Real Madrid: Three big tactical predictions vs. Manchester City
By Parshva Shah
Who will accompany Karim Benzema in attack?
Who accompanies Karim Benzema in attack is anyone’s guess, but it highly depends on what formation Zidane decides to go with. We’ll get to more on that later.
Apart from Karim Benzema, Zidane has a wealth of options to choose from when deciding his offensive line-up. Considering Manchester City’s defence, quick-footed and direct players can cause a great deal of damage.
MARCA’s Santiago Siguero reported earlier today that Eden Hazard has been feeling some discomfort in his right ankle and that it hasn’t been holding up well, paving the way for the ever-zestful Brazilian Vinícius Júnior to start on the left and wreak havoc on City’s frivolous backline.
Considering that Vinícius starts on the left, as many as four players could start on the right. Marco Asensio, Rodrygo Goes, Brahim Díaz, and Gareth Bale (in that pecking order) could complement Vinícius and Benzema in attack.
Asensio is in contention to start ahead of the Rodrygo, Brahim, and Bale due to Zidane’s undeniable love for the Spaniard. Not only that, Asensio enjoyed his football after an 11-month long absence, scoring thrice and setting up a goal for Big Benz. He is certainly in the mojo and will be Zidane’s trump card come August 7th.
Rodrygo could start on the right wing as well. Although he has shown that he is more comfortable playing in his preferred left-wing spot, he is no slouch when it comes to playing on the right wing. Zidane could entrust him yet again for his maturity and exceptional link-up ability. His decision-making is world class for a 19-year old kid. Although it would be highly unlikely for him to earn a start over Asensio, Zidane has time and again gobsmacked Madridistas with bizarre decisions, and starting Rodrygo could just be another one of those.
Dani Carvajal will welcome all the help he can from Rodrygo to subdue a fireball called Raheem Sterling, something he is more proficient at than Asensio.
To put an end to the Asensio vs Rodrygo on the right wing debate, it’s also possible that both of them start alongside Benzema. Rodrygo could start over both Hazard and Vinícius on the left flank. His chemistry with Benzema has blossomed and reaped rich rewards for Real Madrid whenever he has started on the left.
What makes this Rodrygo-Benzema-Asensio trident even more interesting is the fact that all the three players are comfortable playing at each other’s positions. Asensio has played on the left in previous seasons and delivered some of his best performances while playing in that position. Rodrygo and Asensio could easily change flanks, unsettling the City defence without breaking a sweat. Asensio could even play as a false nine with Benzema drifting out wide on the left while Rodrygo rolls up and down the right flank. The probabilities are endless with this trident.
The chances of Bale and Brahim starting are as bleak as finding an oasis in the middle of a desert. While Bale is a big match player and could be a shocking inclusion in the line-up, his future at the Bernabéu is up in the air and is nearing a disconsolate end.
Luka Jović will not usurp Benzema’s status as the first-choice striker just yet, and fairly so. The Serbian could make an appearance as a substitute, or as a starter if and only if Zidane uses the 4-4-2 diamond formation.
I am still vouching for Hazard to be at 100% because he can change the game on his own, but I’ll be cautiously optimistic. Expect Zidane to field two players out of Asensio, Rodrygo, and Vinícius alongside Benzema.