Militao and Alaba, a common-law couple

Real Madrid’s draw at home against Osasuna did not leave much good news, but certainly some emerged, such as Carlo Ancelotti himself He was able to see when the Madrid fans were still chewing the trigger of leaving two points at home. “We played a good game, we only needed the finish. For me, the team played well. They will tell me I’m crazy, but I liked the game. In the second half, I really liked my team. I have nothing to reproach my playersThey have given everything, “Carletto explained after the duel.

And the thing is that Ancelotti likes his team to attack, to score, to let his hair loose in the offensive phase … but he wants all that combined with a serious Madrid behind, supportive in the coverage and that he grants few occasions. After the 3-3 in the Levante field, in August, he already made it clear: “There is a lot of quality in the squad, but the defensive commitment is the key that we have to work on. It is a sacrifice problem, not a quality one. We all have to be more focused. “That concentration is what Ancelotti perceived against Osasuna and David Alaba and Eder Militao, the new starting duo of central centrals, have a lot to blame for that.

Ancelotti has made it clear that bringing the Brazilian and the Austrian together is the path he wants to follow this course: they have shared a duo in the defense axis in six days of the League and in the three of the Champions League; in the rest, if they did not play together, it was due to Alaba’s physical problems or because of Carletto’s need to place the Austrian on the left-back, due to the numerous casualties. Alaba has played 84.6% of the possible minutes; Militao, 99.7%.

What pleased Ancelotti in the duel against Osasuna could not be Madrid’s attacking performance (three shots between clubs, 11 out of them); What the Italian liked so much was leaving Osasuna with only one shot on goal (Moncayola’s shot to the post) and with only seven shots off the sticks, all in low-danger arrivals. Madrid took possession of the ball (75% possession), regained possession 76 times (Osasuna, 53) and he did so by committing only two more fouls than the rojillos (12 to 10).

Alaba and Militao recover and create

It was, by far, the best game in defense of Madrid this season; in no other duel had he conceded just one shot between sticks. He did allow fewer shots in total against the Sheriff, but that day the Moldovans sent three of their four attempts between sticks and two finished inside, causing the Madrid defeat. Madrid left a clean sheet for the fifth time this season and in this case it did so with the solvency that Ancelotti wants from his team, without having a bad time.

Although, nevertheless, Madrid could take a blow with Moncayola’s shot to the post; Luck accompanied Carletto’s at that time. Alaba and Militao recovered, between them, 16 balls, eight each; entered 19 duels, a facet in which the Brazilian was the most outstanding: 16 were his, of which he prevailed in nine. And especially significant was the role that both played in the exit of the ball, favored by the very gentle pressure of Osasuna: Between them they added 142 passes, 71 each; Militao was finer, he got it right 68 times; Praise, 62.