It cost him real Madrid give signs of life in San Mames and when he gave them, in the second half, when he finally found his way to the goal of the Athletic,Fede Valverde, the most reliable footballer he has Carlo Ancelotti in the squad, he shot himself in the foot. I was already playing five because Carlo Ancelotti He had gone around the entire team in search of solutions and vital signs. And it may not be his position: he wanted to do a trick where you have to be conservative. He was wrong, because we all made mistakes, and Athletic took the lead again, but this time so as not to lose it.
Fede Valverde did it wrong, in a position and at a time in which it is impossible not to point out to himbut it was not, by any means, the worst for Real Madrid in another big game of the remaining season, that’s great. Ancelotti’s team has a problem competing, the same team that in recent years has been a competitive animal, a group of players who knew the keys to important moments like no one else. Now, if the shock is put uphill, and if on top, Vinicius is not thereIt costs him a world to show his face.
It cost him San Mames because it has players who don’t set the tone. The first, and it is hard, is Mbappé, who is going through an unexpected existential crisis. The Frenchman had three shots on goal, nothing more. The first, after the goal of Athletica free ball that put him Rodrygo at the height of the penalty spot, although somewhat tilted: he shot with the inside, without strength, without placing, a shot as soulless as his start in Madrid. The second was the penalty: this time, unlike the match against Getafe, he did take it. It has been said that he was not brave. Because being brave, apparently, is a more important virtue than prudence. He caught the ball and took the penalty badly, like in Liverpool, as if someone was doing voodoo on him and it was already a supernatural and inexplicable thing.
At least, he settled part of his game with the third shot, the best, without a doubt, from outside the area, very strong. It caused the Athletic goalkeeper to rebound and Bellingham appeared, like last year, to tie the game.around the 80th minute and dream of a comeback, so typical of a Madrid with character.
It was ten minutes to have hope, after a game in which Real Madrid couldn’t even have hope. His first time in San Mamés was as if he had not existed. He was correct at the back, he prevented Valverde’s team, so ferocious at the beginning, as expected, from scoring; But Madrid did not set foot on rival territory, as if it had a wall that prevented it from passing: a border built by its own incompetence.
Ancelotti painted the team with Tchouameni in the midfield, next to Ceballos and with the surprising ownership of Fran García on Mendy’s side. It was supposed to be a game for the second, because the coach has repeated that he is a great defender. It was more than a decision, it was a warning for the Frenchman. However, Fran García was not particularly brilliant either.
Athletic was better, with more personality, with more desire and without letting the rival out. The pressure was suffocating Madrid, which was supported by Rüdiger and Asencio.
Perhaps reaching the break goalless was the warning that the reaction was coming. That’s how it has been so many times. But this Madrid is not the same as so many times. The one who scored was Athletic in a play that they knew was going to happen: an inward cross by Iñaki Williams and a shot by Sancet coming from behind.
Ancelotti made changes. He removed Brahim and instead of removing Tchouameni, he continued with his tradition, which is beginning to be questioned and he took Ceballos off the field, who was being better, without exaggeration, than his teammate.
When the white team really improved, when they realized that there was a game and that they had to show up to play it, it was when Modric took control of the situation and together to Brahma He managed to get the ball to circulate in the right direction, towards the opponent’s goal.
It was a Madrid with a little more intention, that locked down the rival, that tied, that really wanted to. It didn’t come out because Valverde made a mistake when he shouldn’t have. Eight minutes later, Ancelotti brought Güler and Endrick onto the field at the same time.
Not at all.