He real Madrid closed his American tour this Wednesday with a 1-3 defeat against Juventus in Orlando, in a game in which his enormous offensive effort was only rewarded with a goal from the Brazilian Vinicius and in which the white defense was once again pointed out for its fragility.
After losing the Clásico in Dallas 3-0 against Barcelona, Madrid lost again to Juventus at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando against the goals of the Italian Moise Kean, the American Timothy Weah and the Serbian Dusan Vlahovic, with ten days left before the start of LaLiga with the visit to Athletic Club.
Carlo Ancelotti repeated 4-4-2 with a rhombus in midfield and Jude Bellingham behind Vinicius and Joselu. Madrid played with ease and shot more than thirty times towards the rival goal, but He lacked punch and, in defense, the team suffered a lot to find balance.
It was played in an atmosphere of great enthusiasm, in a stadium packed with fans despite the fact that the local team, Orlando City, was playing an important Leagues Cup match against Leo Messi’s Inter Miami at the same time. Among the special guests was the Brazilian Ricardo Kaká, a former Real Madrid player, who stayed for several minutes signing autographs.
Madrid, who competed with a special edition of their second kit with numbers inspired by Pop Art, lined up an eleven with seven changes compared to the Clásico. Only Thibaut Courtois, Eduardo Camavinga, Bellingham, as a forward, and Vinicius, as a striker, repeated. Fran García and Vázquez entered the wings, with Antonio Rudiger and Nacho Fernández in the center of defense; the Croatian Luka Modric and the German Toni Kroos returned in midfield, while Joselu accompanied Vini up front.
defensive vervain
The game could not start worse for Madrid. After just 50 seconds, Kean put Juventus ahead by shooting home a loose ball after Weah’s shot off the post.
Ancelotti’s men gained meters and played with quality up front, but it was difficult for them to find defensive solidity and, in minute 20, Weah himself increased the gap after a quick move by Juventus down the left wing.
For the third time in four games this preseason, Madrid was down on the scoreboard. But as already seen against Milan, Ancelotti’s men knew how to react and turned the rest of the game into a monologue, with constant dangerous offensive arrivals and shots from practically all areas of the rival midfield.
Vinicius the best
And after a goal forgiven by Joselu and a great save from Szczesny to Bellingham, Madrid closed the gap. After recovering the ball, Kroos hit a marvelous 50-meter vertical pass to release Vinicius’s speed, who escaped from Bremer’s marking and defined with elegance to raise the 1-2 scoreline.
The Brazilian constantly created danger and pushed Juventus’ defense of three to the limit, in which Danilo came, jokingly and with the game stopped, to grab Vini by the shirt as if to ask him to stop facing him with the ball. The two Carioca internationals exchanged a smile.
Rudiger, with a right foot from outside the area, and Vázquez closed the first half with some dangerous shots from outside the area and the push continued without pause at the start of the restart.
A controversial ending
Joselu forgave again at the hour of the game, after a great play by Modric to open spaces for him, and Valverde, who had jumped onto the field seconds before, brushed the equalizer with a right-footed shot from 30 meters that was repelled by the crossbar.
The wood marked this Real Madrid preseason, after repelling up to five shots in the Clásico lost against Barcelona.
In addition, in minute 90, Enzo Barrenechea brought down Rodrygo inside the area, but the referee whistled the free kick outside. Without VAR, the decision was not changed and Madrid failed to take advantage of the foul.
With Ancelotti’s team devoted to attack, Juventus sealed the match in minute 95 with a counterattack play culminated by Vlahovic after a cross from Barrenechea.
.Data sheet:
Juventus, 3: Szczesny; Danilo, Bremer, Sandro; Weah, Locatelli, McKennie, Kostic; Chiesa and Kean.
Also played: Pinsoglio, Gatti, Cambiaso, Iling, Milik, Nicolussi, Rugani, Soulé, Huijsen
Real Madrid, 1: Courtois; Vazquez, Rudiger, Nacho, Garcia; Kroos, Camavinga, Modric; Bellingham; Vinicius and Joselu.
They also played: Alaba, Tchouaméni, Rodrygo, Valverde, Militao, Carvajal, Brahim, Odriozola and Paz.
Goals: 1-0, m.1: Kean. 2-0, m.20: Weah. 2-1, m.38: Vinicius. 3-1, m.95: Vlahovic.
Referee: Ismail Elfath (MAR). He admonished Bremer (m.4), Gatti (m.54), Locatelli (m.57), Barrenechea (m.91) and Milik (m.93), from Juventus.
Incidents: Friendly match corresponding to the Soccer Champions Tour played at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando (Florida, USA) in front of 65,503 spectators.
