Waiting for Odegaard

Real Madrid reaches cruising speed without the need for Odegaard to have even finished taking off. The 22-year-old Norwegian is still recovering from his latest muscle problem, a sore left leg that kept him away from the three crucial games against Sevilla, Borussia and Atlético. The physical problems are being especially hurtful with Odegaard at the start of the 2020-21 course, slowing him down when it seems that he starts again.

The Norwegian has barely been able to participate in six league games and two in the Champions League; 362 minutes in total in which he has not been able to score or distribute goals. His return to team dynamics is near and the calendar for the next few weeks, kinder than in the past, is a good environment in which to start growing again. But Odegaard has a problem, or more specifically four problems: Casemiro, Modric, Kroos and Valverde.

The first three have become giants during the crucial week of Madrid, starters against Sevilla, Borussia and Atlético and winners in all three cases, with important roles. In the Champions League, the Croatian gave a masterful lesson at 35; in the derby, Casemiro opened the scoring with a powerful header; and against Athletic, in Madrid's last game, the German scored with a powerful right hand and was the brightest light of a team shooting gray.

Valverde covers Odegaard

These three are now joined by Valverde, recovered from his tibial fissure and who was already a starter against Athletic in Valdebebas. His best game did not catch on, still lacking rhythm, but Zidane has already clearly shown his preference for the Uruguayan several times, a round-trip medium that supports in attack and, above all, supports the team in defense. Today, the starting core trio is the one formed by Modric, Kroos and Casemiro, and the first in the rotation is Valverde.

However, everything can change for the Norwegian if he manages to return to activity continuously and signs an important role in the games that Madrid has before the Spanish Super Cup, which will take place in mid-January. Eibar, Granada, Elche, Celta and Osasuna, five parties for Odegaard to present his candidacy after a first stretch of the course with hardly any shine, half due to injuries and half due to a lack of adaptation to the team that must be finished sooner rather than later.