22-year-old midfielder makes the difference as Real Madrid return to winning ways | OneFootball

Real Madrid were not enjoying the best of form as they went into the match against Alaves in La Liga on Sunday. The Merengues were coming off two defeats, to Valencia in the league and to Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League, into this game, and it was essential to win this tie to remain in contention for the league title, as Barcelona had already won their game against Leganes.

Still, Carlo Ancelotti decided to make several changes to his starting lineup for this match. Important players like Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior were rested ahead of the second leg of the UCL quarter-finals against Arsenal.

Rodrygo Goes shifted to the left wing to replace Vinicius, while Arda Guler was given a start on the right wing. In the midfielder, Ancelotti decided to start Eduardo Camavinga instead of Bellingham, as the Frenchman is suspended for the upcoming UCL match.

This latter decision ended up being crucial for Los Blancos, as Camavinga was undoubtedly the most brightly shining player for Real Madrid in this game.

The highlight of the French midfielder’s game was the wonderful strike from outside of the box that ended up being the lone goal in this gritty match, and thus made all the difference on the scoreboard as the Merengues returned to winning ways.

But, in addition to this goal, his overall performance in this game was also worthy of plaudits. The Frenchman was one of the most involved players in the game, as Sofascore statistics show that he got on the ball 74 times in the 90 minutes he played.

Despite the team still being far from its best level, Camavinga was still able to put in a good passing success rate of 82%, as he completed 36 of his 44 passes. He also put in 2 key passes and his only 1 attempted long ball also successfully found its target. His ball progression with his feet was also impressive, as he successfully completed 6 of his 7 attempted dribbles.

The midfielder’s presence in the middle of the pitch was also crucial for his side to retain control of the middle of the field. He once again showed his characteristic tenacity as he won 13 of the 21 duels he was engaged in.

Camavinga also made significant defensive contributions, as he recorded 3 clearances, 2 interceptions, 3 tackles, 1 blocked shot.

Thus, the French midfielder once again showed his class in a season in which he has been rather inconsistent. This performance will definitely make Carlo Ancelotti rue the fact that he is suspended for the second leg against Arsenal. Hopefully, Real Madrid will still be present in the competition when he has served this one-game suspension.