Midfielders
Marcos Llorente – 7
Llorente enjoyed this game. He was allowed to dictate play alone from deep in a role which seems to suit him better than being in a double pivot or playing in a more advanced role. Real had a lion’s share of the possession and that was in no small part thanks to Llorente presence at the center of midfield.
The one major difference between Llorente and Casemiro is in the defensive half of the pitch with both players approaching that side of the game differently. Llorente seems to occupy a certain space from which he will retrieve the ball, while his Brazillan counterpart much prefers to go for the man with the ball. Both sides of the game are equally as effective, however, Casemiro managed to get booked within minutes of coming on while Llorente avoided a booking for the full 90 minutes.
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Matteo Kovacic – 7.5
I made it quite clear in the last tie that I really like Mateo Kovacic. This game simply made me more certain of why I like Kova. One can’t forget that Kovacic is playing a few levels above everyone, however, there are just technical elements of his game that, despite the quality of the opposition, you can’t help but think that he is destined to be a really special midfielder.
The Croatian can come out of the tightest places with the ball, his control and ability to retain possession against any sort of pressure will make any defense’s worst nightmare and a joy to watch. When he starts in midfield for Real Madrid and make no mistake that if he is still here, he is the first player I can see from the “B” team starting regularly for Los Blancos.
Dani Ceballos – 9
Another notable improvement from the away tie, Ceballos put in, for me, a man of the match performance. He really grew into the game and put in his most impressive shift in months. The young Spaniard followed a trend in this game in dictating play from the center, but, unlike his compatriots he was a presence going forward, connecting with Theo and his wingers or taking the ball out wide himself. There was also a few of his trademark razor-sharp passes into the middle which might have worked out if the forwards showed a better first touch. I would really love to see more of this midfield trio in league games, but, at a minimum, I would love to see Ceballos get more time.