It seemed like Real Madrid were in serious trouble against one of La Liga’s other title contenders. After barely surviving with three points against both Sevilla and Athletic Club, Madrid were once again being exposed defensively and overrun by Real Sociedad in front of a fired-up La Real fanbase at the Anoeta. And to make matters worse, all-important striker Karim Benzema left the pitch in the 17th minute with an injury, as young striker Luka Jovic struggled to fill the void in the first half.
However, Real Madrid stayed in the game with some tremendous defending, specifically from Eder Militao, who has been wonderful all season long. Then, when the second half started, Los Blancos immediately turned up the heat. Jovic was a changed man after the break, assisting Vinicius Junior and scoring on his own.
Los Merengues would hold on, winning this tough road match 2-0. Here are the player ratings.
GK Thibaut Courtois
After carrying the team to wins over Sevilla and Athletic Club, the world-class goalkeeper did not have as much to do against La Real. In fact, Courtois did not have to make a save. He did, however, make some big claims in the air and looked solid on the ball against the opposition’s pressure.
Rating: 6.5
LB Ferland Mendy
Ferland Mendy completed about 95 percent of his passes in another typical performance for the Frenchman. He was quiet, effective defensively, but not really helpful offensively. Against top Champions League teams, you just wonder if Mendy’s technical issues will hurt Los Blancos.
Rating: 6.0
CB David Alaba
David Alaba is a rock a the back for Real Madrid, and he did a great job of helping Eder Militao completely mark Alexander Isak, Alexander Sorloth, and the world-class Mikel Oyarzabal out of the game. Alaba was the leader in central defense, tracking runs and maintaining the organization.
Rating: 7.5
CB Eder Militao
This was perhaps one of the best individual performances of the 2021-2022 season by any Real Madrid player – or any defender in Europe’s top five leagues for that matter. Eder Militao was simply sublime at the Anoeta, coming of age as a world-class center back with this performance. Against one of the best forward lines in Europe, Militao was impeccable. He won five tackles, dominated in the air, and had no qualms with playing out of pressure. Militao is such an underrated passer, because he can create counterattacks from nothing after immediately winning the ball back. Please re-watch this game and just focus on Militao, if you can. He put on a defensive clinic.
Rating 10
RB Dani Carvajal
With two tackles, an interception, three clearances, and a pass completion percentage a few ticks over 96, Dani Carvajal delivered a quietly solid performance on the right side of the Real Madrid defense. In this game, his defensive work was far more important to Los Blancos than his attacking runs, and he knew the assignment. Madridistas have been begging for consistency from the world-class right back, and this was another helpful performance.
Rating: 7.0
CM Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos left the pitch with about 10 minutes left in the match so that he could be spared a little before Tuesday night’s Champions League match at the Bernabeu vs. Inter. But he left after having done his job on both ends of the pitch. The 31-year-old completed about 94 percent of his passes, including six of seven long balls. He also had two tackles. Kroos and Luka Modric were a great tandem again, and while the midfield maestro was not necessarily dominant in this one, he was indeed solid.
Rating: 7.0
DM Casemiro
The man walked a very, very fine tightrope on Saturday night, but Casemiro managed to finish the match without picking up a fifth yellow card. Though, of course, Luka Modric had to urge him to calm down at one point. Casemiro was smartly subbed in the 64th minute for Eduardo Camavinga. In truth, this was not his best performance either, and he did present another gift in the form of a poor pass near his own box. Though he did also get credited with the assist on Luka Jovic’s goal.
Rating: 5.5
CM Luka Modric
Luka Modric just keeps on starting game after game for Real Madrid, and while Madridistas are rightfully concerned about his fitness, the ageless wonder of the Madrid midfield continues to excel. He delivered another high-level, all-action performance against Real Sociedad, doing a little bit of everything. Despite being a former Ballon d’Or winner and one of the classiest players on the planet with the ball at his feet, Modric never shies away from the dirty work. And that’s precisely what makes him so valuable and so appreciated by Madrid fans.
LW Vinicius Junior
Vinicius Junior scored Real Madrid’s opening goal after some great combination play with striker Luka Jovic, and he was a threat throughout the night. Real Sociedad, like so many other teams, just could not cope with Vini. They constantly had to resort to fouling him, and there were times where he would just blow by an attempted tactical foul like it was nothing. Vinicius had four shots on target, four dribbles completed, and three fouls drawn at the Anoeta. He is the outstanding player on the pitch from an attacking perspective in just about every recent match for Madrid. With Karim Benzema out, Madridistas actually do not have to fear, because Vini is ‘the guy’. And don’t forget, this guy defends with his heart and soul. He had one tackle in midfield that was executed with the precision of a top central defender.
Rating: 8.0
ST Luka Jovic
Real Madrid fans had serious doubts about Luka Jovic after a horrible first-half performance in which the striker looked lethargic and, quite frankly, lost. It was almost as if the player, who has world-class potential, did not want the ball at all. It turns out Jovic just needed half-time to get reset after being thrown into a match, having not played a real role in this Madrid side for a long time. Jovic immediately responded in the second half with a target man’s dream of an assist for Vini and a poacher’s dream of a diving headed goal to seal the match 2-0 for his team. Jovic looked a lot more lively than in past matches, constantly drifting wide, looking to support teammates under pressure, and holding off defenders in a facilitative manner. Madridistas should be quietly excited for what he can do going forward with more momentum, and they should not panic if Benzema is out against Inter.
Rating: 8.0
RW Rodrygo Goes
Rodrygo Goes was quiet against Real Sociedad, but the 20-year-old was not ineffective. He completed three dribbles and did a LOT of defending, which was necessary against the likes of Oyarzabal. Rodrygo is very unselfish and in this match, he deserves credit for being willing to help out so much defensively against a La Real side that is among the most dangerous in Spain when it comes to scoring goals. Attackers don’t usually get credit in clean sheets, but Rodrygo, who had two tackles and an interception, should.
Rating: 6.5