Three questions and three answers from Celta Vigo 1-2 Real Madrid

Actual Madrid ended a two-game leasing streak in La Liga by securing a last-gasp winner as Fede Valverde powered the ball into the again of the web to safe a hard-fought 2-1 win over Celta Vigo at Balaídos, after Aurélien Tchouameni scored an early purpose and Borja Iglesias equalised for the house aspect within the first half.

1. Who would play in defence?

With Álvaro Carreras and Dean Huijsen suspended, David Alaba out with a muscle pressure Eduardo Camavinga lacking as a consequence of a dental problem once more, Éder Militão a long-term absence, and Raúl Asencio a doubt together with his neck downside, choices have been restricted. Fran García has been frozen out since Álvaro Arbeloa’s arrival, whereas neither Dani Carvajal nor Ferland Mendy have been regulars. Whereas Diego Aguado and Lamini Fati made the bench, neither Castilla choice was known as upon as Asencio was risked and had no health points. On the left, Ferland Mendy made solely his second begin of the season and his first since November, with an assured show.

2. Can Actual Madrid keep within the title race?

Even despite struggles this season, Barcelona’s woes meant that Actual Madrid sat atop La Liga solely two weeks in the past and held the chance to make the spot their very own earlier than slipping up in opposition to Osasuna after which Getafe. Solely one of many final 5 Actual Madrid managers gained on his first league go to to El Sadar, that being Zinedine Zidane in 2017, and Arbeloa was the most recent man to hitch the membership of Osasuna’s victims. A house tie in opposition to Getafe, a fixture which hadn’t led to defeat since 2008, was totally different. The win right here implies that Actual Madrid stay solely 4 factors behind with 11 video games left to play. That isn’t an not possible distance to make amends for, however even with performances like this one selecting up the factors, they’re doing little to spark a lot optimism.

3. How would this entrance three look?

With no Kylian Mbappé, there was a change as, for the primary time, it wasn’t Gonzalo García who stepped in. Arda Güler operated within the offensive midfield function, whereas Brahim Díaz stuffed in as an attacker in the same option to Vinícius Júnior with extra flexibility to maneuver to the flanks and provide extra tactical flexibility. Forward of Manchester Metropolis, it was an intriguing tactical experiment to envisage how Arbeloa may line up his gamers if Mbappé continues on the sidelines. It didn’t work as Arbeloa will need to have hoped. Brahim had little affect and failed to chop inside, with solely two touches within the opposition field, and Arda Güler seemed misplaced when he ventured ahead within the false 9 function, with just one contact within the opposition field and no pictures recorded.

1. Will Álvaro Arbeloa attain subsequent season?

Regardless that this may occasionally have been the three factors that Actual Madrid wanted at least after two consecutive defeats, there was little to spice up optimism round Álvaro Arbeloa’s long-term suitability for the function. His post-match press convention, speaking about gamers who wished to be there, hinted on the first indicators of fracture between him and the dressing room. Arbeloa has lengthy seemed to be an interim resolution to an issue and never the person to tackle this dressing room of egos and superstars. The work he’s doing is respectable, however very like Santiago Solari earlier than him, he’s steadying the ship quite than correcting the course and getting the crew again on observe for silverware. Very like Solari, he’s a membership man loyal to Florentino Pérez who’s saying all the proper issues and in search of to get the fundamentals proper, however there isn’t a signal of him constructing a long-term venture or in search of to start out a brand new period because the crew’s coach.

2. Is Thiago Pitarch a first-team choice?

18-year-old Thiago Pitarch in all probability didn’t count on to finish the week, which began earlier than he’d ever made a begin for Actual Madrid, with two consecutive begins for the membership below his belt. He’s held his personal and did properly in doing so with composure, even when below strain, and never wanting like an inexperienced 18 12 months previous thrown into the mixer with little top-flight credit score to his title. His urgent confirmed a piece charge and depth which sure different members of the squad have lacked at any time this season. Even so, he stays a vastly inexperienced teen who may come unstuck in opposition to elite competitors, like Manchester Metropolis on Tuesday. Poor health administration, resulting in accidents to so many gamers, and poor squad administration, leaving Dani Ceballos as successfully the one reserve in a totally match squad, have left the ranks wanting threadbare.

3. Will we ever see Fran García once more?

Because the January switch window closed, and Fran García didn’t get his desired transfer to Bournemouth within the Premier League, the left-back has performed the grand whole of 1 minute of motion, late on within the win over Benfica within the second leg on the Bernabéu. Right here, it was made clear that he’s third-choice at left-back as Ferland Mendy began forward of him with Álvaro Carreras suspended. “Ferland Mendy is a participant who, since he arrived right here has all the time proven that every time he’s on the pitch, it’s simpler for Madrid to win, and that’s saying lots, as a result of he’s a man who all the time has a smile on his face and that’s not straightforward if you’re not enjoying, we want gamers like that,” Arbeloa stated post-game. Fran García could proceed ready for his alternative till there are solely lifeless rubber fixtures on the finish of the season, and evidently his time on the membership could also be up, even despite a vivid begin to the season.