Real Madrid defeated Rayo Vallecano for their second straight underwhelming 2-1 victory. Los Blancos could have easily lost this game, too, if it weren’t for the heroics of superstar midfielder Toni Kroos. Not only did the No. 8 score the opener with perfect technique, but he had a massive goal-line clearance in the final minutes of the match.
Here are the player ratings from another performance that just wasn’t quite up to the standards Real Madrid should be setting, yet was still filled with quality individual displays. And that can be summed up by the team creating chances and playing beautiful football, yet failing to finish and playing disorganized defensively in the final minutes. That’s where the standards have fallen short, and that’s where the work must still be done.
GK Thibaut Courtois
Thibaut Courtois had another very good game in between the sticks, and it is frustrating that he is not getting credit for clean sheets. After the Kroos clearance, Courtois made a huge save on a deflected longshot that was more difficult than it may have seemed.
Rating: 7.5
LB Ferland Mendy
Ferland Mendy was solid defensively but subpar offensively. He seemed to stumble over the ball and was too cautious to put in crosses. That said, he nearly had a role in a team goal for the ages with a backheel, though Karim Benzema could not find the finish.
Rating: 6.5
CB David Alaba
David Alaba had one of the best assists you’ll see this season in any league. He popped up on the left flank, a very familiar spot for him, and delivered a pretty, David Beckham-esque early cross. Alaba picked out Karim Benzema’s perfectly-timed run with such precision that Benz could basically walk the ball into the net. Alaba was solid defensively and should not be faulted for Radamel Falcao’s goal, even if he was the closest man to the legendary LaLiga striker.
Rating: 7.5
CB Eder Militao
Eder Militao did not have an assist, but he was even more assured defensively than Alaba. The Brazilian central defender has been in great form, and he is more willing than ever to try risky passes out.
Rating: 7.0
RB Dani Carvajal
Dani Carvajal struggled against Shakhtar Donetsk at mid-week, but he more than made up for it with a brilliant performance against Rayo Vallecano. He never gave up on a play, exemplified by when he fought with a Rayo defender to win the ball in the opposition’s penalty area, before delivering a pass that Marco Asensio could have easily put away. Carvajal finished the match with five tackles, two interceptions, and two key passes. He is Real Madrid’s best crosser.
Rating: 8.0
CM Toni Kroos
The clear Man of the Match. Real Madrid would have lost this game without Toni Kroos. He had a well-taken opener and then saved the team with a clearance that will go down in the season’s highlight reel. It was a play worth two points to Los Blancos. Kroos was exquisite on the ball, per usual. He had two dribbles completed, two key passes, and four fouls drawn. He worked incredibly hard for the team in this one, on both ends of the pitch.
Rating: 8.5
DM Casemiro
Casemiro had six combined tackles and interceptions, but he also had a couple of poor passes in his own half, including one giveaway that led to a shot on target for Rayo. Although the 29-year-old did not play poorly and made several important interventions, Casemiro had another mixed performance when taking into context his work on the ball.
Rating: 6.0
CM Eduardo Camavinga
Eduardo Camavinga brought a LOT of running to the table for Real Madrid, finishing the match with a team-high six tackles. He was not nearly as effective offensively, though. Camavinga had one nice dribble, but he was mostly playing simple passes and not really getting involved attacking-wise. I’d also like to see him avoid making so many late challenges. But as a whole, this was a positive performance for the young French midfielder. He did a lot of the little things well. That made up for the areas in which he still needs work, as he was never going to be able to make up for the control that Luka Modric can have on matches. Camavinga is still early in his development, and that’s OK.
Rating: 6.5
LW Vinicius Junior
Vinicius Junior is Real Madrid’s most electrifying man. He played a key role in the build-up to the first goal and nearly scored a wonderful third for Madrid with a solo run that still has Madridistas buzzing. He is appointment television, and the Bernabeu serenades his name every match. We will see more involved matches from the winger, but this was another positive performance.
Rating: 7.0
CF Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema grabbed his 10th goal of the season, though we all know David Alaba should get most of the credit there. The No. 9 could have easily had a second and a third, but his sharpest finishing seemed to avoid him in this match. Benzema, as a whole, looked fatigued, and he wasn’t nearly as brilliant as usual in the other aspects of his all-around game. We saw some of this at mid-week against Shakhtar Donetsk, too, despite the brace. Benzema left the match against Rayo Vallecano in the 82nd minute for Eden Hazard, who assumed a false nine role, but many fans feel he should have left sooner for maximal rest.
Rating: 5.5
RW Marco Asensio
Marco Asensio had a fantastic assist for Toni Kroos’ goal, which followed another great pass early in the match. It summed up a strong first half from the hat-trick hero against Mallorca, as he was the starter on the right wing over Eden Hazard and Lucas Vazquez, who both entered as subs (Vazquez for Asensio in the 82nd minute). Asensio had a nice first half, but he was below-average again in the second half. He made poor decisions in the penalty box, including with his technique. It was puzzling to see him go for so many shots with his weaker foot. That said, he led the team with three key passes and played well enough in the first half to avoid too much criticism. This was a decent performance.
Rating: 6.5