Can Real Madrid build on El-Clasico win for Champions league success
Sky Sports’ Spanish football expert Guillem Balague believes Real Madrid win in El-Clasico could serve as a catalyst for Champions league success this season.
Balague hailed the defensive solidarity of the Real Madrid team as a unit, with Los Blanos stayed closer the midfield to help the defense to deal with Barcelona front-three. Casemiro provided the sense of the security in the heart of the midfield.
Can Real Madrid build on El-Clasico win for Champions league success
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QutPjBiv8HQ
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“Real decided to play, as someone wrote on Monday, ‘more Rafa Benitez-like than Benitez’ with Casemiro in midfield, with two lines close together and Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo even dropping back.
“It was very impressive the way they stuck to their guns.
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“Some would say it was a small-team mentality but for me it’s one of the ways to play Barcelona. They force you to do that and everyone worked hard.
“They obviously smell glory – not so much in the league but in the Champions League – and everyone is switched on.”
While, reflecting on the Central-back pairing of Pepe and Sergio Ramos, Spanish football expert suggested that pair assured the aggression and managed to keep the high line.
“I think Pepe and Sergio Ramos guarantee aggression; they are fast, they anticipate, they are leaders and they are good at keeping a high line against certain rivals or keeping it deep. But there is a sense of volatility, especially with Ramos who is the most sent-off player in La Liga, but it’s a risk that Zinedine Zidane seems to be taking.
“Raphael Varane may be more composed but obviously he was injured, which is one of the reasons why he didn’t play. He has been more inconsistent this season. He has mixed good games with regular games while Pepe, with his maturity, and Ramos guarantee more consistent appearances.”