Real Madrid have had a surprising few results in their most recent games. They lost 2-1 to Sheriff Tiraspol in the Champions League, and to Espanyol in La Liga. Some of the problems that seemed to be gone in the early stages of Ancelotti’s spell as manager have now come back into the picture.
Goals galore: For and against
Real Madrid has scored 22 goals in 8 league games this season in La Liga, which is by a bit margin, the highest in the league. However, they also have the second-highest number of goals conceded in the top half of the table. They have conceded 10 goals so far, only behind Osasuna’s 11.
Injury Problems
Injuries have hampered Ancelotti’s choices for the first time quite a bit. Ferland Mendy and Marcelo are not in contention for starting places, and Toni Kroos only recently returned from injury. Dani Carvajal, Dani Ceballos, Marco Asensio and Mariano Diaz have all spent a considerable amount of time on the treatment table. This is something Zidane had to deal with last season as well, and Ancelotti is having to tackle the same issue.
Imbalance in the Squad
Karim Benzema remains the main attacking force for Carlo Ancelotti, with Vinicius Junior backing the Frenchman up. Eden Hazard has not stepped up yet again, and the midfield of Kroos, Casemiro and Modric is not being deployed due to injuries and overall unavailability. Camavinga and Valverde are slowly starting to show their worth in the white shirt, but they have a little ways to go when it comes to matching the legacy and effectiveness of Casemiro, Kroos and Modric.
