Casemiro needs out of Real Madrid’s Starting XI
Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro is a key piece for the team but is the club running him too hard?
The addition of Casemiro to Real Madrid was no mistake, it was a well thought out and calculated decision. After returning from his one year loan with FC Porto in the Portuguese League, the defensive midfielder became a consistent player in the starting XI.
Casemiro was brought into the fold of Real Madrid from Brazilian club Sao Paolo. Starting with the Castilla team and working his way up, it was apparent that he had what it takes to play the role of a defensive midfielder
The Brazilian took the baton baton from Xabi Alonso and to say that he has been anything but superb would be blasphemous. While one may be better in some respects than the other, their effectiveness is undisputed.
Under Zinedine Zidane, Casemiro has become a staple, penciled into the starting XI for practically every game. Much of Real Madrid’s success could be attributed to the presence of Casemiro and what he has been able to do.
When Zizou left, the presence of Casemiro is one thing that remained the same.
Now that the Frenchman is back, that too has been left unchanged. This time though, Zidane has a different task on his hands. Turning around a Real Madrid that has just come off one of their worst seasons in club history.
The demand for success and results is astronomically high at Real Madrid and with little patience from the higher-ups and fans, Zidane is approaching his starting XI a little differently.
Real Madrid has now played 16 games in two competitions, totaling 1,440 minutes of play. In that time, Casemiro is the most used player at the club. The defensive midfielder has played 1,380 minutes.
Casemiro 2019-2020 Stat Line
- 57 tackles
- 34 interceptions
- 25 clearances
- 20 passes blocked
The stats show that he has been effective on the field but Zidane may need to start innovating and find a way to rotate Casemiro out of the starting lineup. Thankfully, he doesn’t have to look too far.
Federico Valverde seems to have grown into his role in the middle of the field quite naturally. His time on the field has been positive providing plenty of defensive coverage. On the other hand, there is Luka Modric who seems to be regaining his form after coming back from injury.
Next. Real Madrid: Eder Militao needs more minutes. dark
Zidane has options, and while they may not be as good as Casemiro defensively, it’s something that needs to get done.
Finding a solution will be great for two reasons. Resting the midfielder provides longevity over the long season. This will ensure he’s fit for big games, giving Real Madrid the best possible chance at success.
In addition, finding another player to fill that hole can help with preparation in the unfortunate event Casemiro is held out with an injury. It’s better to plan now and test two different formulas than to wait for the worst possible outcome.