Real Madrid Defeated in Sevilla and Falls Further Behind
The Real Madrid lost last night in Sevilla (3-2) in a match that leaves them 18 points behind FC Barcelona in the league, and keeps them in third place in the championship behind Atlético de Madrid. The white team has undoubtedly disappointed in the domestic league and depends on the Champions League final for the campaign to be a success or a season to forget.
Zinedine Zidane's team does not have the same consistency as last season and many media outlets point to the so-called "second unit", which had a high level a year ago but has now lost consistency. Marca and As, for instance, agree that the defeat at the Sánchez Pizjuán is another example of the decline of the substitutes.
There are players who have entered and left the starting eleven regularly and have been performing at a good or acceptable level, such as Lucas Vázquez, Marco Asensio, Nacho or Mateo Kovacic. But of those who are usually substitutes, only Borja Mayoral, who takes advantage of his minutes to score, is spared from criticism.
After yesterday's match, up to 6 substitutes are heavily affected by their performance this season. Kiko Casilla, Jesús Vallejo, Theo Hernández or Dani Ceballos did not have their best night, and it has happened many times. The aforementioned newspapers also include Marcos Llorente and Achraf in the list, who have hardly had any minutes or the coach's trust.