It was indeed a cracker of a game at the Pizjuan yesterday, as Real Madrid were beaten to death by the hosts. 90 minutes seemed too much for the European Champions, as they were as dead as doornails by the time Sevilla were done hammering them.
Real Madrid was nowhere to the level of football Sevilla played, though they tried plenty of times in the second half to come back in the game.
Both teams failed to convert big chances, however, it was Sevilla who turned out to be more clinical than the visitors. Sevilla dominated the whole game, as Asensio and Bale were kept silent by the likes of Banega and Vasquez, who were at any given point of time, ready for a tackle.
Though Real Madrid had more of the ball, it was Sevilla who utilized their chances during counter-attacks as not one, not two, but at least three players supported the counter-attacks.
They were keen to score and despite scoring three, they did not sit back and defend. Instead, they continued their attacking style of play till the end of the game, pushing Real Madrid onto their back foot every single time.
Jesus Navas’ incredible pace
This was one of the few games wherein Marcelo struggled to display his clinical defensive abilities – thanks to the amazing Jesus Navas. The Spanish winger was a constant threat on the wings, and Marcelo clearly had a tough time catching him. Two of the three goals were created by him, and his presence of mind to notice his players running alongside him helped Sevilla register a big win against the La Liga top dogs.
Real Madrid’s defensive woes
Real Madrid is a team of great caliber, and their center-back duo is a blessing for the Los Blancos. The likes of Varane and Ramos are two of the most consistent defenders across Europe, and as a result, they have been ruling the Champions League.
However, this season, it looks like the Spanish club is finding it pretty difficult to understand, react and position themselves during counterattacks.
Marcelo and Nacho as fullbacks were caught up high on the pitch plenty of times in yesterday’s game, and this leaves Real’s defence exposed. The Whites could not do anything to stop Jesus Navas combining with his strikers, and they were outperformed in every minute of the game by the hosts.
Ever Banega’s presence
Banega was clearly the best player on the pitch, and words struggle to describe his contributions in yesterday’s game against Real Madrid, tormenting their midfield with his incredible dribbling skills and extraordinary vision.
He was arguably the most impactful player for Sevilla, as his airballs and through passes were constantly troubling the Real Madrid side, who failed to keep up with the quality of football Sevilla displayed.