Real Madrid Midfielders
Casemiro
Appearances – 3
Starts – 2
Minutes played – 201
Goals/Assists – 0/0
Rating – 7 /10
Probably the most important midfielder in the team, Casemiro sat out the first match, making a substitute appearance for the last 21 minutes. He then started against Real Betis and Real Valladolid, putting on decent performances if not world-class.
I believe he is yet to hit the levels we know he can, but it is just a matter of time before he gets into his element.
Toni Kroos
Appearances – 2
Starts – 2
Minutes played – 136
Goals/Assists – 0/0
Rating – 6.5/10
In the first match of the season, against Real Sociedad, the German functioned in a double-pivot. He was not that bad, but he also didn’t exactly force the issue in the middle of the park. Against Betis, he was injured in the first half, after which he was ruled out for the third game of the season.
Toni Kroos didn’t exactly showcase his best form in those two appearances.
Luka Modrić
Appearances – 3
Starts – 2
Minutes played – 205
Goals/Assists – 0/0
Rating – 8/10
Can we say that at 35 years of age, Luka Modrić is still one of the best midfielders in the world? Hell yes, we can! What a start to the season the Croatian wizard has had. His influence on the pitch doesn’t seem to wane, and he has taken us back to the vibes of 2016-17.
He is arguably the most in-form midfielder in the squad and is justifying his selection in the lineup ahead of the likes of Isco, Federico Valverde, and Martin Ødegaard.
Isco
Appearances – 2
Starts – 1
Minutes played – 102
Goals/Assists – 0/0
Rating – 5.5/10
It’s clear at this point that the player that was so instrumental to the three-peat winning side is not playing for Real Madrid, although they are one and the same. Isco is not even half the player he was at his peak.
The fact that he is JUST 28 makes it all the more disheartening. The two appearances in the month of September were not at all encouraging, and it is difficult to see him earning a spot in the XI, even though one cannot rule such a proposition out.
Fede Valverde
Appearances – 3
Starts – 2
Minutes played – 200
Goals/Assists – 1/0
Rating – 8/10
The effervescent midfielder seems to have returned to his best, staking claims for a regular spot in the starting XI. After a rather mediocre run in La Liga after the return from the pandemic, Fede Valverde has hit the ground running immediately, even scoring Real Madrid’s first goal of the season against Real Betis. A fantastic month has set him up for the rest of the season.
Martin Ødegaard
Appearances – 2
Starts – 2
Minutes played – 114
Goals/Assists – 0/0
Rating – 6/10
Not the best of starts for the Norwegian, but that’s understandable. He was making a return from injury. Yet, he wasn’t as bad as it seems. He moved well between the lines and often was the focal point during transitions. He could actually help Los Blancos unlock the offensive potential.