Real Madrid

Raphaël Varane Key for Real Madrid in Champions League Final

by

Raphaël Varane Key for Real Madrid in Champions League Final

While Sergio Ramos and Pepe are dirty, dirty butchers, Raphaël Varane is an artist and surgeon of a central defender. Comparing Varane to the classless hackers and divers that are Ramos and Pepe is insulting.

Varane defends better than Ramos and Pepe. Varane is a better ball-winning and ball-playing center back than Ramos and Pepe. Varane is more technically-skilled than Ramos and Pepe, and Varane is faster and quicker than Ramos and Pepe.

Varane is possibly the best defender in world football. He’s mabe even better than Thiago Silva, the gold standard for defenders. Zinedine Zidane was pivotal in Varane coming to Real Madrid as a teenager from France, so it’s suprising that Zidane has favored Pepe and Ramos in the center of the defense. Basically nobody that follows soccer believes that Ramos and Pepe are better than Varane, which makes it very strange that a soccer grandmaster like Zidane has made Varane sit on the bench.

For Real Madrid to win the Champions League Final over Atlético de Madrid, it will be crucial that Varane starts in the center of the defense, so that he will not be goaded into hacking Atlético’s attackers. Either Pepe or Ramos will have to start with Varane in the final, but only having one reduce the chance of a yellow or red card. Given how well fellow Frenchman Antoine Griezmann has been playing, a more graceful and athletic central defender like Varane is a smart decision for the final.

Looking toward the Champions League Final, Zidane must make the correct decision and start Casemiro as the defensive midfielder and Varane as one of the two center backs. Atlético de Madrid’s excitable coach Diego Simeone will be looking to make the Champions League Final an ugly affair full of hacking and diving, and Varane can reduce the likelihood of both Real Madrid center backs being carded in the Final.

With that being said, it bears mentioning that Varane does not like Simeone. Varane has spit plenty of verbals at Simeone during games, and he has also purposely kicked the ball into Simeone on the sideline.

Whereas Ramos and Pepe commit more cardworthy offenses, Varane seems to understand how to goad Simeone into crazier and crazier behavior.

Perhaps the 2016 Champions League Final will be the game where Varane cements his status as the world’s best center back with his electric speed, effortless skill, and graceful and dominating defending.

What’s Real Madrid’s Best XI Under Zidane?

by

What’s Real Madrid’s Best XI Under Zidane?

Casemiro is rumored to be the odd man out in Real Madrid’s starting lineup under Zinedine Zidane, and not because of any lack of quality or form. Zidane wants to play attacking football, and there reportedly is only room for Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić because James Rodríguez needs to start as well. The French coach said that he will always use the BBC (Bale, Benzema, Cristiano), so this makes Casemiro and James vying for one spot.

To play Devil’s advocate, Casemiro is a true defensive midfielder, and Zidane knows the great benefit that Claude Makelele brought to the teams that he played on. Perhaps Zidane will want to start Casemiro because of the similar role that Casemiro plays. There is also the fact that Casemiro has been playing some of the best football for Real Madrid this season. Casemiro allows Kroos and Modrić to display more of their creativity and attacking qualities.

Everyone knows that Zidane brought Raphaël Varane to Real Madrid, and the French center back is arguably among the best two or three center backs in the world. Varane is a phenomenon that brings lightning speed, the technical skill of an elite attacking player, and outstanding defensive qualities. There’s no debate whether Pepe or Varane is better. No contest. Varane wins.

So under Zidane, Real Madrid will likely start Keylor Navas in goal with Danilo or Dani Carvajal at right back and Varane and Sergio Ramos at center back. Marcelo will play left back, but the real toss ups are in the midfield. There are too many players for the available spots. Isco and James are in direct competition with one another to play as the attacking midfielder or out wide, and both affect Casemiro.

If Real Madrid uses a three-man midfield, then starting Modrić, Casemiro, and Kroos pushes James or Isco out of the starting XI.

There is also Mateo Kovačić to consider. He brings smooth passing and creativity, and he fills the same role that James or Isco bring. Positional battles like this are normal at a club like Real Madrid, and Zidane will have his hands full.

It will be interesting to see if Zidane proves to be an elite ex-player that coaches well or that coaches poorly. The reality could also be less black and white. Maybe Zidane will improve over time as a coach.

