Ancelotti behind Asensio redemption and Valverde using the ‘rock in his foot’
Sixty-four minutes had gone by at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night and the Real Madrid crowd were grumbling.
RB Leipzig had most of the game and all of the chances to score. Madrid had not had a shot on target. Carlo Ancelotti needed to make some changes.
The first player to leave was not a surprise, Eduardo Camavinga had barely had a kick in midfield. Most watching assumed that the rested Toni Kroos was about to come on and bring some more order to Madrid’s play.
But instead, Ancelotti decided to send on winger Marco Asensio, who has barely featured this season after trying to work a way out of the club. Asensio’s first appearance of the campaign at the Bernabeu was greeted by loud whistles from fans who do not appreciate his most recent behaviour.
That consternation in the stands was matched by some momentary confusion down the right of Madrid’s team, as Asensio took up Camavinga’s role in the midfield three, while midfielder-by-trade Federico Valverde continued in his “false winger” role in the front three.
Less than half an hour later the atmosphere among Madrid’s players and their fans had turned around completely. Superbly struck goals by Valverde and Asensio gave their team a 2-0 lead, and put last season’s Champions League winners in full control of group F.
It may not have been clear to most of us at the time he made his substitution, but Ancelotti knew what he was doing. And the wily Italian has shown lots of managerial skill and experience in his handling of both goalscorers through recent months.
The Asensio situation was the most pressing, and startling. Just last Sunday, he had reacted angrily to not even being sent on as a substitute in the La Liga game against Real Mallorca. The very public kicking of a water bottle and slumping in the dugout was partly because Mallorca are his hometown club, where he started his career. But it was also a sign of general frustration at his situation on the fringes at Madrid.
Madrid’s fans and pundits did not like what they saw as a petulant reaction from a player most felt did not deserve any more playing time. Inside the club, there was not much sympathy for Asensio’s position either, with a feeling among team-mates and coaching staff that he has only himself to blame for his career having drifted over the past few years.
The 26-year-old is said to have been frustrated at not having secured a move to another top club after joining Jorge Mendes’ agency.
About the most understanding of everyone at the Bernabeu was Ancelotti. Many managers would have used what looked like a clear show of disrespect on Sunday to make an example of a player. But after that game, the Italian said he understood Asensio’s “anger”, then at the pre-Leipzig press conference, the Italian had praised his “harder work” at training this week.
That approach looked particularly wise with 90 minutes played on Wednesday, when Asensio confirmed the win for Madrid with a sweet strike from the edge of the area, whipping an unstoppable shot right inside the far post.
There was a kind of apology to the Bernabeu in the goal celebration too, as Asensio stopped to applaud the stands before heading back to halfway for the restart. From Ancelotti’s point of view, things could not have worked out better.
There was also a redemption story, albeit over a longer term, in Valverde’s opening goal. Last February, the Uruguayan was in a similar situation to Asensio. A run of niggly injuries was followed by indifferent form, and even when available he rarely started. Camavinga, 19, was then mostly preferred by Ancelotti as a backup to the first-choice midfield three of Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric.
Valverde got the message then, and pushed himself back into form through their Champions League knockout run. His energy and athleticism were key to Madrid’s stirring comebacks against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City. That secured a starting spot for the final in Paris against Liverpool, and he responded with an excellent assist for Vinicius Junior’s winning goal.
There was just one thing missing from Valverde’s game — more goals, especially as he was often playing as one of Madrid’s front three. Growing up in Uruguay he had been a regular scorer, but he scored only five league goals across his first four seasons with Real.
Always in his ear has been Ancelotti urging him to shoot more. That started towards the end of last season, but the efforts were often wayward. This year it has been very different — he speared in a low 20-yarder against Celta Vigo in the second game of the La Liga season, and last weekend against Mallorca he scored his best yet — a 50-yard run from his own half, followed by a 20-yard shot lashed into the net with his supposedly weaker left foot.
The confidence from that was clear as he opened the scoring on Wednesday against Leipzig. It was really coolly taken, as he faked to shoot with his right, cut onto his left, and curled the ball inside the far post from 15 yards.
Asked after the game if he was surprised Valverde has started scoring so regularly, Ancelotti said: “What seemed strange to me was that he just scored once last season. I told him that if he was not able to score more than 10 goals, I’d have to rip up my coach’s ID. He has a rock in his foot.”
Valverde’s rocket was soon followed by Asensio’s similarly well-taken second, and his coach characteristically declined to take any credit for the turnaround. “I’m happy, he got some playing time, and he showed what he can do. I believe he needed that goal.”
Eight wins from their first eight games in all competitions have last year’s double winners at the top of La Liga and comfortably placed to make the Champions League last 16. Wednesday was also Ancelotti’s 100th win as coach in the Champions League, just two off the all-time record held by Sir Alex Ferguson.
Some caution is required. Asensio will be back on the bench and Kroos will return to the XI for Sunday’s La Liga derby at Atletico Madrid, and fingers are crossed that key centre-forward Karim Benzema will be able to return from injury too.
Still, no matter what happens to Madrid at the moment, they and their coach seem to be able to handle the situation.
https://theathletic.com/3595745/2022/09/15/ancelotti-asensio-valverde/
Ancelotti behind Asensio redemption and Valverde using the ‘rock in his foot’
Sixty-four minutes had gone by at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night and the Real Madrid crowd were grumbling.
