Real Madrid: 5 players who must step up after meltdown vs. Manchester City

RB Dani Carvajal

No player will draw more ire from the Real Madrid fan base than Dani Carvajal for his awful decision to tackle Raheem Sterling in the penalty box. Sterling asked so many questions of the lethargic and ill-disciplined Carvajal, as his inclusion in the match completely turned the game on its head for Manchester City.

Carvajal is a quality right back. He’s made some important contributions with his crossing and is usually an above-average defender. But he’s been known to put together some truly embarrassing performances in big games, especially when stretched by smarter, faster wingers at top clubs.

Real have no other options at right back than Carvajal. He needs to step it up another notch in the Champions League, otherwise Sterling will truly carve him up on and off the ball in March.

RW Gareth Bale

Although Gareth Bale normally also plies his trade on the right side of the formation, Zinedine Zidane made the quizzical decision to directly substitute Vinicius Junior for Bale without substantially changing the formation to accommodate Bale.

The result was, predictably, disastrous. Bale is so much more suited to the right side of the formation. On the left, he sent errant crosses into the box that did not trouble City, and he has lost so much explosiveness that whereas Vinicius Junior gave Kyle Walker major headaches – including creating the goal with his pressing – Bale was an easy task for one of the Premier League’s top right backs.

Bale continues to show that he has no real place in the squad as a starter or a substitute, and while he wasn’t helped by playing on the left, the drop-off in quality between him and Vinicius was alarming. But, in all honesty, it should have been expected.