Real Madrid is well aware that no top LaLiga team is looking forward to a trip to Balaidos to face Celta Vigo. Iago Aspas and his talented teammates came close to causing an upset against Los Blancos, but they fell short in the end. Los Blancos won three penalties, with Karim Benzema converting two of them, and that more than compensated for another poor tactical performance from a very inconsistent Real Madrid side.
Meanwhile, Thibaut Courtois was outstanding, solidifying his claim to be the team's most important player this season, alongside Benzema and Vinicius Jr. in the attack.
Here are the player ratings from Real Madrid's difficult 2-1 win over Celta Vigo, which comes just days before a meeting with Chelsea, the team that knocked them out of the Champions League last year.
GK Thibaut Courtois
Without a doubt, the best player on the field. Thibaut Courtois made three big saves, the best of which was his stop to deny LaLiga icon Iago Aspas another spectacular free kick goal. Courtois is an expert at avoiding mistakes, reading the game, and making great saves that keep the ball out of harm's way. He did this well with his save from Denis Suarez's long-range strike, as he needed to see the ball as well as execute the save correctly so that the ball went over the bar rather than into a dangerous area.
Rating: 8.5
Ferland Mendy, LB
Although Ferland Mendy put in a good defensive effort, I am consistently underwhelmed by his attacking work. He simply isn't providing enough support for Vinicius Jr., and there are times when he runs in a straight line and gives the ball away. But he did well enough to earn a penalty, so I guess that counts as an attacking contribution.
Rating: 6.0
CB Alaba, David
David Alaba put in another strong performance, blocking and clearing numerous shots for his team. He had a battle with Iago Aspas and seemed to have to mark three players at once, such was Ancelotti-lack squared's of tactical organization. Alaba would most likely prefer a more cohesive game plan that allows him more freedom to assist in the build-up and secure possession.
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