Mbappé and Valverde overthrow Olympus
Having had little success on Wednesday in Athens, Kylian Mbappé still managed to score his 4th goal in the Champions League this season, perfectly hitting from the right (78'), at close range, a cross from Denzel Dumfries, as the last quarter of an hour approached! With 6 shots, including 3 on target, number 10 did well on the front of the Madrid attack, he who tried a lot and worked hard to get his team out of the mess they found themselves in. But it was his teammate Federico Valverde who, with an extraordinary strike from 30 meters, came to offer a new success to the White House in the last minutes (90'). The Uruguayan and his fiery right foot struck again in the final moments!
The (big) class of Bellingham
While his team was trailing to everyone's surprise, Jude Bellingham equalized for Real, shortly after the hour mark (32'), scoring an exceptional goal from a cross from his teammate Marc Cucurella. An absolutely sumptuous, high-class goal, and deserved for the English midfielder, who, as usual, increased their efforts while their partners were in difficulty. A remarkable individual feat, coming to the rescue of a collective which was struggling to exist in Greece.
Cucurella ringworm
The Spanish left-back was real poison for the opposing team. Decisive passer on Bellingham's equalizer, Marc Cucurella once again stood out for his aggressiveness and mischief in the duels. The world champion displayed considerable volume of play and slaughter, confirming that he is arguably one of the Merengue's best signings during the off-season.
Bernardo Silva essential
Aligned from the start by his coach José Mourinho, the Portuguese midfielder once again proved himself valuable. A true link between defense and attack, Bernardo Silva brings considerable balance to this Real Madrid team when he is on the pitch, well supported by a particularly strong Eduardo Camavinga on Wednesday evening. An association which offers more guarantees on a technical level and appears much more interesting than that made up of Aurélien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, whose contribution to the game is, football speaking, quite limited...
FLOPS
Mourinho as a Greek hero
But, apart from his midfielder, José Mourinho has not seen all his choices rewarded in Greece. Far from it. The Portuguese coach, who thought he could rotate his team during this trip to Athens, quickly became disillusioned. Barely twelve minutes after kick-off, his team already conceded the opener, with a clear strike from Aboubakary Koïta (12'). His evening defense, made up of Antonio Rüdiger and the returning Eder Militão, absolutely did not respond. Same observation for Vinicius, back in the starting lineup in the Champions League after serving his suspension in the championship. Mourinho had even decided to entrust him with the captain's armband in order to show his confidence in him. But the Brazilian, once again this season, completely missed his match...
Vincius in a ball…
Vinicius can no longer do it. At all. Holder and armband wearer for this trip to Athens, the Brazilian once again disappointed, to the point of raising some concerns. The observation is clear: Real Madrid number 7 can no longer make a difference. Even in his favorite area, dribbling, the attacker no longer responds. Between back passes without relief, for lack of daring to provoke his direct opponent, and attempts at goal which present no danger, the level of play of the runner-up for the 2024 Ballon d'Or becomes particularly worrying. A real question now arises as to the left winger's place within this squad, as his performances seem to penalize his team more than provide them with solutions.
