Brahim, the unpayable wildcard of Ancelotti

Rodrygo took the MVP of the Champions League first. He marked the difference and, in addition, he ran, taking the opposite to his coach, who in the previous derby assured that a player does one thing or the other, but not both. An exhibition of talent and waste right at a time of maximum weakness of Madrid in the center of the field, with Bellingham sanctioned, Ceballos injured and Camavinga in its poorest moment as a Madrid player. An emergency moment to which Mbappé and Vinicius’s bad game joined. He also went to the rescue in the attack zone: «It is not true that he will return to the bench in the second leg. It cannot be said that Brahim is an undisputed holder, but he is a very important player. A lot. Take advantage of the minutes I give and play again when I put on him, ”said Ancelotti after the victory in the Euroderbi.

Of course, with such a exhibition, to see who is now the handsome who dares to sit the Andalusian, but it is impossible for Carletto, as a good Italian, to leave in the metropolitan with Rodrygo, Vinicius, Mbappé and Bellingham, who will return after the sanction, and also put Brahim. The normal thing will be to see the former City and Milan sitting on the bench waiting for an opportunity that usually takes advantage of. And it is that Brahim is one of those players who is a blessing for a team like Real Madrid, which needs to have a plan B that not only does not unleash, but also make his coach believe that he can be part of the plan A when the circumstances are given. In that context is the Andalusian, which has its most assumed role and that helps you give its best version: «I am to contribute and that is the only thing I have to do. Playing in this club is something incredible. I always say it, when you wear this shirt you have to give everything, ”said Brahim after the victory.

His defensive numbers were four interceptions and three entries, and half a field forward, the goal that gave his team victory and 94% success in the pass, very distant numbers to those of Mbappé, for example, who lost fourteen balls and even reached 80% good passes. The contrast is very striking.

As much as his pique with Simeone. Without serving as an precedent, Cholo’s words in the previous one, ensuring that he saw Modric more in the eleven, along with Tchouaméni and Camavinga, than Brahim, did not seem like those nun pinches that the Argentine usually gives when he has to play against Madrid. He rang to a simple previous analysis of what he was tactically thought he was going to do Ancelotti and not a contempt for Brahim. But the player did not play it like that and ended up taking his little Vendetta when he scored the goal: «Speak now! Speak now! You talked yesterday, speak now! ”The Andalusian told him after celebrating the goal and passing a few meters from his bench. Simeone, or did not find out or did not want to find out.

With contract until 2027, Brahim will address its renewal process with Madrid from next summer. For Ancelotti, and for the club, he is an undisputed player. A twelve number that always appears when it is needed. If any of the four above is not, there Brahim emerges, as before Atlético or like many times. In fact, it is not the first time that it resolves a round trip match.

He already did it last season in Leipzig, when a goal with aroma to Messi was invented, starting from the right wing to central areas, after several ‘gambeteos’, and nailing it into the corner of the goal. Somewhat that served for Madrid to win a game that, surely, or deserved to tie, and that ended up being decisive in the tie after 1-1 of the return in the Bernabéu. The bunning Brahim is priceless.