Real Madrid: Why Marcelo should start over Ferland Mendy vs. PSG

Ferland Mendy and Marcelo are both excellent left backs, but who will be the best option for Real Madrid on Tuesday against PSG?

Real Madrid can finally boast of an almost fully fit squad since the start of the season, with the only notable absences being James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio. It is always good to have the full squad available, but having a squad as deep as  Real Madrid’s turns into a headache when you have more than 15 players deserving a spot in the starting XI.

One of the most interesting battles right now is going on between Marcelo and Ferland Mendy for the left back spot. Zidane has rejuvenated the Brazilian and he has been in a good form so far, but Zidane has rotated him quite regularly with Mendy. The Brazilian is higher in the pecking order right now, but that can change as the season goes along.

Mendy is a talented full back who excels at keeping his man under wraps. His offensive game is no match for what Marcelo brings to the table, but he is improving game by game. Mendy still needs to improve his crossing ability, as most of Madrid’s attack flows through the left-hand side.

Marcelo, on the other hand, is an offensive canon. He will glide past defenders, is cool on the ball even with three players closing him down, and will somehow find his man with a pass. He is the showman. It’s a pure joy watching him and what he does on the ball.

On the other hand Mendy is an industrious defender who works hard for 90 minutes and gets his job done. It’s like Tony Stark and Captain America. One loves the limelight, takes risks for the team, and loves to show off his knowledge while the other works hard and plays it safe.

The PSG game is being seen as the litmus test by many, since this is the first top opponent since Zidane’s men have found form and are performing consistently every game. In the last game, Real were completely outplayed by a depleted PSG side with a possessed Angel Di Maria making a mockery of their defence.

PSG now have Kylian Mbappe and Neymar fit for the game on Thursday, and the job will be twice as tough as before. I think Marcelo will get the nod over Mendy, given he was rested against Sociedad on Saturday, but I also think Marcelo will be a better option tactically PSG pressed really high up the pitch and made Real Madrid’s lives miserable at the Parc des Princes. Los Blancos had a hard time stringing a few passes in PSG’s half and were restricted to only shots from long range, generating a total of zero shots on target.

Marcelo is the better player when it comes to being press resistant, and once Real have the ball high up the pitch, they have Eden Hazard, Karim Benzema and probably Gareth Bale to take care of the rest. It is daunting to have the thought of having Marcelo up against Mbappe and surely Mendy’s pace and defensive skills would be a big asset to keep the 20-year-old French international quiet.

Although Marcelo can be a liability in defence, he always turns up in big games. Against PSG, getting past that press will be the key to winning the game. Real failed to create anything concrete in the last game despite having more total shots than PSG, because these were all low-scoring chances.

Marcelo’s creativity is unmatched and his one-touch play down the left with Benzema or Hazard is a big asset to the team. Mendy is new and will take time to have that level of understanding with the forwards. Thomas Tuchel took Hazard out of the match in the reverse fixture by putting two men on him the entire game. That’s something which will happen tomorrow as well, but adding Marcelo’s dribbling and combinational play may ease some pressure on Hazard and will help create space for the Belgian to exploit.

Verdict: Marcelo should start not only because of his offensive skills, but also due to his experience. When looking at the opposition, he is the better tactical fit.