Real Madrid is looking for a forced good end to the first leg
The Madrid team needs to win at the Bernabéu against Cádiz so as not to go to the break full of doubts and further away from FC Barcelona
MADRID, 9 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid will try to reach the break for the Qatar World Cup with better feelings and not let FC Barcelona escape any more in the leadership of LaLiga Santander 2022-2023 with a victory in the visit to the Santiago Bernabéu (9:30 p.m.) of a Cádiz that already he stole points from him on his last visit and that he will try to take advantage of the current form of the defending champion.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team seems to have lost the momentum that propelled them at the beginning of the season, which has cost them losing first place in the table to the benefit of the Blaugrana team, now with a provisional five-point lead, for which it is forced to not fail, and less at home.
The 14-time European champion conceded his first league defeat of the season last Monday in Vallecas, where he fell victim to the intensity of Rayo Vallecano, who barely allowed him to maneuver and made him lose the lead. It was the second consecutive game in the domestic championship without winning after drawing against Girona at home and the third without doing so of the last four in all competitions.
A state of form that does not worry Carlo Ancelotti excessively, who attributes it to the number of games already played due to a schedule without respite, something that rivals who do not have European competition take advantage of above all. From that he will also try to take advantage of a Cádiz that has slowed him down in his last two visits to the capital and that is in a situation of great need due to its penultimate position.
The Italian coach knows that there will be a totally different match from the one from a few days ago and that the Cadiz team will surely oppose him with a low block that will once again examine an offensive structure that still cannot count on Karim Benzema. The French striker is still unable to play due to minor discomfort and will miss his third game in a row and the fifth of the last six.
Without the ‘9’, the offensive responsibility has fallen on Vinicius and Rodrygo, who will repeat once again in the eleven with almost total security because Ancelotti does not have much to choose from. The winger is being more of a protagonist because of his attitude and that of his rivals when they mark him and Real Madrid surely needs him to focus exclusively on the best he knows how to do.
Marco Asensio, who was praised by Reggiolo in the previous one, has many ballots to continue in the eleven, so the main doubt would be in the configuration of the midfield where the good news is the return of Toni Kroos, whose calm and ball output missed his team against Rayo Vallecano. Tchouameni, despite his drop in form, it seems that he will remain and between Valverde, Modric and Camavinga the third could come out. Behind, without Rüdiger, no further changes are expected beyond the possible entry of Lucas Vázquez by Dani Carvajal.
Opposite, a Cádiz that will appear at the Santiago Bernabéu in the penultimate position of the classification with only eleven points and that practically needs to assault the Madrid fiefdom to aspire to face the break outside the relegation zone.
The team from Cadiz comes with a certain optimism and knows how to annoy the current champion, especially as a visitor since in their last two games they have scratched valuable points. In 20-21, at the Alfredo Di Stéfano, they won 0-1 and last year, already at the Bernabéu, they drew goalless. Álvaro Cervera was in both games then, although now Sergio González is there, who also set up very complex games for Real Madrid as coach of Valladolid.
Despite their qualifying situation, Cádiz arrives with only one defeat since last September 10, although also with only two victories, which has prevented them from being somewhat more relieved. The Catalan coach seems to be able to count on Fali, good news for a defense where Víctor Chust, due to injury, and Luis Hernández, due to suspension, are absent, and must decide whether to shield the midfield more with the trio Alcaraz, San Emeterio and Alex Fernández or bet on speed on the wings.
REAL MADRID: Courtois; Lucas Vazquez, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Valverde, Tchoaumeni, Kross; Asensio, Rodrygo and Vinicius.
CADIZ: Ledesma, Carcelén, Cala, Fali, Espino; Alex Fernandez, Alcaraz, San Emeterio, Ocampo; Nephew and Lozano.
–REFEREE: Soto Grado (C.Riojano).
–Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
