Eden out for tomorrow's opener and likely to miss 3-4 weeks. Awesome start to what's shaping up to be reminiscent of last year
That's the best they've look as a team in over a year. Great effort all around especially after they went down to 10. Marcelo, Bale, Benzema and Kroos all could have been MoTM. Vazquez and Isco both made an impact off the bench. About as good of a start as could be hoped for.
Talk that Perez is looking closely at Marc Roca from Espanyol as another deep lying/holding mid to provide backup for Casemiro. There was talk earlier in the summer that Bayern and Barca were also interested.
And Brugge & Galatasaray. Thankfully Real travel to Paris on the first match day because Neymar and Mbappe are both suspended and Cavani is likely to still be out injured. The trip to Istanbul is always an interesting spectacle but it's a pretty decent draw and they shouldn't have any problem advancing.
Appears that Navas to PSG is about done. Sounds like Real will get €15M and Areola on loan for the year. Going to miss him
That was a beautiful backheal by Jovic & run by Carvajal on the goal. No idea what the fuck Ramos was doing on that giveaway but if the backline could stop fucking around that'd be great
Great goal by Bale to level it. Hopefully he continues playing well and reclaims the RW as his own again when Hazard returns. Still not enough creativity through the middle, still too reliant on firing in crosses. The lack of shape and structure in the back continues to be a problem (for like 5 years running) and doesn't show signs of improving any time soon. EDIT I though I posted this yesterday after the match ended.
Other than Modric, Bale, Isco, Asensio and Valverde everybody is “available” today. James starting even though he’s coming back from injury because Kroos & Casemiro are the only healthy midfielders.
Benzema playing so well, and good to finally see Hazard return. You can already tell he’s going to make a big difference on the left side. They still give the ball away and get caught out too easily. The transition defense is awful and almost cost them again today
Hazard and Militao making their first starts today. Gonna be tough to see Keylor in the opposing net, especially when he makes some ridiculous save.
Mendy offering nothing going forward has Hazard completely isolated and out of the game. Everything coming down the right
So it turns out having only 2 midfielders is NOT ideal. Maybe not moving on Ndombele or Eriksen or Van De Beek was a mistake
Midfield totally overrun. Again. Defense repeatedly caught out of position. Again. Pressed into oblivion. Again. Same issues they’ve been battling for several years and they don’t seem any closer to fixing them.
Night and day difference from Wednesday. Midfield was worlds better and having Ramos back seemed to help steady the D. Great win to move back to the top of the table.
Rodrygo's goal was the fastest scored by a debut player in club history breaking Beckham's record. Also Militao was phenomenal today. Very solid.
Valverde getting the surprise start against Atletico over James and Modric. Nacho needs to bounce back at LB today