The Real Madrid Mid-Season Report Cards

Defenders:

Dani Carvajal – B+
Dani Carvajal has had his injury problems during this season but he has been able to make 8 starting appearances and one as a substitute in what has been a great campaign so far for him. He started off a little slowly like the majority of the squad but since his return from injury, the Spanish right-back has been in sensational form and has proven why his name should always be included in the discussion about who the best right-back is at the moment.

Eder Militao – N/A
With only two starts and one substitute appearance, Eder Militao simply hasn’t had the opportunities so far this season. Injury, illness and his teammates performing at a higher level simply made things difficult for the young Brazilian defender who has previously shown that he is someone definitely worth keeping a close eye on. At the moment, it seems as though he has fallen down the pecking order when it comes to central defenders as Nacho looks like he’s now ahead.

Sergio Ramos – B
With 17 games played so far this season, Sergio Ramos has clearly shown what true leadership is. Our captain’s presence on the pitch transforms the team and we have seen it time and time again. His performances have been one of the best so far and with his contract due to end in the summer, we’re all collectively sitting and hoping that this won’t be the end of Sergio Ramos at the White House.

Raphael Varane – C
One of the players with the most appearances so far this season, Raphael Varane has not been at his best. He had a strong start to the season but that was quickly forgotten with consecutive poor performances. The Frenchman is one of the best central defenders in the world and it’s only a matter of time before we see him back to his best but with the season only getting tougher from here, let’s hope that we’ll be able to see him at his best soon.

Nacho Fernandez – B
He wasn’t expected to play too much and with nine games under his belt during the campaign, Nacho Fernandez will be happy with how his performances have been. He took Sergio Ramos’ place while the captain was injured and did quite well. However, he wasn’t as strong when asked to play as one of the wing backs this season but that should not shadow some very solid performances in the center alongside Varane.

Marcelo – D
Six appearances this season and it’s a little difficult to find many good moments for Marcelo who has been at the top for so many years. The Brazilian left-back is barely a shadow of his old self and whether that’s due to age or something else, it will need to be solved soon. Add to that the unwanted record of the team dropping points whenever he starts and it serves as added pressure to the Brazilian who still feels like he has a lot to offer the club. He still has the trust of Zidane but it has clearly been lacking in the past couple months.

Ferland Mendy – B+
Successfully cemented himself as the starting left-back for Real Madrid this season and he has been improving with each game that passes. Mendy has more than proven himself defensively as his offensive work was lacking earlier in the season but it’s something he has been working on and we can clearly see the work put in when judging from his recent performances. The Frenchman has been one of the top performers for Los Merengues this season.

Alvaro Odriozola – N/A
With only one appearance this season, it’s a little confusing to see why Zidane chose to keep him rather than sell him. After his loan with Bayern Munich, many didn’t expect Odriozola to return but as the season goes on, he will definitely have opportunities. Very unlucky to get injured at the same time as Carvajal as well.