Real Madrid vs. Sevilla Player Ratings: Thank you, Casemiro

LB Marcelo

He didn’t look like himself in this game. Marcelo had nervy moments defensively in the first half before being substituted for Ferland Mendy, who was a major upgrade on defense, as expected. While Marcelo made some nice turns up the field, he offered little in the attack either. It’s becoming clear that Mendy is the superior option to Marcelo, even if Marcelo is still a quality left back.

Rating: 5.5 out of 10

CB Raphael Varane

Raphael Varane took on leadership responsibilities in the back four with Sergio Ramos injury, and he put forward another strong performance. The France captain did a great job of keeping Sevilla’s attackers relatively quiet, making decisive clearances and cutting out passes on the counterattack. His work off the ball is incredible, as Varane is one of the best in the world at reading attackers’ intentions.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10

CB Eder Militao

Eder Militao had a couple of uneasy moments with his passing selection and can sometimes hold onto the ball too long when progressing into the midfield. But he and Varane form a wonderful partnership. Militao put together another fantastic performance and did so in a big spot with Ramos out. He had two crucial, goal-saving interventions and finished with a combined five tackles and interceptions, as well as a team-high four clearances, per WhoScored.com.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

RB Dani Carvajal

Inconsistency has marred Dani Carvajal’s season, and he had a couple of embarrassingly bad crosses in this game, which frustrated the home fans. But Carvajal also stepped up defensively against Sevilla, making a goal-saving clearance and a few other smart interventions. This was one of Carvajal’s better games defensively, and he should be praised accordingly. He will be missed next week against Real Valladolid, as he picked up a silly booking that will lead to a suspension.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10