Real Madrid 2, Shakhtar 1: from pleasure to uncertainty

The lack of goal from a Real Madrid who shot 35 times, to thirteen on goal to score two goals, with the Brazilian accent of Rodrygo and Vinicius, meant that it went from the best moments of the course to an unnecessary tension against Shakhtar (2-1).

Spurred on by the image left in the first setback of the season, against Osasuna in the League, Real Madrid regained the spark to embrace the fun. He flew with Fede Valverde as third piece in the middle of the field and a trident starting to grasp with his eyes closed. An important tactical move by Carlo Ancelotti, placing Rodrygo behind Karim Benzema’s back until he had enough of forgiving opportunities, ended the game with unnecessary uncertainty.

Real Madrid needed a rest in the Champions League, to leave their group practically condemned with their full tally of wins, to rotate and focus on the league pulse with Barcelona from now on. For this, it was necessary to defeat Shakhtar, who already has enough merit to compete with the situation in Ukraine.

And Real Madrid found a favorable rival to rediscover their best feelings. The perfect setting for Vinícius’ mischief. It was absurd to force Modric, so Valverde appeared in midfield and found a highway on the right wing, free for his strength, thanks to Rodrygo’s tactical move to the center. It unleashed continuous connections with Benzema, who was tired of playing football.

The fun lacked goals until success brought Rodrygo into a special competition. Half of his goals for white have come in a ‘Champions’ in which he has already left his name braced for all eternity against City in the shortest possible time, in one of those comebacks that fuel the legend of the king of Europe. From his new location, he fired a shot at the post in thirteen minutes, knocking out Trubin’s resistance.

Ancelotti’s team unleashed the most colorful football moments of their season. A cow’s tail from ‘Vini’, a whole strike from Karim, shots from Valverde. It was a siege that surpassed Shakhtar, with no answers or the ability to stop a deadly compound. From Fede to Rodrygo, the wall with Benzema, the pass to space and the definition of Vinícius.

The second seemed to condemn the match and announce a win. In the midst of an avalanche, Benzema sought to reunite with the goal, Vinicius was prevented from hitting his double under the sticks and later came across Trubin in one of those goals no goalscorer would forgive. Real Madrid forgave so much that, although it seemed unbelievable, Shakhtar’s first arrival at risk threw the match into a fist.

Zubkov’s unmarked scissors to Mykhaylichenko’s pass from the left highlighted once again the defensive flaws of a Real Madrid team that have failed to keep a clean sheet in a single game. He only managed it in the Champions League, against Celtic and Leipzig, but the bad competition spread with Lunin not doing anything to avoid it on his debut in the league.

And so, with an excess of confidence, the match turned from a winning face to a warning as the accelerator pedal was lifted, as Alaba demonstrated at the start of halftime, losing the goal and allowing Shved to feel almost even.

Real Madrid recovered after the break and went looking for the meaning, constantly in the rival territory but without precision at the time of the definition. Alaba headed in and Valverde’s umpteenth shot was the clearest attempt along with Trubin’s firm hand on Rodrygo to prevent the low goal.

Shakhtar’s merit was resistance, he managed not to lose face when he was run over and waited for his moment. It could have been with their star, Mudryk, in a race that unraveled the white defense and ended with Lunin taking a rebound as best he could.

The madridista blackout came when they were in possession of the ball, but without verticality, with a scare of a dead ball at the far post and for a last effort without Shakhtar’s precision. Benzema’s duende didn’t come into the picture despite his efforts again away from the goal, with two clear finals when the post prevented Marco Asensio’s goal. The best part was the referee’s final whistle for a Real Madrid that sometimes bordered on football and felt the demand as soon as it slowed down.