Real Madrid Player Ratings from a 1-0 Copa del Rey exit to Athletic Bilbao
CM Toni Kroos
To be honest with you, as much as I hate criticizing one of the best midfielders ever, Toni Kroos might as well have taken an extra rest in this game. He just did not look like himself, and Copa del Rey standout Eduardo Camavinga offered more in the few minutes he came onto the pitch.
Kroos played for 76 minutes and had no key passes. He did not offer enough control, nor was his usual passing command on display. This was a true off game from Kroos – not just one “by his standards”, which tends to be the case. Kroos was genuinely underwhelming, and that sums up the shock of how Real Madrid played at San Mames.
Rating: 5.0
DM Casemiro
Casemiro offered some good in this game, mostly with his active defensive interventions, which led to three tackles and three interceptions. However, he cost the team with two key plays. The first was a poor shot directly at the keeper after Marco Asensio ingeniously put him through on goal with a clever flick.
But the second was more devastating. Casemiro has been making bad giveaways all season long in his own half, and he was punished by Alex Berenguer for the matchwinner. He has to take the blame for that play, though he could not anticipate Berenguer making such a play. That’s the thing, though. If a player is this careless in possession, they are giving away chances. And eventually, someone will cash in. Berenguer did exactly that.
Rating: 5.0
CM Luka Modric
When the “holy trinity” fails, Real Madrid tend to flop, too. Los Blancos were not themselves in midfield, and Luka Modric was perhaps the most disappointing of the bunch.
Coming off an excellent January, Modric was anything but excellent in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals. I think maybe people are being a little too harsh on him because of how much is expected from Modric, but he was indeed poor, just like the other midfielders. It’s hard to say what was up, and it is important not to exaggerate. But Modric was off in this game.
Rating: 5.0