Casemiro is insurance

When Madrid needs it the most, there comes Casemiro. The Brazilian is an insurance policy of incalculable value for Real Madrid. And not only because of his providential defensive interventions. Case he has specialized in scoring decisive goals that have given Real Madrid very valuable points. Just over a year ago he was the scorer of the goal with which the whites tied the game against Bruges on the second day and that gave oxygen to those of Zidane after a defeat in the European premiere. A script that Casemiro repeated again in Mönchengladbach and to which he added, in a display of faith to prevent the ball from getting lost over the baseline, his assistance to Benzema to keep the flame of Madrid's hope alive.

It was the first goal of the season for him 14 white and, like the five he scored last season, of great value to his team. Casemiro's service record in front of the rival goal gave Madrid 7 points in the League 34 of the whites (just the ones that Real Madrid took from Barcelona when they were proclaimed champion on the penultimate day) and the 2 from Bruges in the group stage of the Champions League. In the domestic competition he scored the third against Levante (3-2 final), both against Sevilla (2-1) at the Bernabéu and the culmination of Benzema's heel assist against Espanyol (0-1). A 'debt', that of Cornellà, which was settled in Germany …

19 of Casemiro's 24 goals with Real Madrid have been important for the white team, either transformed into points or changing the course of a match in one way or another (as the first goal or straightening a result not so favorable for whites). São Paulo's goals have contributed 15 points in the League, 2 victories in the Champions League, another 2 points in the group stage of the top continental competition … One of his goals broke the tie against Juventus in the Cardiff 2017 final after the bianconeri They will equal Cristiano's initial goal.

Champions League

* Data updated as of October 28, 2020

The goal in Mönchengladbach is vital for Madrid's chances of qualifying for the round of 16 given the precedents in the tournament. According to data from Mister Chip, of the 160 teams that in the history of the Champions League have added a point in the first two days of the group stage, only 32 managed to qualify, 20%. Madrid have been the only Spanish team to do so, twice in addition: last year and in the second group stage of 2002-2003. In contrast, only 9% of the teams that lost the two games qualified. That is to say, Casemiro's goal has more than doubled Real Madrid's chances of overcoming the league and playing the knockout stages of the Champions League.