Real Madrid (A) | CL | Post Match Thread

I'm not sure he was - there's no way Bernardo, of all the team, would deviate from Pep's plan. So he won't have been asked to sit next to Nico G when he was leading the press & had most of his touches on the RW. It's not a slight on him btw, I just think Pep is asking him to do too much and it's leaving us open.
Bernardo is the one who Pep allows to cover the most ground. He drops back to pick it up from the keeper at the back of the midfield, he plays at inside right, he drops wider and lets the full back come inside. He runs more than any other player. He has been fading later in games, and we are at times asking too much of him. But he’s got to be in the team doing that job at the moment in my opinion IMO, at least until Rodri is back.

I do agree it leaves us exposed on the turnover sometimes, and I think it can be look worse because Cherki can’t defend. I think Pep has mitigated that problem in the last couple of games by holding Nunez back.
 
Bernardo is the one who Pep allows to cover the most ground. He drops back to pick it up from the keeper at the back of the midfield, he plays at inside right, he drops wider and lets the full back come inside. He runs more than any other player. He has been fading later in games, and we are at times asking too much of him. But he’s got to be in the team doing that job at the moment in my opinion IMO, at least until Rodri is back.

I do agree it leaves us exposed on the turnover sometimes, and I think it can be look worse because Cherki can’t defend. I think Pep has mitigated that problem in the last couple of games by holding Nunez back.
He was brilliant last night. The view from space we were allocated exemplified the hardest working player you could watch.
 
Bernardo is the one who Pep allows to cover the most ground. He drops back to pick it up from the keeper at the back of the midfield, he plays at inside right, he drops wider and lets the full back come inside. He runs more than any other player. He has been fading later in games, and we are at times asking too much of him. But he’s got to be in the team doing that job at the moment in my opinion IMO, at least until Rodri is back.

I do agree it leaves us exposed on the turnover sometimes, and I think it can be look worse because Cherki can’t defend. I think Pep has mitigated that problem in the last couple of games by holding Nunez back.

Yeah I'm not arguing that he shouldn't be in the team, it's how he's used. Last night especially, too much was expected of him - can't be expected to run the RW and get back to stop a counter of Vinicius, Rodrygo & Bellingham. Can't expect him to lead our half-hearted press, as it takes him out of the game. Stick him next to Nico G in big games, make his movement more vertical to reduce the ground he needs to cover
 
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That was how our son watched Sesame Street when he was a 'nipper'
 
Needless to say, the Guardian are not happy. The link is to archived material so you can click it and read without any benefit accruing to the Guardian.

https://web.archive.org/web/2025121...-manchester-city-finding-way-past-real-madrid

I believe that City got away with some poor periods of play. Pep said similar but they have accentuated the negative. That they do so, confirms that we are on the right track.
Compare with their report from the Liverpool victory over Real Madrid, in November.

Mac Allister sinks Real Madrid to ruin Alexander-Arnold’s return to Liverpool https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ampions-league-match-report?CMP=share_btn_url
 
I'm not sure how you can give that many fouls (ignoring the ones on Doku that weren't given) and not issue yellow cards when they were as bad/worse than what you have given Foden a yellow for. He gave O'Reilly a yellow, then gave a foul against Rudiger for the same thing without giving a second yellow. When the inconsistency is one way, that is bias, whether intentional or affected by the crowd.
Madrid are a sly side when it comes to refs - a lot of distraction goes on at their place. Rudiger has fouled Haaland in exactly the same way in several games - no pens ever given. Good decision to give the pen for once. For me, the Trossard ref had an especially crap game. No doubt Madrid fans are moaning that he was biased against them. I've seen plenty of UEFA refs biased against us, but I just think the Trossard ref was crap and easily conned.
 

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