Possible Real Madrid XI under Zidane:

Goalkeeper- Keylor Navas

Right Back- Danilo

Center Back- Raphaël Varane

Center Back- Sergio Ramos

Left Back- Marcelo

Defensive Midfielder- Toni Kroos/Casemiro

Center Midfielder- Luka Modric/Toni Kroos

Right Wing- Gareth Bale

Attacking Midfielder- James Rodríguez

Left Wing- Cristiano Ronaldo

Striker- Karim Benzema

 

Champions League Semifinals: Juventus Can Beat Real Madrid

by

 

Arturo Vidal (Photo: Giorgio Perottino/REUTERS)
Arturo Vidal (Photo: Giorgio Perottino/REUTERS)

 

 

By: COLIN REESE

 

Once again, Barcelona and Real Madrid have been playing the best club football in all of World Football, but in the match-up of Juventus against Real Madrid in the Champions League Semifinals, Juventus is not to be taken likely.

 

Juventus is a giant of World Football, and the argument can be made that Juventus has the best defense and the best midfield in all of club football, plus Carlos Tevez is Juve’s striker and the top scorer in Serie A.

 

In the defense, Juventus has Gigi Buffon in goal, and they can also use three defenders with two wingbacks or they can use a traditional Back Four with two outside backs and two center backs.

 

Juventus’ defense is the Italian national team’s defense, but by using a traditional Back Four, Juventus can field more midfielders.

 

Juventus’ defense contains Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, and Giorgio Chiellini, not to mention Angelo Ogbonna, who will soon be one of the best central defenders in the world.

 

Even without Barzagli playing in a three-man defense, Ogbonna is an incredible defender with almost unmatched pace, outstanding technical ability, and excellent marking and tackling abilities. Ogbonna is left-footed, but he is good with his right foot, which allows him to play as the right defender better than Chiellini whose right foot isn’t nearly as refined.

 

A Juventus Back Four would contain Stephan Lichtsteiner, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, and Patrice Evra, and this defense with an overload of two-way midfielders in front of them is difficult to break down or penetrate.

 

The midfield is perhaps Juve’s biggest advantage, and Juventus possesses a monster midfield, even with Paul Pogba likely out injured for the first leg of the semifinal.

 

The Old Lady can start Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, and Roberto Pereyra at the same time, and if Pogba is available then they can use Pereyra, Pirlo, Pogba, Marchisio, and Vidal all at the same time with only one striker: Tevez.

 

In this final formation, Pirlo would be lining up behind Pereyra, Pogba, Vidal, and Marchisio from right to left, and that would pose a problem for Real Madrid.

 

Looking at Real Madrid’s midfield, James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos, and Isco is a world-class midfield, but Juventus’ midfield is overwhelming.

 

All of Juventus’ midfielders are two-way midfielders, and every single one is world-class and capable of scoring incredible goals.

 

All of their midfielders pass and move and cover for one another, and they all run non-stop.

 

Even Pirlo who is often seen as a languid player is a grandmaster at covering tons of ground and controlling games while looking like he is barely breaking a sweat.

 

Perhaps Real Madrid is the heavy favorite because less people watch Serie A these days, but make no mistake about it, Real Madrid’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, and all of his players consider Juventus to be a giant of an opponent that they fully respect and recognize as an elite opponent.

 

The big question for Juventus will be which tactical scheme is the best to use against Real Madrid.

 

Is it better to go with three marking central defenders lining up from right to left, or is it better to use as many of Juventus’ elite two-way midfielders as possible to win the battle of the midfield?

 

In this match-up, Juventus has the best center midfielder in the world: Vidal.

 

So, does using three at the back diminish Juventus’ ability to control possessing and dictate the style and tempo of the game?

 

One important note about Juventus is that Marchisio is often overlooked and underrated, but the Italy international can play any position in the midfield where he can attack at pace or defend with tireless energy.

 

Marchisio also possesses a formidable shot with both feet, and he has an enormous amount of experience. He is more experienced and proven than Real Madrid’s fabulous midfielder, Isco.

 

Real Madrid is the favorite in this match-up, but this is really an even match-up where Juventus has the better defense and midfield, plus they have a feared and world-class goal-scorer in Tevez.

 

This will be a riveting Champions League Semifinal.

 

Here are some of the line-ups and formations we could see from Juventus against Real Madrid:

 

Juventus XI (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Pereyra, Pirlo, Marchisio; Vidal; Morata, Tevez. (Assuming Pogba is still injured)

 

Juventus XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio; Morata, Tevez.

 

Juventus XI (4-5-1): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Pirlo; Pereyra, Pogba, Vidal, Marchisio; Tevez.