It was so difficult that if anyone might do it, it was Madrid. And not in any way, signing the last of what can be ‘the Champions of miracles’. With everything lost and the Bernabéu almost surrendering its weapons, Rodrygo He scored a brace that forced extra time. Y Benzema, under the aura of the great nights, sealed the penalty comeback; his blow 43. Courtois he was a hero once more Nacho a superlative game came together, so much so that he ended up as captain and cheered on by the stands. The discordant note was Casemiro.
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Courtois: He spent the game performing miracles, although the goal coming through his post tainted his performance. It is true that Mahrez’s definition has enormous merit, unstoppable due to his power and closeness to almost any goalkeeper, but inevitably his resume was somewhat tarnished.
Carvajal: he started the season leaving doubts and the bottom of the well was the tie once morest PSG, when Mbappé drove him crazy for a double ration. But he has reached the final stretch at a remarkable level, much better physically, with more confidence when it comes to getting the ball played and precise in steals. His was the assistance to Rodrygo in the goal that forced extra time.
Militao (115 ‘): if at his side he had Nacho, the ‘pessimistic defender’, he decided to be the optimist. And that excess of self-confidence -which Ancelotti himself has come to point out at a press conference- cost several scares. Long controls that led to losses and thefts on the edge. He didn’t make any grotesque mistakes, but his performance wasn’t reassuring either.
Nacho: imperial, ‘correct’ already falls short, he gave a superlative performance, probably the best of his career. Without playing with fire at any time and effective at stealing. “He will play a great game,” Ancelotti said in the preview. And he was right, because at no time did he miss Alaba’s absence on a defensive level. He is a player who has shown and continues to show that he has more than enough level for appointments of this size. And with an ever-increasing aura of leadership. He finished as captain and in extra time… The Bernabéu chanted his name. He has shown that he can be an idol without being a regular.
<figure id="sumario_2|foto" onclick="javascript:ampliaFoto(this, '/futbol/imagenes/2022/05/04/champions/1651690439_243082_1651702386_sumario_grande.jpg', '976', '651', 'Nacho arenga al Bernabéu tras el gol de Mahrez. / Javier Soriano (AFP)’);return false;” class=”item-multimedia”> Nacho harangues the Bernabéu following Mahrez’s goal. Mendy: for 72 minutes he disabled Mahrez to such an extent that the Algerian failed to shoot on goal. But by the side of him and the boots of the 26, ended up leaving the missile that seemed to liquidate hope. It was a counterattack and he didn’t have time to close the space at the near post. Like Carvajal, he sinned irrefutably and that made him appear very little in attack. He got along perfectly with Nacho, closing the port side of the white boat. And he put on his cape taking a ball under the sticks at 87 ‘that would have been the sentence. Casemiro (75′): bad game, correct in defense, but very erratic with the ball. Ancelotti asked him to switch with Kroos, so that sometimes the German went down to be a pivot and he obtained a license to act as a midfielder. And there, looser, is where he was seen more fallón. City’s goal was largely his responsibility, as he followed Bernardo Silva and that caused a hole to form in his back. Modric himself opened his arms instantly without understanding what had happened. He left crestfallen, aware that he had had a bad night. Kroos (67′): outstanding game, one of his best performances throughout the season. With enormous efficiency when playing the ball and very well when he was closing. It was, despite this, Ancelotti’s first sacrifice, who preferred to delay Valverde and leave the band to Rodrygo rather than make a man for a man. A direct foul of his in the first half came very close to the right post. Modric (75′): he lacked the spark of the last pass, but everything else he did well. Impeccable at a defensive level, even helping with sacrifices in withdrawals that left him in reserve bordering on the final stretch; and remarkable in attack. He won 100% of the duels and had an 83% passing rate. As post data, he starred in a clash with Laporte in the first quarter of an hour that made him see a yellow card. Valverde: more disappeared than usual, although just as a fighter. The honor is never lacking Hawk, who once once more shone that spectacular physique that characterizes him… And allows Madrid to have a lung in the center of the field. He started at the end and, with the departure of Kroos, he ended up as a midfielder. In fact, he was the only one of the four midfielders to finish the match. He recovered up to seven balls. Vinicius (115′): what had improved the most this season failed him, the punch. Because he was very fine with the dribbles, shining an aura of leader like few nights and very brave. But without gunpowder. From a volley to the clouds to a hand in hand. Up to five clear chances to score and most of them were away. He might be the hero. <figure id="sumario_3|foto" onclick="javascript:ampliaFoto(this, '/futbol/imagenes/2022/05/04/champions/1651690439_243082_1651702503_sumario_grande.jpg', '976', '594', 'Vinicius y Benzema celebran el 3-1 ante un Bernabéu enloquecido. / Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno (Getty Images)’);return false;” class=”item-multimedia”> Vinicius and Benzema celebrate the 3-1 once morest a crazy Bernabéu. Benzema (104′): even in a concert where he was playing the second violin, he ended up playing another symphony, the ninth. His was the cross to Rodrygo for the first goal, a ball from the left that the Brazilian only had to push on the run; and his was, also the goal of the comeback, in a penalty that he himself caused by picaresquely anticipating Rúben Dias. He already has 43 claws this season. One more step in his career for the Golden Boot… And another almost definitive one in his fight for the Ballon d’Or. Rodrygo (67′): the best night of his career. The one of his doctorate in hero. A game that can not only shoot the cache, but confirm a gap in the project for next season. Something has that although he does not manage to be regular in the League, he always appears in the Champions League. With Madrid on the canvas and the referee hitting it, he signed a brace in five minutes that took the tie to extra time. The first, pushing a cross from Benzema and the second, an impressive header over City’s gigantic towers. The MVP falls short, such a performance is simply galactic. <figure id="sumario_4|foto" onclick="javascript:ampliaFoto(this, '/futbol/imagenes/2022/05/04/champions/1651690439_243082_1651702591_sumario_grande.jpg', '976', '676', 'Rodrygo celebra uno de sus goles. / Javier Gandul (Diario AS)’);return false;” class=”item-multimedia”> Rodrygo celebrates one of his goals. Camavinga (75′): great minutes, with a lot of authority and shining leadership. Brave to ask for the ball, play it out and pull the team. He played closing, playing ‘Casemiro’ and completely dried up the Foden-Bernardo Silva duopoly. Asensio (75′): disappeared, without shots or hardly any chances. Very combative in the pressures, but with little prominence. Ceballos (104′): Ancelotti brought him in for Benzema to reinforce the midfield and, as the final stretch brought him back to the team, he played with confidence. Correct, without failures, without playing with fire at any time. Vallejo (115′): He has gone from playing only 14 minutes this season to playing the hottest minutes of the entire season, as Militao’s injury forced Carletto to give him a start. And he played with a lot of personality, stealing a ball from Foden that lifted the Bernabéu. Lucas Vazquez (115′): firm behind, without risks. He barely touched the ball a couple of times and it was to bail out waters. Ancelotti: in the season of the ‘buts’, now he will be able to say his “okay, but I’m going to Paris”. He opted for Valverde to give consistency and physique to the team, but as he pointed out at a press conference, it was not going to be so important who started, but who finished. And when introducing Rodrygo, he invoked the god of the inexplicable. Just four days following becoming the first coach to lift the five major leagues, he has qualified for the Champions League final. He said that if Madrid asked him to train for ten years, he would train for ten years. Maybe Rio de Janeiro has to wait.
Javier Soriano (AFP)
Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno (Getty Images)
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Javier Gandul (Daily AS)
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