Madrid came back against Milan with two goals from Valverde and the genius of its Brazilians. Bellingham was liked at its premiere.
A half-done Madrid signed up for the comeback against Milan thanks to two goals from Valverde and another from Vinicius, acclaimed in Los Angeles at the level of the Bernabéu. It was in Bellingham’s debut, which was fine without showing off; with a change in the system as a result of the signing of the Englishman, the departure of Benzema and the absence of a first-instance nine; with the premieres of Joselu, Fran García and Nico Paz; and with a classic ending: the genius of Vinicius and Rodrygo. That part of the transition is complete by Madrid.
Curiosity is the fuel of summer. A classic: assess whether what is coming worsens or improves what left. More in this Madrid with four additions and a play-off, Brahim, transition in a team forced to painless generational changes. In five years two empires have fallen, Cristiano and Benzema. The first survived with the arrival of the second. Now he is aiming for the most difficult yet: play an entire course without a blue blood nine. He won’t even have it if he finally finishes off the required signing, Mbappé, who is completing his third preseason at Madrid without him knowing. So Ancelotti has solved it with the acrobatics of a change of system and register in the pressure.
This first Madrid, with a mixture of starters and substitutes, appeared in a 4-3-1-2 formation, with Kroos as a pivot escorted by Valverde and Camavinga, Bellingham ahead and two forwards, Brahim and Joselu, who will not be the first starting option. The change from chemistry to physics has also brought a higher and more ambitious pressure. The first point, not conclusive, is that, compared to last year, there is a squad with more legs, more to choose from (only Odriozola remains and it seems that for a short time from the quartet of registered but invisible substitutes), less sauce on the wings and less goal. Mbappé is the ideal remedy for this deficiency. Make marking a thing for many, the alternative.
A crystal defense
Due to treasury requirements, Madrid’s rehearsals have been loaded with dynamite for a long time. In Los Angeles, a Milan as semifinalist in the Champions League as he awaited him, with six signings, three of them in the starting eleven, two well known to Ancelotti’s men: Loftus-Cheek and Pulisic, fallen angels of the last Chelsea. A team, in short, from the gourmet club that soon balanced Madrid’s initial dominance and went ahead with a corner goal. Tomori finished him off point blank in the small area, between Militao and Nacho and with Lunin sunk under the posts. Collective error that coaches take note of.
So far, Madrid had come a little: a distant shot from Valverde, a preview of what would come next, and another from Bellingham before which Tomori acted as a wall. The Englishman pointed to a player with a lot of presence, with good control of both legs and great skills as a filterer of the last pass. The best ideas of a Madrid to do were in his head. His hierarchy seems to get him very close to his price.
The worst of Madrid was behind, with too many losses in the ball out of their centrals. In one of them he conceded the second goal, in a magnificent shot by Luka Romero, the Argentine who in 2020, with Mallorca, became the youngest rookie in the Spanish League. He is now 18 and progressing well.
Valverde’s canyon
Ancelotti changed to eight at half-time and there was a more recognizable eleven, especially in attack, with Rodrygo and Vinicius, which on this map takes him away from the left wing, his garden. For Rodrygo the change is less traumatic. He is more trained for the position and it comes more naturally to him. He came into the game like a lightning bolt. An outside shot after an electric start was taken by Sportiello. And in a minute, Madrid lifted the task with two goals from Valverde from outside the area. The first, as a gift from the Milan goalkeeper, with oil gloves. The second, courtesy of Tomori. There is no impossible distance for the Uruguayan, who starts like last year. Through that drain the game began to go to Pioli’s team.
Rodrygo led the charge for a definitely superior Madrid in the second act until Pioli also brought out the best of his squad, led by Rafael Leao. In his first intervention he passed over Carvajal, although no one finished off his center. Earlier, Lunin avoided Giraud’s 3-2 victory with a highly meritorious intervention.
However, the game was closed by Vinicius, grown amidst the Californian enthusiasm, picking up a pass from Modric and solving with ease inside the area to show that Madrid’s comebacks are not seasonal.
.
.
.
.
