It’s funny that after Barça overwhelmed by scoring four goals, in the next 45 minutes, two months later, they scored another four goals even more forcefully and forgiving another four. And all this in the middle of a comedy festival for Madrid that culminated in the most ridiculous corner in its history: a gift from Araújo at the last minute that Rodrygo turned into a terrifying counterattack by Barcelona who found themselves, without even dreaming of it, with their fourth goal. It’s funny, I say, because in October Ancelotti came out with a midfield with four players who demanded more ball, and the play went wrong more because of his own mistakes than because of other people’s successes, which came in the second half. And now, in January, Madrid came out with three midfielders, two of them dedicated to dropping to the wing to help the full-backs and another, a natural playmaker, converted into another striker. That is, without the center of the field. It was interesting. and, the little that went well then, was unlearned in January.
So in the third minute Barcelona could have already been winning 2-0 if it weren’t for two madhouse hands from Courtouis, and the one that took the lead was Madrid with a great goal (he’s very fine, very fast, he’s a dream striker). The worst thing Madrid could do: get ahead on the scoreboard without deserving it with individuality. As if the final could be carried out like this. And they painted his face. Among other things, not because Ancelotti’s plan failed, but because Ancelotti had no plan. He brought out his favorite players and proposed a defensive Madrid with Lucas Vázquez, who is not a defender, at right back, and with Tchouameni, who is not a defender, at center back. He left Asencio on the bench, and no one knows what he did wrong in his positions to be evicted, but we do know what he does wrong in that position. Poetic justice was that Madrid were beaten by Barcelona with a starting eleven full of kids who took advantage of their opportunity and stayed on the field whoever their substitute was and whatever their age.
With such an approach, Mbappé’s great goal was counterproductive. A poisoned mirage, among other things because Barcelona had the ball and all the time in front of them. Madrid, for its part, had the best attack in the world but with low incentives; He decided to play waiting at the back with an eleven in which five were down, and leave fresh legs to run after balls sent from the defense (remember that there was no midfield). It only went wrong because it could have gone worse. And if it was believed that there would be no more funny drama, Mbappé drew a red card from the Barcelona goalkeeper and with that foul Rodrygo scored. 2-5, 35 minutes ahead and Madrid with one more. Well, not one more chance until the discount. In other words, Madrid did not fight for the ball in the first half because, as was demonstrated in the second, they did not know what to do with it. There was something good about the red for Madrid when they were losing 1-5: that they didn’t lose 10. White relief because things looked tremendous. Madrid suffers from in the crotchan evil for which there is no solution because that time has already passed, so it is better to wake up the midfield with signings or training, because there are wickers in the squad, but without order or confidence.
