Real Madrid: Player Ratings For The Month Of November
By Parshva Shah
Real Madrid Forwards
Karim Benzema
Appearances – 3
Starts – 3
Minutes played – 243
Goals/Assists – 2/0
Rating – 6.5/10
November was an unlucky month for Real Madrid as the team lost a lot of its key players to either injury or a positive COVID-19 result. Karim Benzema, the team’s leading goalscorer this season, was a victim of injury.
He was in full flow, though, before he injured himself against Valencia. Benzema scored two goals in two games. He was out for almost three weeks and led the frontline against Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League. Since it was his first game back from injury, he couldn’t contribute much.
Benzema will need to deliver the goods against Borussia Mönchengladbach if Los Blancos are to make it to the Round of 16.
Luka Jović
Appearances – 1
Starts – 0
Minutes played – 7
Goals/Assists – 0/0
Rating – N/A
Made a solitary substitute appearance against 4-1 when the team was in desperate need of goals. For Serbia, he seemed to have found his confidence back and Benzema’s injury meant that he was destined to start for Real Madrid in the first game after the international break, only for him to test positive for COVID-19.
Mariano Díaz
Appearances – 4
Starts – 3
Minutes played – 246
Goals/Assists – 1/0
Rating – 6.5/10
In the absence of both Benzema and Jović, Mariano got a rare chance to start. In his first start of the season, he found the back on the net inside two minutes. He had a decent outing against Inter Milan in the following game, before enduring an unlucky outing against Alavés.
One thing that I really love about Mariano is his desire to leave his all on the pitch. You can still see the perseverance in the way he plays, regardless of whether he scores goals or not. His hunger is pretty evident. He is fighting as if the starting striker’s role is up for grabs.
A more than decent job deputizing for Karim Benzema.
Eden Hazard
Appearances – 4
Starts – 3
Minutes played – 235
Goals/Assists – 1/0
Rating – 6.5/10
Eden Hazard could be a new synonym for the word ‘unlucky.’ After appearing for the Inter Milan game in early November, he tested positive for COVID-19. Returning to the starting lineup against Villarreal in Real Madrid’s first match post the international break, Hazard was slowly beginning to gather some momentum.
His performance in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win away at Inter Milan was probably his best performance since suffering an injury against PSG in November last year. Coincidentally, it was almost exactly a year’s difference between the PSG and Inter game.
Just when it looked like he broke free from the injury shackles, he suffered a muscular injury against Alavés. As of now, the date of his return is unknown. Let’s hope he can return quickly because the team needs him.
Vinícius Júnior
Appearances – 6
Starts – 1
Minutes played – 167
Goals/Assists – 0/1
Rating – 5/10
A patchy November from the young Brazilian. Earlier, finishing was his problem. Now, though, it seems like he is having trouble dribbling past his man too. There are growing concerns over Viní’s form (although he was good against Sevilla yesterday).
He did produce the assist for the winner scored by Rodrygo against Inter Milan at home, a goal that probably saved Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League campaign.
Marco Asensio
Appearances – 5
Starts – 4
Minutes played – 286
Goals/Assists – 0/0
Rating – 4.5/10
Appearing in all games played by the team in November but one, Marco Asensio has failed to stake a claim for the right winger’s spot in the starting XI. To be fair to him, his return from the ACL injury should be taken with extra caution. Time should be afforded for his body and mind to synchronize.
There were signs of the old Marco Asensio away at Shakhtar Donetsk.
Rodrygo
Appearances – 5
Starts – 1
Minutes played – 223
Goals/Assists – 1/0
Rating – 6/10
Rodrygo Goes has been a guardian angel for Real Madrid in the Champions League. When the team was looking for answers against Inter Milan with the match well-poised at 2-2, the teenage Brazilian banged the winner to secure the three points.
When the team was looking for a goal that would provide them a cushion in the reverse fixture, Rodrygo’s first involvement as a substitute enforced an own goal from Achraf Hakimi. He has been impressive this season, although he has been less impactful whenever he started on the right flank.
Next. The 5 players Real Madrid should have never sold. dark
Lucas Vázquez
Appearances – 6
Starts – 6
Minutes played – 540
Goals/Assists – 0/0
Rating – 7.25/10
The only player apart from Thibaut Courtois and Raphaël Varane to play every single minute in November, Lucas Vázquez has become one of the best players for the team. His consistency levels are well beyond his standards and he has taken responsibility up at a time when the team is struggling with results on the pitch and injuries off it.
I wrote an article on the No. 17, trying to justify why he deserves a contract extension. Every performance in the month of November – be it as a right-back or right winger – has reinstated my justifications.
He has been solid defensively and productive in attack. Although he does lack the natural positional sense that a right-back should, he has performed his duties much better in Dani Carvajal’s absence. At this moment, Zidane would be scratching his heads over who should be the starting right-back in the next two games – both season-defining clashes.