There’s always hope at Real Madrid when it comes to coming from behind in European competition and that’s thanks to a myth named Juanito who died 30 years ago. Semi-final first leg of the 1984/85 Uefa Cup, Inter Milan versus Real Madrid, final score: 2-0. hopeless? Not for Juan Gómez González, as Juanito’s real name was. “Noventa minuti en el Bernabéu son molto longos,” he whispered to an Inter player in an Italian-Spanish mishmash: “90 minutes at the Bernabéu are very long,” and lo and behold: Real Madrid actually won 3-0 in the second leg.
The situation for Real Madrid this Wednesday is not quite as hopeless as it was then. But a bit of the spirit of Juanito has been conjured up in Madrid in the past few days. Because Real Madrid have to catch up with a 0-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in order to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The key to the game? “So many things play a role in a game like this,” Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday, and support is definitely one of them.
A name that electrifies on both sides of the Pyrenees: Kylian Mbappé
(Photo: Gabriel Bouys / AFP)
It certainly cannot be denied that the duel with the French is full of attractive micro-stories; and it is anything but foreseeable from which the crucial main strand of the story will ultimately feed. As in the first leg, however, the greatest charm exudes a name that electrifies on both sides of the Pyrenees: Kylian Mbappé, 23. The 2018 world champion caused a stir on Monday. A playmate stepped on his instep during training, and he had to stop the practice session. But he went with me. And should hardly want to miss the duel with Real Madrid.
Three weeks ago, Mbappé scored the last-minute winner and the style of the goal was confirmation that he could indeed become the defining figure of world football for years to come. Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, it’s no secret, wants to sign him at any cost. PSG want to keep him at all costs. For now, this means that Mbappé does not have to worry about his financial future or that of his offspring, if he fathers any.
PSG is even counting on the support of the French president when it comes to wooing Mbappé
Both deeply hostile clubs offer him a whopping net annual salary in the mid-single-digit million euro range for years to come. the signing fee, which Mbappé is offered by Real Madrid, is now said to correspond to the amount that Spain’s record champions deposited with PSG in the winter as a transfer offer. That was 180 million euros. PSG would like that amount match, as they say in dating apps and in the business world. In terms of intangibles, Real Madrid are arguably behind PSG. The Spaniards ensnare Mbappé with the prospect of becoming the prima donna of a stage that is currently being completely renovated: the new Bernabéu stadium, which on Wednesday can “only” accommodate 60,000 spectators due to the ongoing billion-dollar construction work.
PSG, in turn, is now also counting on the support of French President Emmanuel Macron. And he waves violently with the Tricolor. He is luring Mbappé with the prospect of becoming the distinctive face of the 2024 Olympics. They are supposed to take place in Paris.
But maybe Mbappé will not be the decisive figure of the second leg? Maybe it will be goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who once won three Champions League titles with Real Madrid (2016, 2017, 2018) and alternates with Gianluigi Donnarumma at PSG? Or Lionel Messi, who hasn’t scored against Real Madrid since the 2017/18 season? Or the former Dortmunder Achraf Hakimi, who comes from the Real youth team and only did not return to Madrid in the summer because he was considered too offensive? Perhaps it will be Neymar Jr., who is not yet at his best after a long injury but had the crucial moment in front of goal in the first leg.
Who will not: Sergio Ramos, the old Real legend, who has been suffering from injuries since moving to PSG and will probably be retired at the end of the season. So perhaps the role will fall to PSG striker Ángel Di María, who also once wore Real’s white shirt.
“If Kroos is only at 95 percent, he will not play,” said Madrid coach Ancelotti
On the other hand, Real Madrid have recovered after Paris’ bad performance. “We suffered from PSG’s high pressing,” said Ancelotti. Now you’re in better shape physically. In the last three games, there have been three victories – against Alavés (3-0), Rayo Vallecano (1-0) and Real Sociedad San Sebastián (4-1) – in which Real have found themselves higher than in Paris. But: Real Madrid has to cope with two central failures. Left-back Mendy and defensive midfielder Casemiro are suspended. And Casemiro is perhaps the most important player in the Madrilenian construct.
With his positional play and his ability to anticipate, he creates the basis for Madrid’s attacking artists to develop. He is indispensable in defensive transition situations because he covers a wide area and interrupts pass lines until his comrades have moved up. Former German international Toni Kroos will probably get fit in time, but the decision as to whether he will play will not be made until Wednesday. “If he’s at 100 percent, he plays. If he’s only at 95 percent, he doesn’t play,” said Ancelotti.
In addition to Kroos, Uruguayan Fede Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga are also candidates for midfield. Camavinga started what the Madrilenians are dreaming of on Wednesday night against Real Sociedad San Sebastián on Saturday; a “remontada”, a comeback like Camavinga experienced before – on the fifth day of the Spanish league, against Valencia. Camavinga celebrated like Juanito did in the 4-0 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach in April 1986, which surpassed a 5-1 draw. Juanito jumped madly as he was substituted, punching the air with his fist. In Madrid, they wouldn’t mind if the picture repeats itself on Wednesday after 90 long minutes at the Bernabéu.
