It was a thrilling match on Thursday night at Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero. 1/8 final saw Elche and Real Madrid in front of each other and despite the prediction, Real Madrid had a very tough time and needed the extra time to secure the victory. It was a match where Madridistas were far from their best but they controlled the game most of the time. However the lack of fluidity and speed gave Elche some opportunities and they got the most out of those opportunities.
After the red card for Marcelo and the advantage of the hosts, everything was turned upside down for Madridistas. The pressure and the physical strain were being felt more and more, but the boys kept fighting and they were rewarded at the end. The most special thing about the victory was the fact that the game was decided by two players that have been in the center of attention for their poor performances for a long time now. Maybe it’s time for Isco and Hazard to show that they can give much more and the goals against Elche are surely e good start! Below are the ratings.
Starting XI:
Andriy Lunin: 7.0
Made two saves, one from inside the box. Improved with his distribution and looked confident in net.
Lucas Vazquez: 5.0
In general, he was solid defensively, keeping Fidel quiet but was underwhelming in the final third. Missed a huge chance to go-ahead in the first half after failing to connect with a Vinicius cross.
Nacho: 6.0
Some sloppy giveaways late in the second half that led to dangerous opportunities for Elche. Guido Carrillo and Lucas Perez gave both Alaba and Nacho a tough time.
David Alaba: 8.0
Played more like a left back in this match than a left center back as he was constantly overlapping or finding himself on the wing. Produced an immaculate pass for the game-winning goal from the left back position.
Marcelo: 7.0
Despite the red card and despite the early missed clearance, Marcelo had his best game in years. Was ever-present in the attack, combined well with Vinicius Junior, and showed off his skill 1 v 1 on more than one occasion.
Toni Kroos: 8.0
The German is so incredibly consistent. 118 touches, 100 passes (96.2% PA), 2 key passes, 11 of 12 long balls completed.
Fede Valverde: 4.0
Has failed to rediscover the form he had under Zidane in 2019/2020. His key attributes, like ball carrying, late arriving runs from midfield, and defensive pressure were all lacking.
Eduardo Camavinga: 6.5
Played as the lone defensive midfield pivot, but was supported by Kroos when building out from the back. Managed a couple of shots at goal and progressed the ball well with his dribbling. An encouraging performance with more to come from the 19-year-old.
Rodrygo: 6.5
In the first half, all the best attacking output came from the wings with both Brazilians trying to work their magic. Rodrygo was missing the final pass and only truly had chemistry with Vinicius — there were little to no connections with Jovic and Valverde.
Vinicius Junior: 8.5
A team high of 9 completed dribbles — Vinicius was a constant thorn in Elche’s side. The Brazilian was relentless in his pursuit of goal and arguably should have done better with his final product on the night.
Luka Jovic: 3
Poor match from Jovic, who failed to connect with teammates. A mere 23 touches in his 79 minutes on the field with no shots, no dribbles, no key passes, not even a characteristic long ball to switch the field of play.
Substitutions:
Casemiro: 6.0
An assured presence in the midfield.
Luka Modric: 6.0
Tracked back well, especially with 10 men.
Isco: 8.5
An immediate impact in place of Jovic playing as a false 9. Things seemed to click once the former Malaga man came on to the pitch. Scored an opportunistic goal to equalize the match in extra time.
Eden Hazard: 7.0
Scored the game winning goal with a composure acquiescent to the Chelsea version of Hazard. Otherwise was very quiet in his performance and looked labored trying to track back prior to the Marcelo red card.
Dani Ceballos: 8.0
A much needed spark to the midfield. Connected the dots and helped progress play into the final third.
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