Real Madrid wants to prolong its euphoria
Ancelotti’s men, with the optimism of the cup win against Barça, receive an animated Villarreal and aspiring to Champions League positions
MADRID, 7 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid welcomes Villarreal CF this Saturday (9:00 p.m.) after the euphoric and resounding win (0-4) that endorsed FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou to advance to the final of the Copa del Rey, so the mission It will be transferring that optimism to the domestic championship and cutting the comfortable distance with the blaugrana, while the ‘Submarino’ is experiencing a great moment in the League and aspires to the Champions League positions, at a Santiago Bernabéu where they have not won since 2018.
The whites certified this Wednesday their pass to the final of the Copa del Rey after overwhelming (0-4) FC Barcelona, with a ‘hat-trick’ from Karim Benzema at the Camp Nou, showing that the Madrid team arrives with the temperature perfect for the stretch of the season in which titles are decided. With another night to remember, a traditional comeback through, Carlo Ancelotti’s men brought out the colors of the Catalans, and filled their backpack with confidence and euphoria to face a new league commitment this Saturday.
The Italian coach surprised with a system that was less contained than usual, with an outstanding Eduardo Camavinga on the left side and without a typical pivot in midfield. The whites knew how to hold on to Barça’s best performance in the first half, to break Xavi Hernández’s system in the second half, doing a lot of damage to space.
The break seems to have been good for Real Madrid, which linked two resounding wins, after subduing Real Valladolid with a scoreless set (6-0) last weekend and now conquering the Camp Nou (0-4). Two victories that also give defensive credit to the whites, without conceding a goal in two games in a row for the fourth time in a row this season.
Real Madrid, which is still 12 points behind leader FC Barcelona, welcomes Villarreal, amidst the joy of the Cup and the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Chelsea next Wednesday, with the aim of continuing to gauge their decisive final seasonal. It will not be positive, after advancing to the Cup final and maintaining the option of another title, ‘throwing’ the League and getting carried away, so they will seek that the euphoria does not wane this Saturday.
After the great effort at the Camp Nou, Ancelotti could propose rotations, giving the starters to players like Dani Ceballos, Marco Asensio, Nacho Fernández or Antonio Rüdiger. These would enter through Éder Militao, Camavinga, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Valverde, with more load of minutes. Yes, they would repeat a plugged-in Vinicius, although he is also the protagonist due to his behavior on the pitch, and a Benzema who has responded with two consecutive hat-tricks to the criticism of recent weeks.
In addition to the rush of the Camp Nou, the whites will take refuge in the league fortress that the Santiago Bernabéu can boast of. And it is that Ancelotti’s men have gone more than a year without losing in the League at home, with the 0-4 loss in the Clásico in March last year as the last domestic blur. This translates into 17 consecutive games without falling in Chamartín, an argument and a virtue that they will want to prolong against the people of Castellón.
VILLARREAL DREAMS OF THE CHAMPIONS
However, Quique Setién’s men also arrive encouraged to the duel at the Santiago Bernabéu. Villarreal beat Real Sociedad (2-0) on the last day, their second victory in a row, after being eliminated in the round of 16 of the Conference League. A hard European blow that has not affected their domestic performance, since they have linked five games (4 wins and 1 draw) without losing.
In addition, they will have as a good reference the first round match at the beginning of 2023 and at La Cerámica, when they beat the whites (2-1) in a hard-fought and serious game. However, the Madrid fiefdom has resisted them in recent years, because although they drew a goalless draw last season, they have not won in the capital since January 2018.
But Villarreal wants to continue defending its European place, since it is now seventh in the Conference League position. And they also don’t want to lose sight of fourth place, four points behind, which marks the Champions League options, so a victory at the impassable Bernabéu would allow them to dream of the Champions League.
The people from Castellón travel to Madrid with the casualties of Etienne Capoue, Francis Coquelin and Gerard Moreno, all of them injured, in addition to the suspended Nicolás Jackson. But Setién recovers Raúl Albiol and Pau Torres for the rear, although the ownership of both is still up in the air, so Aissa Mandi could be part of the game.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS:
REAL MADRID: Courtois; Lucas Vazquez, Rudiger, Alaba, Nacho; Tchouameni, Kroos, Ceballos; Asensio, Benzema and Vinicius.
VILLARREAL: Queen; Foyth, Mandi, Torres, Pedraza; Couple, Baena, Terraces; Chukwueze, Morales and Yéremy Pino.
–REFEREE: Alberola Rojas (C. Castellano-La Mancha).
–Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
–TIME: 9:00 p.m./Movistar LaLiga.