Real Madrid will be eager to turn their fortunes around tomorrow when they face off against Getafe at the Santiago Bernabeu on Matchday 15 of La Liga.
Freshly wounded after the 2-0 defeat at Anfield, Los Blancos will look to get back to winning ways and continue their positive run of form in La Liga. They are, after all, just four points behind Barcelona on the table with a game in hand.
Their opponents, Getafe, are currently placed 15th in the league after 14 games with just two wins and seven draws to their name. Notably, however, they allowed Barcelona to put only one goal past them in what is a massive testament to their defensive prowess.
Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Getafe.
Need to hit back
The UEFA Champions League has quite not gone Real Madrid’s way so far this season as the men in white have lost three of their five games in the competition.
They have been more reassuring in terms of results in La Liga, although the team has been far from convincing on the field.
Returning after the international break, the Merengues have looked far closer to their best with the football flowing better and chances being created in attack. The game against Liverpool, however, was another timely reminder that they are still far from Europe’s elite this season.
It is thus vital that Los Blancos are not deterred by the negative result midweek and that they come out fresh and determined tomorrow against Getafe. After all, they need to bounce back immediately if they are to close the gap to Barcelona.
With Vinicius Jr. still unavailable, there will be added pressure to deliver on the rest of the team, but more importantly, on manager Carlo Ancelotti.
The attacking dynamic
Time to step up. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
Real Madrid’s defeat to Liverpool made it clear how severely the team depends on Vinicius in attack for they simply lacked any teeth in the final third and barely created any threat in Liverpool’s area.
Kylian Mbappe’s horror show has rightfully been slammed and the Frenchman is struggling even playing in his natural position. Brahim Diaz, meanwhile, was inspiring in flashes but still lacked the profile to break past Liverpool’s defence.
The manager thus must look to revamp the attack and put his best foot forward tomorrow and it is critical that he finds the right working formula.
Rodrygo Goes is back in the squad for tomorrow’s clash but is unlikely to start given that he is just returning from injury. Brahim will thus continue to start on the right side of the attack alongside Kylian Mbappe who will be on the left.
If rumours are to be believed, the manager is likely to revert to a 4-3-3 setup against Getafe to potentiate the attack. Endrick could thus be set for a massive chance with a start and will look to capitalise and make a strong impression as the centre-forward.
Getafe are known for their low defensive line and resilient structure at the back and breaking them down will be a steep challenge for Real Madrid’s under-confident attack. A lot will thus ride on the trio up front and the likes of Arda Guler and Luka Modric.
A big midfield blow
Real Madrid’s injury woes only furthered at Anfield when Eduardo Camavinga left the field with injury and three other players finished the game with discomfort.
While the likes of Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Brahim have been declared fit, Camavinga’s injury has been confirmed and the player is set to be out for at least two weeks as it stands.
The Frenchman’s absence comes as a huge blow to the team’s dynamics. After all, he was the first-choice replacement for Aurelien Tchouameni in the defensive midfield and his compatriot is also not ready to face Getafe.
All eyes are thus on the manager to see how he lines up his troops in the middle of the park tomorrow to put up a combination that can hold up against Getafe’s counterattacks.
With Lucas Vazquez back, Federico Valverde is best placed to play as the pivot at the Santiago Bernabeu as he will be free from his duties at right-back.
If the manager indeed reverts to a 4-3-3, he will require two more players in midfield, one of whom will be Jude Bellingham.
A second pivotal decision for Ancelotti, thus, will be choosing between Luka Modric, Arda Guler and Dani Ceballos to fill the third place in the middle of the park. The Croatian is the safer option but the Turkish star may be a better bet against a team that employs a low-block.