Bayern Munich 3 – Real Madrid 1: Players who impressed and players who struggled in the first preseason match

Using 22 different players, we as fans got a glimpse of nearly every Real Madrid player who made the trip to the United States for the preseason tour. Here are a handful of players who impressed and others who struggled in the 3-1 loss to Bayern Munich on Saturday night.

Going with a starting lineup that featured many regular starters for Zinedine Zidane over his two and half years of success with the club, it was clear that the players were trying to shake off rust and regain some chemistry.

The biggest news from the starting lineup was Eden Hazard making his debut and Gareth Bale being left completely out of the lineup. To start the second half with Los Blancos down 1-0, Zizou elected to put in an entirely fresh set of players.

Players who impressed

Eden Hazard

Despite the pressure weighing heavily on his shoulders, the biggest signing of any European club during the summer was Eden Hazard leaving Chelsea to join Real Madrid.

Hazard handled all the expectation exceptionally well and created some very good chances and runs down the left flank. He had one brilliant shot midway through the first half that tested Manuel Neuer, but it was his passing and the menacing runs he made on the wing that really caught my eye.

The Belgian international looked smooth and as calm as could be with and without the ball as he battled with talented fullback Joshua Kimmich for the entire first half. He likely should have picked up an assist for a couple of the passes he sent in to Karim Benzema, however, the French striker struggled to find the mark.

If you’re a Real Madrid fan, seeing Hazard play like this over just 45 minutes is not only encouraging but revealing.

Takefusa Kubo

Another player who had a lot of expectation coming into the first preseason match of the summer was the young Japanese midfielder who has been compared frequently with Lionel Messi despite being just 18-years-old.

Coming on at the start of the second half, Kubo was by far the most energetic and influential player for Zidane.

His dribbling, passing, and ability to draw fouls makes him an incredibly valuable asset to the club. Even though he is likely not to see much or any playing time with the senior squad, the future is incredibly bright for this kid.

He was a pest for Bayern throughout the second half and did a very good job communicating and directing his teammates where to make runs or where to pass him the ball. Again, a phenomenal outing for Kubo.

Rodrygo Goes

The Brazilian wonder kid was outstanding in the second half. Had it not been for Kubo, Rodrygo would have earned my praise as the best player on the field for either side.

Making threatening run after threatening run, Rodrygo drew what seemed like five fouls on some talented Bayern defenders and midfielders. Against solid competition, Rodrygo excited the coaching staff and audience with his brilliant steal of Kimmich late in the match.

This steal led to a red card for goalkeeper Sven Ulreich and a free-kick just outside the box.

The Brazilian made no mistake and did not balk at the occasion. His amazing curling shot to the top corner was a world-class effort and one that any keeper would not be able to keep out. Simply a stunning performance from the young Rodrygo Goes.

Players who struggled

Luka Jovic

The newest striker was a ghost in his unofficial debut in Texas on Saturday night. After a lackluster showing from the starter Karim Benzema, Jovic had a chance to put the French forward on notice if he could make an impact in the second half.

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However, no shots on goal and a measly 13 touches in three quarters of an hour is simply horrible. Yes, the adjustment period is a very real thing, but the way Jovic played against Bayern was similar to that of Casper the Ghost.

He never created anything in the attacking third or linked up with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo on the flanks.

This is a performance for Luka Jovic to forget immediately. He needs to improve substantially before the match against Arsenal.

Jaime Seoane

Although he was never supposed to be a first-team player or a key figure in the midfield, Jaime Seoane’s performance will do him no favors in moving up from the Castilla side.

His passing was abysmal, his movement was slow, and his overall game sense was all wrong from the moment he stepped on to the field up to the final whistle. It was disappointing to see a young kid play so poorly on the big stage.

Marcelo

Yet again, the defense from the Brazilian fullback was lacking for the majority of this match. Yes, he did some good things pushing up field, but as we saw time and again last season, Marcelo was slow tracking back and was caught out of position three or four times.

Ferland Mendy did a much better job closing down the left flank and not allowing any threatening runs.

The battle between Marcelo and Mendy should go on through the preseason and we could be in for a surprise once the regular season rolls around.

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