SHAKHTAR DONETSK vs REAL MADRID | Champions League Group Stage Matchday 3 | 10.19.21 | 21:00 CET

🎙| Ancelotti: "When we don't concede we have more chances to win. We defended well tonight, the defenders, the midfielders... everyone."

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) October 19, 2021

🎙| Ancelotti: "Ferland Mendy? He's a very important player for us. He defends very well, attack, press and did very well tonight. He is ok and that's the important thing."

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) October 19, 2021

🎙| Ancelotti: "Modrić, Casemiro and Kroos have won everything and they want to win more and more, they're still hungry. I can only appreciate and applause them."

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) October 19, 2021

 

Mendy is an absolute unit defensively. Always shake my head when I hear some say “he’s shit going forward”…”what’s the point if he can’t attack”. Well IDGAF if he’s completely bossing that LB spot on the defensive end. It also gives Vini some piece of mind going forward and it clearly shows.

 

Yeah, Mendy was solid today. Love the guy.

Vinicius continues to improve. Keep proving me wrong, kid. I love it.

 

Nacho didn’t play because he was rested, nothing more, i agree that Militao Alaba duo is better but Nacho will still have a part to play, especially at RB.

 

He didn’t need to be rested. He didn’t play a game in +2 weeks.

 

Good! He should always be 2nd or 3rd option. There are better options than him and as soon as he's out of the equation we're already looking better. He's a serviceable substitute. Mendy's return was important too, even Lucas Vazquez was playing better. I believe that Mendy - Alaba - Militao - Carvajal is our ideal backline and the sooner we get there the better.

 

Played every game prior to the int break so maybe Carlo thought he'd rest him today and start him in the Clasico.

 

I saw nothing from Mendy today that suggests that Carlo wanted him to be defensive, he was joining the attack as much as his counterpart on the right.


Perhaps Nacho wasn’t rested, let’s call it rotation, I’d be very surprised if He doesn’t start at RB on Sunday with Mendy at LB, assuming that Carvajal isn’t fit that is.

 

Very good.
Hopefully keeps up the consistency!

 

Karoline Lima. Brazilian influencer.

 

All of this, what this game showed is that it isn't necessary to have an all out attacking FB who can "kind" of defend in order for the team to do well an score goals, if it works it works but it's not a necessity for us to win, i think Ferland played well within himself in this game an got tired pretty early but he did well, one of my personal favourites an i'm happy he's back,

will he have some stinkers, of course but all players have some off games, a very welcome addition to this team for me even though some fans are still calling for players like Reguillon (sp) i've always been very happy with Ferlands' game and thought he has been underrated by some , i just hope he can stay healthy, that's the only thing that worries me about this player now.