Real Madrid player ratings after 1-0 loss to Cadiz
Zinedine Zidane's side didn't look like scoring and were fortunate only to concede once against Cádiz with Thibaut Courtois and Sergio Ramos preventing a rout.
Zinedine Zidane’s side were beaten 1-0 by Cádiz on Saturday as the Andalusians took advantage of a tactical mess and numerous below-par individual performances to secure a first away win against Real Madrid in their 110-year history. Here’s how the home side’s players rated.
Real Madrid ratings against Cádiz
Thibaut Courtois: Madrid’s best player on the day and the most in-form member of Zidane’s squad, which is handy with the Clasico a week away. The Belgian single-handedly prrevented a rout and his saves in the first half kept the score down when Cádiz could have had three.
Nacho: Drafted in the right again due to injuries to Dani Carvajal and Álvaro Odriozola. The utility man was pitted against his brother, Álex, who got the better of his older sibling in the first half. Nacho looked a step behind the pace and was often out of position, leaving plenty of space for Cádiz to exploit.
Raphaël Varane: The France defender had Madrid’s first decent chance on 38 minutes, heading just wide from a corner. One of the few Madrid players to emerge with his reputation intact.
Sergio Ramos: Saved Madrid from going 1-0 down with a majestic goal line clearance from Álvaro Negredo in the second minute but was caught out of position for Lozano’s goal. The captain did not emerge for the second half after a clash with the Honduran, who also went off at half time.
Marcelo: The Brazilian remains in wretched form and did not take the chance handed to him by Zidane. Ferland Mendy’s position as Madrid’s starting left back has never been more secure and the Frenchman came out of this one on top by virtue of not getting off the bench. Salvi had the freedom of Marcelo’s flank and ran amok with only Marcelo’s gaze to oppose him.
Toni Kroos: Kroos was one of several players who appeared to be suffering from the packed international schedule after reaching 100 games for Germany. Deployed as a number five in place of Casemiro, it was his error that almost led to a Negredo goal in the second minute. Three minutes later he lost the ball again in his own half. Negredo had the better of Kroos from the word go and although the German escaped the half time cull, he was hooked on 77 minutes after a lacklustre game.
Luka Modric: After a wonderful performance against Levante before the break, Modric played like he was wading through treacle. Zidane only gave him 45 minutes before calling on Fede Valverde.
Isco: The most active Madrid player in a dire opening 45, Isco at least sought the ball and drifted out to the vacant left hand side – a sign of Madrid’s tactical ineptitude in the first half - to try and make something happen.
Lucas Vázquez: A surprise inclusion on the right ahead of Nacho, he gave it his all as he always does but if Madrid are going to rely on a player who is soon out of contract and will leave in the summer, something isn’t right with the club’s thinking. Started off brightly but dropped off and was among the raft of half-time substitutes.
Karim Benzema: The Frenchman barely had a touch. A tame first half effort and a rasping shot that hammered the bar late on were about all he was afforded in a disjointed Madrid attack. This time, not even Benzema could save the day.
Vinicius: Try as he might, nothing quite came off for the Brazilian, who had Madrid’s better chances at his mercy but mostly fired high and headed just wide of the post in the second half. Given free rein by Zidane, he was the most enthusiastic of Madrid’s front line. If he could have added accuracy to effort, the result may have been different.
Substitutes
Casemiro: There were raised eyebrows when the Brazilian was left out of the starting XI and the way the game panned out they were more than justified. Casemiro is fundamental to Madrid.
Marco Asensio: Zidane’s bet for an unknown element to sow panic in the Cádiz back line in the second half, Asensio couldn’t find a way to make a difference.
Éder Militão: Replaced Ramos at half time for his 2020-21 Liga debut after coming back from injury.
Fede Valverde: Another change at half time, the Uruguayan also found himself hemmed in by Cádiz’s plan and was unable to shake things up.
Luka Jovic: On late for Kroos, Jovic had the ball in the net but Benzema was flagged offside in the build-up. That was Jovic’s main contribution. He had another opening in stoppage time but snatched at a half-chance and sent it spinning high.