Real Madrid Player Ratings: Vinicius, Alaba shine in 2-1 win at Barcelona

DM Casemiro

Casemiro had a mixed game, in my opinion. He was so crucial defensively, it was really good to see him do that well for a second consecutive game. It shows that some rest, and Kroos’ return was all Casemiro needed to get back to his best defensively. But, he didn’t do well on the ball, which has been a huge issue for Casemiro, especially against teams that press a lot. Barcelona are one of them, and they won the ball back many times because of Casemiro’s inability to help Real Madrid keep possession. Sometimes he passed the ball too late, sometimes he passed it to the wrong guy, it was a mess when he was on the ball, but I’ll give him a slightly more favourable rating because of his defensive contribution.

Rating: 5.5/10

CM Luka Modric

Luka had a great game. I think his performance went under the radar a little bit, because he didn’t directly contribute to any goal. But, he was crucial on both ends of the pitch, which made it difficult for Barcelona’s defenders to defend, their attackers to attack, and their midfielders to retain possession. Modric created a lot of chances for Real Madrid, and his energy and pace didn’t seem like that of a 36 year old. He had a few giveaways at the start, but like almost everyone else, he got a lot better as the game went on.

Rating: 8/10

CM Toni Kroos

Toni Kroos had a very nice game. He was crucial in slowing the pace down and building it back up, he linked up well with Vinicius and Mendy, and since a lot of the attack – especially in the first 60 minutes – went through the left side, Kroos was heavily involved in most of it, if not all. He dealt really well with Barcelona’s surprisingly good press, and did a good job overall. Most players did, which is what makes me so happy.

Rating: 8/10