Real Madrid, forced to put out the fire

Real Madrid is surrounded by flames. The setback that Barça inflicted on them in the Spanish Super Cup has exacerbated the depression that the whites have been going through since RB Leipzig, Girona and Rayo Vallecano went bankrupt, with the Qatar World Cup knocking on the door, the solid image they offered at the first two months of competition. The memory of that block that raised the League and the Champions League between April and May of last year also seems to have been consumed by fire. The fiery praises of that time have given way to sharp criticism. “Everyone considers Real Madrid dead,” Carlo Ancelotti assumed with resignation on Wednesday, a coach who knows from his own experience how volatile football memory is. “But tomorrow (this Thursday) is an opportunity to get out of this dynamic,” the Italian immediately clarified.

Ancelotti’s words served to expose the vindictive desire that exists within a changing room touched, but not sunk. “We have to be calm and confident because the season is very long. We are going to play against strong teams, but we are never going to give up. Let’s get out of this. When I don’t know, it could be tomorrow, Sunday… but we’re going out. This team is going to compete to the end in all competitions,” said the commander of a troop that had the opportunity to put out the fire before the perimeter burst.

The Copa del Rey, traditionally at the bottom of Real Madrid’s list of objectives, is now presented as a possible balm. Hence Ancelotti go with everything. Or with what’s left, to be more precise. Because to the casualties due to injury to Alaba, Tchouaméni and Lucas Vázquez is added that of Carvajal, with adductor discomfort. In addition, Modric needs gasoline, so Carletto left the Croat in Madrid with the hope that he will fill the tank as soon as possible. He needs you more than ever.

cursed temple

In the Estadio de la Cerámica, a cursed temple for the Chamartín team since February 2017, Courtois and Benzema, the shield and the spear, will be instead. Nacho is also expected, whose cautious character Ancelotti hopes to extend to the rest of a defense that is more questioned than ever. “He is very reliable and can contribute good things at this time. We have been very optimistic in defense in this section and we have conceded six goals. Five of them, except for Alaba’s penalty, we could have avoided with pessimism,” reproached the coach, who summoned the castillistas Vinicius Tobias and Mario Martín for the dispute with a packed Villarreal.

The groguet box has not fallen since November 6, when he kneeled against Mallorca. Then he linked six victories, until Celta stopped the streak last Friday with a draw at Balaídos. Fundamental to this successful series has been the return of Gerard Moreno, the creator of five goals and three assists that have boosted the blue team under the command of Quique Setién.

The coach reaped four setbacks in his jump into the ring, but the victory over Espanyol on the fourteenth matchday of the League served as a turning point for a team that since then has overcome three cup proceedings against Santa Amalia, Guijuelo and Cartagena, also starring in an escalation in the regularity tournament that has allowed him to settle in European positions.

Especially sweet was the victory over Real Madrid that he celebrated just twelve days ago. The controversy unleashed as a result of two highly controversial penalties, one per side, did not take away an iota of merit from Villarreal’s brilliant performance, superior from start to finish to an impotent opponent. “It’s good for us to motivate ourselves and know that we can beat them, to base ourselves on some game situations, but it will be different,” Pau Torres warned ahead of this Thursday’s duel. «I don’t pay attention to the fact that I am in a bad moment or tired. I am sure that he will come to win in the best conditions and knowing that he is coming from being injured. And any injured animal is much more dangerous,” Setién warned.

The Spaniard will be able to face him with Foyth, who damaged his shoulder against Celta but has recovered in time. His presence is crucial because he has revealed himself as an effective bailiff for Vinicius. The injured Kiko Femenía, Nicolas Jackson and Lo Celso, the suspended Pedraza and Danjuma, heading to the Premier League, are the absences of a squad that has not set foot in their fiefdom in the Cup since January 2019. There they have ambushed Real Madrid four times since then. He now he prepares another ambush.