Approved and suspended: Courtois gives life to Real Madrid, Rodrygo takes it away from Inter Milan

Real Madrid met Inter Milan at San Siro, in what was the debut for both teams in the 2021-22 Champions League. The whites took the victory in extremis thanks to a goal from Rodrygo in the last minutes, after enduring a downpour in which the figure of Courtois was vital.

Real Madrid Shield / Flag

Courtois: the only support of Real Madrid in the first half, in which Inter was clearly better. He miscarried several times, such as a cross shot from Dzeko, a header from Lautaro, a dangerous cross from Barella and a shot in the small area from Dzeko again. In the second part, the tonic was maintained: stop down to a headbutt from Skriniar. Then he relaxed, the improvement of Madrid gave him a break.

Carvajal: suffering with Perisic and with the combinations that the Croatian made on the inside with Çalhanoglu and Dzeko, although he managed well to cover his back most of the time in the first half. In attack shortly before the break, Lucas Vázquez occupies the spaces that like to reach the side. In the second half, the first time he was able to win the baseline, he put a dangerous ball that almost ended in a white goal. In the second, Benzema served him a good ball and the full-back tried the shot, but ran into Handanovic. Ten minutes from the end he took a huge personal action, turning on himself to leave an opponent planted, and served a ball that almost ended in a goal from Vinicius.

Militao: He had a bad time with Lautaro in the first half, the Argentine was ahead of him at times and in others he went to the crash and won the battles. Nor was he fine with the marks from set pieces, he gave a space to Skriniar that almost ended in a goal. Although he was able to score well before the break, his was the best white chance with a header from a corner that narrowly missed.

Praise: like Militao, having a hard time with Lautaro's constant struggle and also with his combinations with Dzeko. He was central and moved Nacho to the side, a bet for defensive security that did not go quite well for Carletto. He saw the yellow for cutting a very promising counter from Dzeko. Lautaro's departure from the field gave the Austrian and Militao a break.

Nacho: Left back instead of Alaba, Ancelotti wanted to cover himself against the defensive cracks that Madrid had shown against Celta, but in exchange he lost momentum up and did not gain ground behind. Better in the second half, with Madrid more dominating.

Casemiro: bad first half, asleep or soft in some disputes, a rarity in the Brazilian, who always goes to all of them as if they were the last. In those failures, Inter mounted several counterattacks that could be harmful. He tried to score with a foot strike from the front in the 14th minute, he was close to it. In the second half he hardened his tone and Madrid noticed it, he withstood Inter's stakes better.

Modric: The Croatian had a bad time in the first half, with Madrid suffering without the ball and Inter pressing very high and winning all the disputes. The whites were left to try quick exits, where the Balkan can serve as a pitcher, but without showing off his bit with the ball. Madrid were better in the second half and the Croatian thanked him, with more ball in front and more teammates with whom to combine. He left in 1980, exhausted, for Camavinga to enter.

Valverde: He played well in several moments of the first half, when Madrid was having the worst, to look for counterattacks with which to damage Inter. But he lacked skill in the last pass or impudence to resolve with his good right hand. In defense, a lot of help in the worst moments of Madrid. And in the second half his role grew a lot, with the improvement of Madrid, and he crowned it with a great pass to Camavinga so that he could assist Rodrygo in the victory.

Luke: bad in the first half, without providing too much security in defense and with few options in attack. Ancelotti wanted to pull him as a winger to give the team defensive solvency, but things didn't go well. It is becoming increasingly clear that his role in the present and the future is that of a winger. He left the site to Rodrygo in 65 '.

Benzema: another that was barely seen in the first part. He tried to start the team's game holding his back, but between Brozovic and the centrals they did not let him breathe. At the auction, something drowned, although looking for exits for his teammates. After the break he served a perfect ball to Carvajal, but Handanovic prevented the goal. Ten minutes from the end, a good center from Valverde narrowly headed out; it was his best chance in the match.

Vinicius: He made several attempts at counterattack in the first half to try to get Madrid to stretch, with Inter squeezing hard, but he had little to go before the defender on some occasions and on others he was not fine in dribbling. Ancelotti insisted on not falling asleep under the pressure. The second part was good for him, the dribbles began to come out and he provided exits to the team on the left. He lacked the fortune to sneak the last pass or the shot through the tangle of interista legs. And he also had no luck with a shot ten minutes from the end, with everything in his favor, in which an opponent interposed in the trajectory when Handanovic seemed beaten. Minutes later, the same thing happened to him, inside the small area. He left in 90 'for Asensio to enter.

Substitutions

Rodrygo: He entered 65 'instead of Lucas. He was placed on the right and tried to take advantage of spaces and diagonals to damage Inter, but without too many opportunities or much wisdom. In the last minutes he was positioned as a forward and there he appeared, in the competition that best defines him: he perfectly finished off Camavinga's pass and gave Madrid the victory.

Camavinga: entered the 80 'by Modric. The saint kisses again: against Celta he scored and against Inter he assisted Rodrygo. Difficult to get into Madrid with a better footing.

Asensio: it came out in 90 'for Vinicius to waste time.