This week the Champions League returns. Real Madrid will visit PSG at the Parc des Princes in what will undoubtedly be one of the great games of these round of 16. The white team plays a lot in Paris, because winning the Champions League is one of its objectives, and it will be put to the test against one of the greats in Europe.
However, Madrid have lost some of their reliability and are no longer as favorites in the tie as they were a month ago. Time is running out for Carlo Ancelotti to try to remedy the team’s problems.
This is the big question that all Madridistas ask themselves: will Benzema and Mendy arrive in time for the tie? The two French have entered the squad list but it will not be known until the last minute if they will play or not.
Mendy’s loss is being noticed in the team, because Marcelo is at the level of recent years, a lot of attack and little defense, and against PSG the white players are going to have to run backwards. A solid winger like Mendy is a blessing for Madrid in this game. In addition, from Marcelo, Ancelotti could opt for Nacho as a left-back and change position to Alaba, something that he already did in San Mamés with an irregular result as the team lost the ball from the Austrian in the center of the defense.
And as for Benzema, without him Madrid have been left lame in attack. He is the player with the most goals in the squad, he also assists and influences the game. Madrid is noticing the absence of him and it is that the rest of the strikers in the squad at the moment are not measuring up.
Vini is having a sensational season, the best since he has been in Madrid and against PSG he will undergo a great trial by fire. The Brazilian will have to be even more decisive and he will face a Kylian Mbappé who threatens to take his place next season, which should be an extra motivation for the Brazilian.
In addition, in recent games Vinicius has been fouled by rivals and the player will have to calm his nerves so they don’t kick him out of the game.
Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, a midfielder who has been working for Madrid for years with excellent results but who ends up being diluted in high-tempo games. If Madrid manages to impose their pace, these three players have the quality to beat PSG’s midfield and manage the match. If, on the contrary, the match goes to the physical, there we have seen Kroos and Modric suffer. And they are players who are playing practically everything.
In addition, Casemiro is aware of a penalty and if he sees a yellow card he will miss the return leg at the Bernabéu.
With the absence of Benzema, Ancelotti has tried everything to replace him: a trident made up of Vinicius, Asensio and Rodrygo, Isco as a false 9, Luka Jovic as a last-minute resource, Eden Hazard and even Bale who did not play for Madrid Since August. And with any of them the scoring ability of the team has plummeted. If Benzema doesn’t arrive on time, Madrid will have a problem unless one of them is lucky in front of goal.
PSG have a great offensive arsenal. Pochettino is waiting for Neymar, but even if the Brazilian does not arrive on time, Messi and Mbappé will be there and there is also an Ángel Di María in the Gracia Stadium or Mauro Icardi. Any of those players can make you a goal and when they connect with each other and start running it’s not easy to stop them.
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