Real Madrid gave its fans quite the scare in Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, as they did not score during regulation and conceded the first goal of extra time to Elche on the road. But two late, late goals from surprising sources in Isco and Eden Hazard pulled Los Blancos ahead. They would hold on for a 2-1 win, advancing to the quarterfinals of the competitions.
Hazard and Isco were certainly stars for their goals in the win, but which starters starred for Los Blancos in this nervy win? And which two starters were flops for the first-place team in LaLiga?
Here is a look at the players who helped Real Madrid advance, as well as those who nearly cost the team with their passivity.
Star: CB David Alaba
The official Man of the Match, David Alaba deserves just as much credit for the game-winning play as Eden Hazard.
Alaba spotted Hazard’s run off the shoulder of the defenders and played a perfect pass, curving from the left to the center of the pitch. The long-time Bayern Munich star moved to left back later in the match with Casemiro shifting inside as something of a center back, and that ended up being a match-winning tweak in the end.
One of the club’s most consistent players this season, Alaba has been indispensable. The free-agent signing is a leader for Real at the heart of the defense, and he often leads by example. He did so against Elche with his ball-carrying, passing, and, of course, assist. And defensively, he was the most stable member of the back four, as the other players, especially Marcelo, struggled significantly.
Star: CM Eduardo Camavinga
Although Eduardo Camavinga was substituted in the second half for Casemiro, Real Madrid were not better off for this change. Usually, Casemiro adds more defensive stability, and he is underrated for his contributions in the clutch. But in this match, Case was not much of a factor off the bench.
Meanwhile, Camavinga was one of Real’s two best players during regulation. The young midfielder was as active as anyone on the pitch, constantly carrying the ball into the final third, even getting a few dangerous shots off. With more improved shooting, one of those will hit the back of the net for the high-upside 2021 summer signing.
As it stands, Camavinga was a standout for a second straight Copa del Rey match in which his teammates were not as quick to the punch. With three tackles and three interceptions, Camavinga’s ball-winning also remains a high point for Los Blancos.
Flop: CM Fede Valverde
On the other side, Fede Valverde was alarmingly poor for Real Madrid. You would think that Elche would be a good opponent for Fede to show his skills, and Elche did give Real some transition opportunities by playing a lot more offensive than anyone would have thought for the first hour of the match.
But Fede struggled. He was not active on the ball and did very little in the final third. The difference between Luka Modric and Fede against low blocks is massive, and Fede once again flopped against a tight defensive structure. He could not make penetrative dribbles. Fede looked blocky and clumsy on the ball, and he was lacking in creativity. Valverde made too many weak square passes that did not recycle the ball, but rather put Elche in better defensive positions. He needs to learn how to think through these patterns.
Star: LW Vincius Jr.
For me, the best player on the pitch, and that has become a common theme for Real Madrid in the 2021-2022 season across all competitions. It turns out it was a very good thing Carlo Ancelotti did not rest Vinicius in the Copa del Rey for someone else, because even a scintillating Vini was only enough to keep Real afloat for much of the match.
A lot of Vini’s greatness was wasted by two attacking partners who did not play well at all. The left winger, meanwhile, was magnetic on the ball. He had three key passes and a whopping nine successful dribbles. We would be talking about this as one of the finest dribbling performances of the season in terms of effectiveness and aesthetics, had the players around him been more clinical and quick-thinking off the ball.
Vinicius Jr. is a gift to Real Madrid, and they cannot waste him. Do not let the scoreline through the first 105 minutes fool you. Vini was brilliant again.
Flop: ST Luka Jovic
Carlo Ancelotti was so set on resting the tireless Karim Benzema – he of the 17 goals this season – that he did not even have the No. 9 in his squad. The stage was set for Luka Jovic, who missed the first Copa del Rey fixture against Alcoyano, where Mariano Diaz was predictably anonymous.
Somehow, Luka Jovic was even worse. With the spotlight on him, Jovic’s performance was a far cry from the excellence we saw against tougher opponents in Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad this season. I cannot pick out a single thing Jovic did significantly well – or, at least, something beyond a basic positive that I would expect from any professional who made it to Real Madrid.
Lethargic, unimaginative, weak in possession, and inactive off the ball. Jovic was at his most frustrating, showing all the negative traits that made Zinedine Zidane forget about his involvement in 2020-2021 before an ill-fated loan back to Frankfurt. We all know Jovic is capable of so much more, but when he plays this poorly, it is hard for some Madridistas to remember how much quality he has.