Real Madrid played abysmally in Paris against PSG in the Champions League’s Round of 16 first leg. PSG won with a 1-0 scoreline which could’ve been much worse if it wasn’t for Thibaut Courtois’s heroics between the posts and clinical performances from Real Madrid’s center-backs, Eder Militao and David Alaba. Los Blancos were also helped by some poor finishing from the Parisians but it was the target man Kylian Mbappe who made the difference within injury time.
The decisive leg will thus be played in the Spanish Capital next month. And, if being completely outplayed in midfield and restricting the attack to three shots through the 90 minutes wasn’t enough, two of Real Madrid’s first-team stars picked up their fifth yellow cards in the competition, and now they’d be suspended for the return leg in March. I am of course talking about Ferland Mendy and Carlos Casemiro.
Before I move on to my picks for the players who need to step up their game in absence of these two players, I’d like to talk about another player who may need to put on his boots and take the pitch. Its club captain, Marcelo. Well, on the very face of the issue, Marcelo doesn’t strike me as an option for the game against PSG.
He doesn’t have the legs from his prime and he’d be completely bamboozled by the likes of Neymar, Angel Di Maria, and Nuno Mendes. But, considering how unpredictable Carlo Ancelotti has been, I think Marcelo should start putting in extra shifts in the training. He may have to feature in this game after all. And, if that happens, there’s no doubt that he’d have to step up his game a lot from the best of him that we’ve seen this season. Here are the other players.
3. CB/LB Nacho Fernandez
I think, if Carlo Ancelotti must go for either one between Marcelo and Nacho, I think he should pick the Spaniard for this game. While Nacho isn’t a natural in the left-back position, he is a versatile defender who can work within transitioning roles. Including Nacho among the starters opens up tactical flexibility for Carlo Ancelotti that Marcelo wouldn’t be able to provide.
A simple switch with David Alaba in central defense would make for an effective change when the team needs more attacking intent down the left. Nacho too isn’t bad at putting balls into the box or making attacking sprints, though very rare. Moreover, playing Nacho and Eder Militao as center-backs with Dani Carvajal and David Alaba playing out wide is a perfectly natural defensive lineup to go with. And, on any given day, it would be a better option than deploying an out-of-favor Marcelo.
Moreover, Nacho has been very promising in the central role in his last games. He was Real Madrid’s best outfield player in a humiliating Copa del Rey exit at hands of Athletic Club and he also put in a decent shift the previous Copa game against Elche. I think it is most likely that Nacho would feature in the starting lineup against PSG in the second leg, it is only left to see where in the defense he plays. Either way, he needs to step up with all his Madridismo energy if we are to make this turnaround.
2. CB/LB David Alaba
The second player on this list is none other than the current number 4 of the club, David Alaba. It was yet another immense performance from him in defense against PSG in the first leg. Alas, his attacking teammates couldn’t help shape his efforts at the back into something more tangible. However, with Casemiro and Ferland Mendy out, I am certain that David Alaba will have to work much harder in the second leg.
Firstly, carrying forward the discussion from the first slide, Alaba could possibly shift to the left-back position for the second leg or he even might stick to his traditional central role. Alaba has been crucial to the club in that central role and I think fans would be okay to gamble playing Nacho up against PSG’s right-wingers if that would mean having David Alaba at the center-back position.
If Alaba moves to the left-back role, we’d expect much more attacking involvement from the Austrian. He’d quickly have to form the partnership with Vinicius Junior and wreak havoc from the left if at all Real Madrid are to salvage this tie. On the other hand, Casemiro’s absence means that Alaba will also have to be extra cautious defensively and if he sticks to his usual central role, we might see a little more of Alaba’s signature long balls. In the absence of a deep-lying playmaker, Alaba will have to show a little more leadership in the buildup.
Much like Nacho, it doesn’t matter where Alaba starts against PSG, he will need to be at a level above his usual self. Creative duties, extra caution on counters, and the possibility of playing as a traditional fullback and advancing every time an attack takes shape on the left, Alaba has a lot to take care of in the upcoming second leg. He must indeed step up to his very best.
1. CM Eduardo Camavinga
I think it’s time, Real Madrid will have to play a nineteen-year-old against one of their fiercest opponents. Casemiro is out and I know no one else who could cover for the Brazilian as well as Eduardo Camavinga can. He has proved his worth over and over in that number 6 role and I think he’d be our best bet against PSG in the second leg. He should start the game alongside Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.
Moreover, hailing from the French League, PSG isn’t an unknown opponent for the young Frenchman. One of his most famous performances came against PSG when he bossed the likes of Marquinhos and Marco Verratti in a 2-1 home victory against the Parisians in the 2019/20 season. He had an assist in that game including a very clinical tackling record with some extraordinary passing. And, I think Carlo Ancelotti must recognize that and give him the start he deserves after making the most out of his opportunities in the Copa del Rey.
Camavinga would be a good mix of attack and defense in this game and the perfect piece to round off the midfield trio. Obviously, his game is very different from Casemiro’s game and he cannot be expected to do things that Casemiro does. But, I am sure Camavinga can pull off that anchoring role alongside being a playmaker from deeper positions. Unlike Casemiro, he may not rely on reading the game and intercepting play or getting physical on duels. He’d rather dive into a challenge and recover the ball.
Most importantly, his pace would come in handy against the speedy Parisians. And, his versatility will keep tactical flexibility alive. We have seen both Kroos and Modric dropping deep to play it out from the back. In such situations, Camavinga’s playmaking abilities will be tested and as is evident, he is more of a number 8 than a number 6. I think this interchangeability would also serve Madrid handily in the return leg that needs desperate action.
I am convinced that it would be Camavinga who would start against PSG in the second leg at Casemiro’s place. And, nothing short of his absolute best will do. He needs to step up big time and if he does end up making the difference here, he’d be counted among the best upcoming central midfielders, officially, if he isn’t yet. It is a very big opportunity knocking at the young man’s door, to say the least.