second homegrown player that Ancelotti makes his debut this season, after Álvaro Rodríguez (in Cáceres). He played five correct minutes at a moment of maximum boiling.