RB Leipzig had most of the game and all of the chances to score. Madrid had not had a shot on target. Carlo Ancelotti needed to make some changes.
The first player to leave was not a surprise, Eduardo Camavinga had barely had a kick in midfield. Most watching assumed that the rested Toni Kroos was about to come on and bring some more order to Madrid’s play.
But instead, Ancelotti decided to send on winger Marco Asensio, who has barely featured this season after trying to work a way out of the club. Asensio’s first appearance of the campaign at the Bernabeu was greeted by loud whistles from fans who do not appreciate his most recent behaviour.
That consternation in the stands was matched by some momentary confusion down the right of Madrid’s team, as Asensio took up Camavinga’s role in the midfield three, while midfielder-by-trade Federico Valverde continued in his “false winger” role in the front three.
Less than half an hour later the atmosphere among Madrid’s players and their fans had turned around completely. Superbly struck goals by Valverde and Asensio gave their team a 2-0 lead, and put last season’s Champions League winners in full control of group F.
It may not have been clear to most of us at the time he made his substitution, but Ancelotti knew what he was doing. And the wily Italian has shown lots of managerial skill and experience in his handling of both goalscorers through recent months.
The Asensio situation was the most pressing, and startling. Just last Sunday, he had reacted angrily to not even being sent on as a substitute in the La Liga game against Real Mallorca. The very public kicking of a water bottle and slumping in the dugout was partly because Mallorca are his hometown club, where he started his career. But it was also a sign of general frustration at his situation on the fringes at Madrid.
Madrid’s fans and pundits did not like what they saw as a petulant reaction from a player most felt did not deserve any more playing time. Inside the club, there was not much sympathy for Asensio’s position either, with a feeling among team-mates and coaching staff that he has only himself to blame for his career having drifted over the past few years.
The 26-year-old is said to have been frustrated at not having secured a move to another top club after joining Jorge Mendes’ agency.
About the most understanding of everyone at the Bernabeu was Ancelotti. Many managers would have used what looked like a clear show of disrespect on Sunday to make an example of a player. But after that game, the Italian said he understood Asensio’s “anger”, then at the pre-Leipzig press conference, the Italian had praised his “harder work” at training this week.
That approach looked particularly wise with 90 minutes played on Wednesday, when Asensio confirmed the win for Madrid with a sweet strike from the edge of the area, whipping an unstoppable shot right inside the far post.
There was a kind of apology to the Bernabeu in the goal celebration too, as Asensio stopped to applaud the stands before heading back to halfway for the restart. From Ancelotti’s point of view, things could not have worked out better.
There was also a redemption story, albeit over a longer term, in Valverde’s opening goal. Last February, the Uruguayan was in a similar situation to Asensio. A run of niggly injuries was followed by indifferent form, and even when available he rarely started. Camavinga, 19, was then mostly preferred by Ancelotti as a backup to the first-choice midfield three of Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric.
Valverde got the message then, and pushed himself back into form through their Champions League knockout run. His energy and athleticism were key to Madrid’s stirring comebacks against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City. That secured a starting spot for the final in Paris against Liverpool, and he responded with an excellent assist for Vinicius Junior’s winning goal.
There was just one thing missing from Valverde’s game — more goals, especially as he was often playing as one of Madrid’s front three. Growing up in Uruguay he had been a regular scorer, but he scored only five league goals across his first four seasons with Real.
Always in his ear has been Ancelotti urging him to shoot more. That started towards the end of last season, but the efforts were often wayward. This year it has been very different — he speared in a low 20-yarder against Celta Vigo in the second game of the La Liga season, and last weekend against Mallorca he scored his best yet — a 50-yard run from his own half, followed by a 20-yard shot lashed into the net with his supposedly weaker left foot.
The confidence from that was clear as he opened the scoring on Wednesday against Leipzig. It was really coolly taken, as he faked to shoot with his right, cut onto his left, and curled the ball inside the far post from 15 yards.
Asked after the game if he was surprised Valverde has started scoring so regularly, Ancelotti said: “What seemed strange to me was that he just scored once last season. I told him that if he was not able to score more than 10 goals, I’d have to rip up my coach’s ID. He has a rock in his foot.”
Valverde’s rocket was soon followed by Asensio’s similarly well-taken second, and his coach characteristically declined to take any credit for the turnaround. “I’m happy, he got some playing time, and he showed what he can do. I believe he needed that goal.”
Eight wins from their first eight games in all competitions have last year’s double winners at the top of La Liga and comfortably placed to make the Champions League last 16. Wednesday was also Ancelotti’s 100th win as coach in the Champions League, just two off the all-time record held by Sir Alex Ferguson.
Some caution is required. Asensio will be back on the bench and Kroos will return to the XI for Sunday’s La Liga derby at Atletico Madrid, and fingers are crossed that key centre-forward Karim Benzema will be able to return from injury too.
Still, no matter what happens to Madrid at the moment, they and their coach seem to be able to handle the situation.
https://theathletic.com/3595745/2022/09/15/ancelotti-asensio-valverde/
