Real Madrid are going to the international team break with their homework done and with the peace of mind of knowing that, apparently, they have reached cruising speed needed to fight for the titles in May. The victory against Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabéu (2-1) allowed us to see the two faces of the white team: one dominant and fun, scoring two goals and touching several more; and another, after landing Falcao’s header, unstable and fragile. Aware of the weaknesses behind Madrid, Ancelotti preferred to see the glass half full: “It is normal to suffer in football. Until 80 ‘, it was the best game of the season ”.
Whether or not it is the best duel of the official course so far, it is the sixth consecutive game in which Madrid have not relented. He went to the previous break after two consecutive defeats, against Sheriff and Espanyol; since then, there have been five wins and a draw, thirteen goals for and four against. He has added ten of the last twelve points in LaLiga, which places the whites at the top of the table, with 27 points, surpassed only by Real Sociedad (28), although the whites still have to play against Athletic at the Bernabéu. The draws of Atleti and Barça this day promote the white favoritism: they already take four points to those of Simeone and ten to those of Xavi.
Ancelotti continues looking for defensive reliability, but does not finish hitting the key: Madrid have conceded a goal in 11 of the 16 official games this season; In the league, there are 13 goals received in 12 games, more than one goal per game. But Madrid makes up for it by falling apart in attack: it is the highest-scoring team in the Spanish domestic tournament, by far. He has scored 28 goals, seven more than Atlético and Valencia, both with 21; averages 2.3 points per game.
The three consecutive setbacks in late October and early November (draw against Villarreal, losses to Sheriff and Espanyol) revealed the first cracks in the white project; Ancelotti has managed to suture them between break and stop, as a tip he prevailed in the Camp Nou Classic and leaves the team in an unbeatable situation for the imminent calendar. Madrid will play again on Sunday the 21st, in Granada, then they will travel to Tiraspol to face the Sheriff on the 24th and, upon his return, An important succession of high mountain stages is coming: Sevilla, Real Sociedad, Inter and Atlético de Madrid. Four decisive matches to fully take off in the League and to tie the leadership of the group in the Champions League.
Because not only does LaLiga live Madrid; in Europe he has managed to recover from the accident before the Sheriff (1-2), when he lost despite finishing 31 times, 11 of them on goal. He added all six points against Shakhtar, shining in Kiev (0-5) and suffering considerably more at home (2-1). The development of Group D has resulted in a heads-up between Madrid (leader, with nine points) and Inter (second, with seven), with the Sheriff lurking thanks to his six points.
If the whites do their homework in the Moldovan region of Transnistria, everything will be served for them to play the first place of the group with Inter on December 7 at the Bernabéu, with the whites driven by the 0-1 harvested in Milan in the first working day. That will be around the break, in which Ancelotti loses 12 of his 25 men thanks to the calls of the national teams. The Italian crosses his fingers so that they all return safely.
Vinicius clears the play, Benzema finishes it off
Two footballers play a fundamental role in that Real Madrid scoring bonanza: Vinicius and Benzema. The former is standing out as the best dribbler in LaLiga, the latter as the most reliable striker, as well as the best offensive partner. Before the Ray, Vinicius did not see goal; Nor against Shakhtar, although that day he did influence with two assists for Benzema. The Brazilian has uncovered this season as a reliable scorer, with nine goals so far, seven in the league; In the Spanish tournament, it is the one that tries the most dribbles (73) and also the one that achieves the most (36).
Benzema, for his part, did score against Rayo and maintains a streak never seen before in his career in white: 14 goals and eight assists in 15 games. In the League, he is the top gunner (10) and also the best assistant (7). The weight of both in the white attack is overwhelming: 29 of the 37 goals for Madrid this year, 78%, had one of the two (or both) as protagonists, scoring or assisting.