Real Madrid suffered a devastating loss at the Civitas Metropolitano, which caused them to fall to third place in the La Liga standings for the first time this season. They are currently in second place, one point behind leaders Barcelona with 15 points after six games played.
However, there is hardly enough time for the team to recuperate. The Merengues face off against Las Palmas in a challenging matchup on the seventh matchday of La Liga, less than 72 hours after suffering a loss in the previous match.
Even though they’ve had a rough start to the new season, the team captained by Garcia Pimienta has made tremendous strides in terms of their overall performance as of late.
After going winless in their first five league matches, Las Palmas finally broke through with their first victory in their most recent matchup against Granada.
It will be fascinating to observe how the game of momentum pans out given that the guests are coming off of their first victory and the hosts are coming off of their first defeat.
Ahead of Wednesday’s matchup at Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid Universal brings you three topics of discussion for your consideration.
The crucial response to the question
Real Madrid has a record of six wins and no losses in their last six matches, but there was always the possibility that they could end their winning streak at any moment. After all, their victories up to that point had not always been decisively won.
The magical play of Jude Bellingham, the consistent threat posed by Joselu, and the talented play of the midfield all contributed to Los Blancos’ squeaky-clean victories over the past few weeks. However, it was never hard to miss the fact that they had flaws in both their defense and their play in the final third.
On Sunday, all of Real Madrid’s problems came to the forefront and were left in the open where they could be easily seen. The game ultimately ended in a loss, which left both the players and the fans with a sour taste in their mouths.
Despite suffering their first loss of the year, the team in white can’t afford to wallow in self-pity because they still have a chance to win the championship. After all, the packed schedule affords them very little downtime in between matches.
It is therefore of the utmost importance that Real Madrid avoid getting into a cycle of negative momentum before it is too late. Midweek, when they take on Las Palmas, the team managed by Carlo Ancelotti needs a win that is emphatic and decisive in order to maintain a positive attitude.
Real Madrid will be the overwhelming favorite on the evening given that they will be playing at the Santiago Bernabeu, which is their home stadium. In spite of this, there will be a lot of pressure on the players to come away with all three points.
Highlighting the role of the manager
The repercussions of losing to Atletico Madrid sent shockwaves through the Spanish media after the game. It was reported that the board of directors for Real Madrid was not entirely pleased with the list of’sins’ committed by Ancelotti during the match at Civitas Metropolitano.
As a result, it should come as no surprise that the manager will be the focus of attention on Wednesday.
The Italian manager needs to begin by getting the starting lineup correct and ensuring that he does not go overboard with his rotations. It is imperative that the Merengues get Aurelien Tchouameni back into the lineup by the middle of the week. His contributions to the defense will be invaluable.
In addition to this, there will be pressure on him to return to the successful 4-4-2 diamond formation that featured two natural forwards and a striker. This formation was used.
As a result of Joselu’s return to the starting lineup, Jude Bellingham will be required to return to the more familiar position of attacking midfielder.
Additionally, since Toni Kroos and Luka Modric can no longer start alongside one another, the manager needs to find the optimal combination of youth and experience in the starting lineup.
The task of defending, on the other hand, could be considered Ancelotti’s most important responsibility. In the most recent match, David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger appeared to have lost their bearings, and it remains to be seen whether the manager will bring Nacho Fernandez into the fold in order to achieve a more favorable dynamic.
The reemergence of the sorcerer
Vinicius Jr.’s injury was the one that had the most significant impact on Real Madrid, despite the fact that Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao are two of the club’s most valuable players.
Unfortunately for the Merengues, their forward line is very thin and vulnerable this season because there are only three players vying for two spots in the lineup. Vinicius is the only one of the three names that stands out as being particularly significant.
Given the shift in responsibilities that came with the new lineup, it’s possible that the Brazilian ace didn’t get off to the best possible start to the 2023-24 campaign. Despite this, the Merengues rely on him more than anyone else to breach opposing defenses and generate scoring opportunities.
Since the Selecao star hobbled off the field injured during the match against Celta Vigo, the men in white have had a lot of problems.
Both of their games against Getafe and Union Berlin came down to the final seconds, but their loss to Atletico Madrid exposed everything that was wrong with the team.
There is no better news for Ancelotti than the fact that Vinicius Jr. is on track to make his comeback in the match that will take place tomorrow at Santiago Bernabeu.
