Real Madrid lose first match of the pre-season; still need to shake off rust
After a big start this transfer window, Real Madrid faced Manchester United in California, USA for the first match of the pre-season. Here are our takeaways from the match:
Another year, another pre-season tournament. Real Madrid are coming from a huge start to the summer with the sale of three important squad players, and are looking to use the ICC as the tournament to quiet any naysayers. If this game is anything to go by, Real Madrid might have a rocky tournament ahead of them.
Jesse Lingard opened the scoring in the first half after a blistering, juking run by Anthony Martial. Real Madrid equalized in the second half through a penalty from Casemiro after Lindelof wipes out Theo Hernandez in the box.
The game ended 1-1 at 90 minutes, requiring an immediate penalty kick shootout. The shootout saw four players take and miss penalties before a single penalty went in. It was really, really ugly. Casemiro had to step up to make the last penalty to keep Madrid’s hopes alive, but he could not repeat his feat from the second half. Instead, he skied the penalty over the bar, and Real Madrid lost the match.
The Positives
Marcelo
Let’s start with the positives: Marcelo seems to be one of those players that is just never off. The Brazilian played as he pleased on the left flank, being vital in both the attack and defense. His crosses were always in the sweet spot of speed and placement, and his dribbling was as satisfying to watch as usual.
He even had some big key defensive moments with tons of his trademark Brazilian flair (RIP Fellaini). There’s not much more you could ask from him, and if you did, he’d probably give it to you.
Luka Modric
With James Rodriguez’s departure came the freeing up of the coveted #10 jersey and who else is worthy of wearing it more than Luka Modric? The little Croatian was a joy to watch and its clear why he was chosen as our next #10. His runs were great, and he had a beautiful moment that left many of us watching with our mouths open.
U-19 Youngsters
More from The Real Champs
- Manchester City hold talks over Real Madrid target
- Real Madrid player confirms he is playing with a fracture
- Real Madrid superstar rejected Premier League clubs confirmed
- Spaniard ready to join Real Madrid instead of Liverpool
- PSG want €100 million Real Madrid player to replace Kylian Mbappe
The second half saw a LOT of changes to the squad, with many of the players on the pitch being youngsters who could’ve made a U-19 team. Most of them did great, but two players stood out: Theo Hernandez and Achraf Hakimi.
Both fullbacks gave performances that should put fans at ease. Theo Hernandez made his unofficial debut a good start to his stay with Los Blancos. His substitution didn’t bring down the efforts of Marcelo, and that in itself is a feat.
He pushed up as we expect from modern left-backs and looked comfortable in his role. The same can be said for Hakimi, who is starting to look like a solid back up for Dani Carvajal. Danilo might be missed less than we initially thought…
Keylor Navas
This is a big one. Keylor Navas looks to have kept his form from the end of last season and that’s good news for us Real Madrid fans. The keeper had quite a few stops that reminded us why Zidane hasn’t even looked into replacing him.
The Negatives
Forwards
With all the buzz that the fullbacks made, you’d expect the front line to look equally as exciting. Instead, the forwards just looked rusty.
Gareth Bale didn’t do too bad. He had some good moments, but he never came close to scoring and you have to wonder if playing on the wing as second fiddle to Cristiano and Benzema and his injuries have made him less proficient as forward.
Benzema on the other hand…yeah, he didn’t do that well. He had zero shots, and the only action he got were from two crosses which he couldn’t even touch. A disappointing start to the tournament.
Center-backs
The same can be said for the center-backs. Varane and Nacho looked off for most of their time on the pitch. Varane has always been a player that needs a couple of games to really get into the swing of things, but Nacho is usually always at least average. I believe this has more to do with the break they had, and that they need a couple more games to get back to their usual level.
Final Thoughts
This probably goes without saying, but this match isn’t a big deal. Both teams looked dull and never really played at the levels we’ve come to expect. But that’s okay, that’s what the preseason is for! It’s great that the reserve team looked as solid as it did today, and that should bring a sigh of relief for Zidane, who’s had to deal with more injuries than any rookie manager should.
There were also a lot of names missing from the team sheet. Asensio, Vallejo, Ceballos and Llorente are just some of the players we’re waiting to see later in the preseason. Then theres Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo who I feel could’ve swung the game in Real’s favor.
Either way, its the first match and theres still a ways to go till the start of the season.
Next: Luka Modric is Real Madrid's new no. 10.