Real Madrid's trident fails to miss and Real Madrid breathe in the Champions League

The mist coming out of the mouths and heads of the Real Madrid players augured a hot match. They had to warm up well in the foothills of the Alps and with barely one degree of temperature to face a team whose mission was to man-mark Real Madrid. 

Ancelotti's line-up left Asencio out. The centre-back was once again out of the starting line-up for some strange reason, which could have been a lack of experience in front of Tchoauméni, who took his place. 

In any case, the Frenchman committed an absurd penalty on the verge of half-time to make the score 1-1. After 10 minutes Mbapeé received a measured ball from Brahim and scored the first goal after the centre-back was more tender than expected. 

In the second half, it only took Los Blancos two quick strikes to make it 1-3 and take a breath of fresh air. First Vinicius and then Bellingham scored inside the box as a result of their insistence on getting into that area of the pitch where things happen. 

Lookman reduced the deficit and Ancelotti's men were left in doubt, who did not think twice about bringing on an extra defender like Asencio and putting Modric in to lead the game. 

Vinicius returned from injury and played the full 90 minutes. Endrick didn't play a minute and Güler came on with just 5 minutes to go. Ancelotti has a strange way of managing changes and minutes. In recent years he has left experience behind to make way for youngsters out of pure logic. There were more youngsters and fewer veterans. 

Now he alters the positions of his players to fit profiles like Tchouaméni in defence and does not give continuity to Güler or minutes to Endrick when a striker is needed. 

Everything could be fine in May. Ancelotti said in his press conference that this victory was a breath of fresh air and that his intention was to arrive alive in January for all competitions, something that seems to be the case. 

It's a mystery what the physical condition of the players in the Whites' squad has in store for 2025. With everyone recovered, with one more point of concentration and in top form, the white machine could reach the top of the table on 3 January, win the Intercontinental on 18 December and reach the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey. 

The calendar is a nonsense and even Mbappé has complained. Because the Club World Cup will come in June, if the players' health allows them to play as many more matches in the United States and stay focused for almost a month when they should be on holiday.