The difference between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the start of LaLiga is starting to be overwhelming. Beyond the difference in points (seven, pending what happens between the 'merengues' and Betis), the image in terms of play and forcefulness between both teams is notable. The best index: the performance of one and the other against the same rival, in this case Valladolid.
While Barça crushed the pucelanos with authority in Montjuïc (7-0), Madrid suffered much more than expected to round off a deceptive 3-0 last week at the Santiago Bernabéu. Carlo Ancelotti's men completed a horrible first half, without even creating chances against Paulo Pezzolano's men. Barça, for their part, went into the break with the match totally decided (3-0). In the second half, the whites only managed to open the scoring thanks to a free kick from Fede Valverde in the 50th minute.
Although 'Carletto' fielded his star eleven, it was the substitutes (Brahim and Endrick) who ended up confirming the Whites' victory, with goals in the 88th and 90+6' minutes. The revamped Real Madrid attack with the presence of Kylian Mbappé continues to be on a roll at the start of LaLiga, while Barça boasts top scorers with Robert Lewandowski (4) and Raphinha (3), as well as Lamine Yamal who already has 4 assists.
Ancelotti acknowledges the problems of a Madrid without punch
In this sense, the statistics are also overwhelming. The Catalans have already scored 13 goals in 4 games, while Madrid have only scored 5 goals in their first three appearances, with two failures away against Mallorca and Las Palmas. Not in vain, Ancelotti himself has acknowledged his team's problems not only in scoring, but in reaching the opponent's area with clarity.
"Being worried means that we are trying to solve our problems. Until now we have not been able to have a compact block and we have to improve this," warned the Italian in the press conference prior to the match against Betis. In addition, he added: "The feeling is that we were having trouble recovering the ball and that the rival teams were hurting us between the lines. It is something that we have and that we are going to solve." Although the season has just started, the Reggiolo native is clear that, against this Barça, he cannot drop more points on the way.