What a surprise at the Bernabeu. The former Inter goalkeeper but also the Swede will be the protagonist. Los Blancos finish with nine men against Bologna’s next opponent in EL
Don’t be scared, or at least not excessively, Vincenzo Italiano. Who we imagine yesterday spent the evening watching his next European opponent, Celta, win 2-0 at the Bernabeu. The Vigo team obviously has great merits but Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid has a lot of problems, and last night they emerged in all their worrying splendor.
Lots of booing
—
The Bernabeu booed a lot, and for a long time, a team without a soul and with very little football, clinging to individual plays and the moon of its many cracks and with nerves on edge. Madrid ended with 9 men due to the expulsions, both for double yellow cards, of Fran Garcia in the 64th minute and Carreras in the 92nd minute (also red to Endrick on the bench). Two red cards as deserved as they were foolish: the first made two identical fouls in the neutral zone in a matter of seconds, the second after an infringement thought it best to send the referee to hell, who could do nothing but send him off. And so Madrid, who on 27 October after the victory over Barça had emerged from the Clásico with a 5 point advantage over the Catalans, 6 days later are 4 points behind, and Villarreal is third at -1 with a game in hand. Because Los Blancos’ negative streak is starting to have a certain duration: to host the much celebrated and highly paid NFL American football match, Madrid played 6 away games in a row: they lost to Liverpool and drew with Rayo, Elche and Girona, not exactly three super powers. In between the difficult triumph in Greece against Olympiakos and the good performance in Bilbao on Wednesday.
bitter return home
—
Madrid looked with optimism and confidence to the return to the Bernabeu to face Celta 16th and full of draws, but instead it went the other way. Xabi like Rafa And watch out because Guardiola’s City arrive here at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, and if the ‘Panda’ Iglesias and the intermittent Bryan Zaragoza looked phenomenal yesterday, imagine Haaland and Doku, who do their same job. Xabi Alonso is not at immediate risk, but his profile increasingly resembles that of Rafa Benitez, who arrived at the Casa Blanca after Ancelotti in 2015 and lasted less than 6 months with few results and even less feeling with the squad. Xabi Alonso has his ideas, his personality and a very high concept of himself and his intellectual qualities. His methods are not liked by the mammasantissima of Madrid, accustomed in the last 4 years to the empathetic and winning dialogue of Carlo Ancelotti, who enjoys it on the beach of Ipanema.
ko also military
—
And in defense it’s a drama, because with 5 defenders injured, Huijsen, Carvajal, Alexander-Arnold, Alaba and Mendy, Militao also got hurt yesterday, and seriously: we’ll see who will play at the back with City, and on Sunday with Alaves, considering the suspensions of Carreras and Fran García. Madrid came up against the technique, organization and courage of Celta Vigo. The former Inter player Radu made two or three top saves, and after the usual miracle from Courtois in the first part, in the second half Swedberg, who came on during the break for the injured Pablo Duran, scored twice: early, on an assist from Bryan Zaragoza with a soft and delightful back heel, and late, in the white chaos in which Iago Aspas intervened. Madrid only started playing when they were down to 10 men, but with more enthusiasm than play. And so Celta won at the Bernabeu after 19 years saddened by 3 draws and 16 defeats. But we repeat, don’t let Italiano get too scared, also because Celta have won 2 out of 10 games at home.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
