Real Madrid lost to Shakhtar Donetsk twice in the 2020-2021 Champions League group stages, but with Wednesday’s 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu, they were able to avenge those losses with back-to-back wins of their own in the current campaign.
That said, while Los Blancos were dominant in the 5-0 win in Kyiv, they were far from dominant on Wednesday. You may even say they were lucky to get the three points, because Shakhtar played the better football at times and came very close to scoring a second or even third goal.
Let’s ask some burning questions of Real Madrid after this win, with rivals Rayo Vallecano next up on Saturday night.
Should Lucas Vazquez play more at RW?
Real Madrid fans may have been a little surprised to see Lucas Vazquez named the starting right winger with Rodrygo Goes and Gareth Bale out injured. He was certainly among the options to play, but a two-striker formation with Luka Jovic or a formation with Eden Hazard in the free role seemed more likely.
But Carlo Ancelotti ended up making the right call in the end. Vazquez’s defensive stability definitely helped, especially since Dani Carvajal had an awful game.
Furthermore, Vazquez was fantastic in the attack. He was second on the team with three key passes and was unlucky not to register an assist. Luka Modric had two good chances from Vazquez’s passing, including one gilt-edged chance early in the match.
It was another positive showing from the Galician, who continues to prove doubters wrong. With Rodrygo out and nobody else capable of providing Vazquez’s injury, he truly may be the most consistent option on the right wing. If Carvajal steps up, maybe the duo can put together some performances akin to their brilliance in the first Derbi of the 2020-2021 season.