To find out how important Casemiro is to Real Madrid, just ask Modric and Kroos. Modric will face a lack of “the best bodyguards in the world” after the Brazilian midfielder leaves.
According to Casemiro, Kroos texted him at 4am to ask if the rumours were true when he was rumored to be having an affair with Manchester United. Later, when Casemiro left the Bernabeu, Kroos posted 8 photos of the “ceremony three midfielders” holding the cup on social media. He wrote: “You won’t find a losing final in this combination. That says it all! Will miss these, will miss you.”
In January 2013, Casemiro arrived in Madrid as a nobody. However, when he left the team, he became one of the players who won the most honors in the team, leaving a transfer fee of 70 million euros for the team, becoming the second most expensive player among the current 30+ players in football.
At present, Casemiro has moved to Manchester United, but seeing the current lineup of Real Madrid and the performance of the past year, we can know that the Galaxy battleship can make up for Casemiro’s vacancy. ESPN has a detailed analysis of this.
【A person who has been indispensable for a long time】
Seven years ago, during the 2015-16 season, Casemiro started making himself an integral part of Real Madrid’s midfield. That year, Casemiro competed with Kroos, Modric, Ronaldo, Isco and Kovacic for appearances, but his unique value soon became apparent, especially when he was sidelined in November 2015. The team lost 4-0 to Barcelona, so it was known that only his addition could bring balance to the team.
During Zidane’s coaching period, the midfield combination of “Casemiro & Kroos% Modric” became unshakable, which also allowed Real Madrid to win three consecutive Champions League titles. The 2016-17 season was Casemiro’s most high-profile campaign, scoring brilliant goals against Napoli and the Champions League final against Juventus. The 2020-21 season may be his most impactful season as he ranks second in the team in goals scored behind Benzema. Casemiro’s form became more inconsistent last year, but he still has 230 possessions in La Liga, almost as much as Kroos (125) and Modric (123) combined. After the end of last season, Casemiro considered leaving for the first time because he won the La Liga and the Champions League.
“I think a cycle is over,” Casemiro said in an interview. “My mission at Real Madrid has been completed.”
【Appropriate lineup update timing】
Fortunately, Real Madrid has an alternative plan in place. In fact, it was this plan that made Casemiro determined to leave, that is, Real Madrid signed Joan Ameni from Monaco for 80 million euros in June.
Casemiro, who is six years younger than Modric, was unhappy that the team found him a replacement so quickly. The Brazilian midfielder had to be reassured when Real Madrid played pre-season in the United States, with coach Carlo Ancelotti assuring him that he was still the team’s first choice. Then, the seeds of doubt had been planted, and it was difficult for him to change his mind.
In fact, from the club’s point of view, it wasn’t a bad time. Real Madrid is always shrewd in judging when to replace players. Due to the joining of Joan Armeni, the Galaxy battleship is not expected to add midfielders. At present, there are 6 midfielders in the team: Kroos, Modri Chi, Joan Ameni, Camavinga, Valverde and Ceballos.
Last week, Real Madrid coach Ancelotti said: “We have a lot of good players who can play in Casemiro’s position. Joan Ameni is one of the best players on the market right now, Kroos can play in that position, Like in 2014-15… we also have Camavinga. Defensively, Joan Ameni is the most Casemiro-like player.”
[JoanAmenyorCamavinga?】
Joan Armeni was convincing in his first game for Real Madrid in the post-Casemiro era. The 22-year-old Joan Armeni had more touches than any of his team-mates with 87 in Real’s 4-1 win over Celta on Saturday. In addition, he also created three good chances. Still, Ancelotti was humble, saying: “Joan Ameni still has to learn, he has to position himself better. But he has an advantage in confrontation and in the air, and he can get into the box.”
Not too convincing about Ancelotti’s mention of Cross being able to step back into a more secretive role, and Cross doesn’t seem to be very comfortable playing all the time if he goes it alone. If anything, Casemiro takes on the “dirty” work in midfield, allowing Kroos to focus on what he is good at, which is to control the team with the accuracy of his short and long balls rhythm. Camavinga’s performances are not yet convincing, and it is worth noting that he was substituted at half-time in four of his 13 La Liga starts last season, while in the Champions League he was mostly substituted. Sit on the bench. It looks like he’s best suited for a midfield role right now, one that is allowed more freedom and requires less positional discipline. A viable solution might be to replicate Casemiro’s traits elsewhere, rather than try to replace him. Valverde has developed into a well-rounded midfielder who has played a number of roles over the past year. The 24-year-old rivals Casemiro in his uncompromising attitude and mentality. The two of them were close friends with shared experiences and humility.
【What should we do in the future? 】
Real Madrid’s prospects depend on Ancelotti’s ability to integrate Kroos and Modric with young players Joan Ameni, Camavinga and Valverde. The next game, the Galaxy battleship will be away against the Spaniards.
Perhaps, finally successfully making up for the absence of Casemiro’s departure depends on three players: Joan Armeni in the same position, Camavinga on the bench and right-forward Valverde.
(Editor: Ronaldinho)Return to Sohu, see more
Editor:
Disclaimer: The opinions of this article only represent the author himself, Sohu is an information publishing platform, and Sohu only provides information storage space services.