Rodrygo starts on time, concern about Militão’s knee | Sports

Premiere of the Madrid course in San Mamés, calabobos rain throughout the afternoon, music from sloppy in the stands before the rock rumbled through the public address system, the Athletic players praying an Our Father in a circle in the locker room, and Toni Kroos and Luka Modric did not appear in the white starting eleven. These are the new times for Carlo Ancelotti’s team that had been announced since the end of last season and that did not take long to become flesh. The July classic in the United States was already a warning and Bilbao confirmed it at the first opportunity. On stage the young cavalry from the center of the field, with Tchouameni, Camavinga, Valverde and Bellingham. Fresh and fibrous twenty-somethings at times, also, of defensive doubts.

It is a part of the new Madrid that is trying to break through in August. The other, the new life up front for Vinicius and Rodrygo without the umbrella or the obligations that Karim Benzema implied. Now, they are the ones ultimately responsible for making and eating the cake, with the help of Bellingham acting as playmaker. The presentation in society and in a place as magnificent as the Cathedral ended on a good general note, only watered down by the worrying withdrawal of Militão, who injured his left knee all by himself when trying to put pressure on Sancet in three quarters of the field. “He is a sprain, he does not look good. We will evaluate in the next few hours”, admitted Ancelotti.

The current composition of the squad points especially to Rodrygo, who was punctual this Saturday in the League. As long as Madrid continues without having a nine of the first world level, the life of Vinicius and Rodrygo must be different. The first one’s duties have been increased: overflow from the outside and now also threaten from the inside. The second, for his part, is required to have a higher scoring account in the domestic tournament.

Last season he managed to accumulate more than 1,100 minutes in the championship without scoring a goal. All a sinkhole that became more evident by the decline of Benzema. The Brazilian finished the course with nine goals in the League, although five of them were achieved in the final stretch, when Madrid was no longer saying a word in the tournament. This season, given the deficit that the team continues to have at the tip of the attack, Ancelotti’s board points to Rodrygo, a clinician so far in the Champions League and the Cup, but lazy in the League against the opposite goal. in this system [4-4-2 con rombo en el medio]Rodrygo and Vinicius have a lot of quality there”, commented the Italian coach.

“Bellingham has a very strong personality”

This Saturday he found himself in front of a soft defense, and made him pay with his dancer’s feet. The gap on the right between the winger and the center-back was a real mine in the first half. After feinting in an action on the baseline that was thwarted by Unai Simón, he finished drawing blood after half an hour. He received on the right, joined Carvajal (whispered all night after injuring Yuri in the Bernabéu match last season) and, suddenly, he found himself alone against Simón benefiting from a pierced and missing rear. And he had yet another before Bellingham did his part.

If they ask Rodrygo for more goals, they ask the Englishman to lend a hand in scoring accounting. That is why Ancelotti has brought him closer to the area. As long as there is no center forward (to date), the responsibility in the rival area must be joint. In Madrid’s best minutes until the break, the former Dortmund player grabbed a cross at the far post and his shot bounced off the ground with such power that it surpassed Simón. “It seems that he has been with us for a long time. He has a very strong personality. He has adapted very quickly ”, Carletto congratulated himself on the performance of the Briton, author of an upward performance throughout the night.

They were the best minutes for the Whites in attack while on the other side, Andriy Lunin lived in peace. The Ukrainian had appeared on the pitch 45 minutes before the duel with the name of Kepa Arrizabalaga ringing in his ears, who is likely to become Madrid’s new goalkeeper after Courtois’s serious injury. In the second half he did find himself more harassed by the push of shame from the locals. It was also the time of Kroos and Modric. Ancelotti gave reel in Bilbao to the new Madrid that tries to break through. And he came out.

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