Three questions and three answers from Real Madrid 2-1 Chelsea

Real Madrid blew Chelsea away at the Bank of America Stadium on Tuesday night with a 2-1 win in Charlotte. Lucas Vázquez was the first man on the scoresheet with a tame deflected shot which Dani Ceballos almost poked in on the line, with Brahim Díaz making it two shortly after as he rounded Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen to score into an empty net. Before half-time, Noni Madueke found space at the far post to head beyond Thibaut Courtois, but it was the final goal of the game.

Three answers

1. Would any Castilla youngsters start?

We’d seen plenty of Castilla players feature at different times through pre-season, but before this game the only one to start any games was midfielder Mario Martín. With the stars like Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo Goes slowly returning to action, it was logical that there could be further changes which would impact the number of youngsters we’d see. Instead, Ancelotti stuck to his guns and played Martín again as the only Castilla player in the starting XI. Later on, Raul Asencío, Nico Paz, Juanmi Latasa, Rafael Obrador and Jacobo Ramón all came off the bench, though some were surprised to see Joan Martínez, the sensation of this tour, stay on the bench while Asencío was preferred.

2. Would Carlo Ancelotti drop any Super Cup line-up clues?

Carlo Ancelotti said this week that, “I think those who won the Champions League should play in the final... The only thing is that we are missing two players, Nacho and Kroos.” If he sticks to his word, that would mean two positions opening up, in defence and midfield, but it would also mean throwing in the likes of Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga with only a week of pre-season training. That seems a brave move for a coach who would also be benching superstar signing Kylian Mbappé. Perhaps the clearest indication we saw was the experiment with Luka Modrić as a pivot in midfield, replacing Toni Kroos in the holding role. That could be the Croatian’s way into the side this season.

3. Could Real Madrid finally win a pre-season game?

Games against AC Milan and Barcelona both ended in defeat in Chicago and New York, and while Ancelotti has repeatedly stated that results don’t matter at this stage of the season, it was always going to be a boost to get a win under the belt before heading back across the Atlantic Ocean. This game turned out to be a good chance to do that. Real Madrid looked a class above Chelsea in every aspect, racking up 57% possession and 14 shots compared to Chelsea’s nine, and generally looking more in control of the tempo and movement in the game. The Blues couldn’t handle the pace and flexibility of Real Madrid’s front three, and had this been a competitive game, Los Blancos almost certainly would have scored more than two.

Three questions

1. Where were Arda Güler and Endrick?

After all the excitement generated by Arda Güler this pre-season, fans in Charlotte were disappointed not to get to see the Turk in action as both him and Endrick were left on the bench. Explaining the decision, Ancelotti said post-match that “they had difficulty recovering from the match against Barcelona. We have preferred to avoid risks because the most important thing is to get to the Super Cup match all well. They have worked individually this morning, they are fine and will start with the team on the 9th.” It’s a useful reminder that they are still only 19 and 18 years of age respectively, and that their minutes must be managed just as they would be for any other player. Perhaps it’s also Carletto’s way of managing expectations from hyped up fans.

2. Who are the big winners of pre-season?

When we take a look at the squad and look to identify who stands out as having had a strong pre-season, it can be a big ask to identify who might have helped their case. Arda Güler stands out, though he might be disappointed not to have had a chance in midfield in any games. Éder Militão has shown that he is fully fit and raring to go. But perhaps the man with the biggest point to prove who lived up to expectations has been Brahim Díaz, who set up one goal and scored the other against Chelsea. Behind Jude Bellingham in the midfield pecking order, he now has increased competition in the front line and must be wondering where his minutes will come from. With this pre-season form behind him, he stands a better chance of getting onto the field than he might have expected.

3. How will Ancelotti handle the goalkeeping situation?

Once again, Ancelotti decided to start Thibaut Courtois and bring on Andriy Lunin for 45 minutes off the bench. He did the same against AC Milan, while the Belgian played the full 90 minutes against Barcelona. It raises question marks over how Ancelotti plans to handle the tense goalkeeping situation with Lunin keen to get more minutes. With three weeks remaining in the transfer window, there is plenty of time for him to move elsewhere in the search for game time, but if he doesn’t, as Ancelotti appears to have suggested with his insistence that the squad won’t have any more transfers in either direction, then it poses a challenge. Lunin will be around and expecting minutes, but where will they come from?