The “extra” factor for Real Madrid that Barcelona would envy

The F.C.BAt least in the past two or three years, he’s taken a step back. Blaugrana has the best player in the world and a star-studded squad, with astrological records and an extensive list of individual confessions, as well as important natural talents and careers. However, if something has been repeated lately, it is They “fall” on the most important nights And he leaves in their wake Doubts do not end They end up turning into a weak and “easy” team to outrun the big competitors.

In a different situation, that does not mean that it is better, there is Real Madrid, With a huge group of stars and a modest dressing room, with important and talented players, but this, Most of them do not top the list of the best of their sites. Because yes, they have it Luka Modric, Toni Kroos a Casemiro, Champions League midfielders three times in a row and the best in recent years, or Sergio Ramos, Who is still one of the most prominent defensive players in the world, but they have a less attractive squad, with almost no stars and few players.

It is true that both teams, Barcelona and Madrid, They have failed And in the midst of the pandemic, they have been hit hard by the huge list of injuries and short periods between matches (causing players to lose more matches), but The big difference is how the resources are managed or managed And there, in particular, the White House leaves the Blaugrana “offensive” (and leaves them a lesson).

However, before the “lessons” of Madrid, it is also worth noting that at the head of the team is Zinedine Zidane, who has declared himself Not just as a challenge loverAnd the But eager to win it. The Frenchman and his team surrendered a thousand times and won a thousand more chances. He is a strategist and captain, with an unbeatable ability to read the matches and the ways of his rivals and leave behind the coaches he faces.

In under 14 days, provide the best proof of this. Madrid did not arrive as a candidate or to the Champions League quarter-finals, or against Liverpool, or to El Clásico against Barcelona, ​​and came out victorious from both. the responsibility? It is likely that he is in 70% of Zizo’s effective style and the other 30% of the resistance, commitment and talent of its players, This is not a little. Within nine days, the Frenchman outperformed Jürgen Klopp and Ronald Koeman, two coaches with much more experience and experience than him, to prove, once again, that perhaps no one can repeat what he did with Real Madrid in crisis.

Zidane’s success

Against Barcelona, ​​specifically, several important conclusions can be drawn that go a long way.Or outside the scope of influence or can not have arbitration decisions. Zidane completely deflected 5-3-2 to Koeman, which was the drawing that “resurrected” Barcelona in 2021. But the impressive thing is that they arrived with Very weak defense And this, at first glance, may be easy to overcome. But Nacho and Militao frustrated all of Leo Messi’s and his buddies’ choicesBut the success of the French in that match was reflected in the teams, especially in the first half.

Jordi Alba and Sergiño Dest were transformed, to the two extremes with the new painting, by their competitors and They had some of the worst 45 minutes of the seasonNot to say the worst. Zidane, realizes the big role of Alba in the violation, Include Fede Valverde in his approach to “protecting” his right wing. And it worked great. Uruguay, who was unstoppable, let Alba and all the midfielders put on a massive run from his field that ended with Lucas Vázquez’s pass and Benzema’s goal from Taco. On the flip side, Vinicius was a nightmare for the Dest (remind him of the night at Camp Nou against Paris Saint-Germain and Mbappe). The Brazilian burst into delight and triumphed with his speed.

From there, Barcelona lost their attacking power, and if Lucas Vásquez had not been injured and Valverde had not affected, the match would have been a complete nightmare. And thel Barcelona took advantage of Odriozola’s low level By the squad, but it was not even enough to beat the score, despite the fact that there was enough time (without basing the defeat on just four or five minutes the referee did not add).

Strength, faith and stamina …

While it is almost impossible to explain it with less defense and Playing with Mariano, Odriozola and the substitute players, Real Madrid will hold out against Barcelona In the second half, it was an achievement It was repeated at Anfield a few days later. It is undeniable that Liverpool have shown, most likely, their worst version in recent years, but too I found Thibaut Courtois inspiredFor a pair of midfielders (Nacho-Militão) with a great deal of confidence and position on the field that relieves the pressure of the Klopp players. The sum of the “details” Zidane knew how to take care of was the key to his return to the Champions League semi-finals.

This does not mean that the Frenchman is the best coach in the world, or that his tactical style is perfect, even less than that he has the “flower”, but this Talk about how you can use your resources It brings out the greatest brilliance possible to get to where they are (with chances of winning the League and Champions League). Compared to Barcelona, ​​without belittling the work of Ronald Koeman and His efforts to “revive” the BlaugranaThe situation is different, and the Griezmann case, the French player’s erratic or endless fight with Coutinho, before he gets injured, are presented as the worst-case scenarios.

Should you see the date?

It is no secret that The UEFA Champions League is Real Madrid’s favorite And the meaning of competition for Real Madrid players, and that Anfield was evidence that resistance means victory as well, but … does this have any “additional” effect on the madridista? Because it is clear When the BBC was there (Bale, Benzema and Cristiano) it was easy to understand that Real Madrid reached the semi-finals. In the Champions League, but with Benzema’s progress (indisputable, for his talent and putting the team on the shoulders), accompanied by Vinicius Junior or Marco Asensio, in addition to the presence of Mariano and Rodrigo on the bench and with his star, Eden Hazard, is constantly injured …

There are no stars and Magnifies the Madrid achievement That if the campaign ends with a title, it will be remembered as something historical given all of the times it has had its breaking point over the past few months. In short, if there is something that should be highlighted about this team, even if it is more than complex, it is strength, stamina, ability to react and not give up, In addition to driving from offices to the locker roomWith Florentino Perez, Zidane and Sergio Ramos as champions, these are aspects that any team would envy and want … and what Barcelona should learn.