Once again starting on the right side of the defence on Saturday night against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga, Lucas Vázquez and his defensive partners disappointed. After conceding the second goal, he made a worrying confession to Federico Valverde.
Real Madrid missed a golden opportunity to reclaim the top spot in La Liga before Barcelona’s match against Leganés. Away at Vallecas for the 17th round of the championship, Carlo Ancelotti’s team completely crumbled, particularly at the start of the match. Likely disorganised by unexpected tactical and personnel choices from the coach – who is being heavily criticised – the Madrid players showed incredible laxity. While Fran García was at fault for the first goal, Lucas Vázquez was also blamed for the second.
A worrying exchange during the match
Clearly having a tough evening, Madrid’s full-backs failed in their defensive duties. Unable to find their footing, Lucas Vázquez also shared some worrying words with his teammate Federico Valverde after Rayo Vallecano’s second goal in the 35th minute. As highlighted by Spanish media, the Spanish right-back, who is replacing Dani Carvajal for the rest of the season, didn’t hide his concern when speaking to Valverde. Seeking answers about the struggling defence during this match, which ended 3-3, the Uruguayan midfielder witnessed the defensive collapse first-hand.
“What’s happening, Lucas?” Valverde asked his teammate after the second goal was conceded. Completely overwhelmed at that moment, Lucas Vázquez had no explanation: “Well, I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know, mate, I don’t know what’s happening…” he replied during a conversation caught on television cameras. This sense of helplessness speaks volumes about Real Madrid’s significant defensive issues.
When will Ancelotti make changes to his defence?
Having been informed of the catastrophic state of his teammates after this brief exchange, Federico Valverde sparked a comeback with a stunning strike to reduce the deficit. That goal reignited the Madrid engine, which managed to equalise before halftime. Unfortunately, Aurélien Tchouaméni, once again deployed as a centre-back alongside Antonio Rüdiger, was late in reacting to the play that led to Rayo Vallecano’s equaliser (3-3) in the second half.
It’s clear that Real Madrid’s defensive woes are far from over. With Fran García attempting to fill the void left by Ferland Mendy – who himself hasn’t been in top form since the start of the season – and Carlo Ancelotti’s insistence on deploying a midfielder at the heart of the defence when Raúl Asensio performed much better in that role, the Madrid team continues to surprise. Time will tell if things will improve for Lucas Vázquez, who seems completely overwhelmed every time the opposing team begins to dominate the game.
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