2024-10-23 06:00:03
When these teams met in last season’s Champions League final, Madrid’s right-back, Dani Carvajal, was man of the match after an inspirational defensive display and a goal.
There was a lot of blame to go around for Madrid’s first-half performance, but the focus was mainly on right-back Lucas Vazquez: now the starter in that position as Carvajal is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
For Dortmund’s first goal, Vazquez was not strong enough in a 50-50 with Julian Brandt on the edge of the Madrid box and the ball reached Guirassy, who set up Malen for the finish.
Just three minutes later, Vazquez was nowhere to be seen as Gittens was unmarked in the six-yard box to smash home.
The 33-year-old long-serving squad player is not a natural defender, as was shown last weekend in La Liga when he was too slow to cover as Celta Vigo centre-forward Williot Swedberg was unmarked to score from close range.
Then through most of the second half, Vazquez showed his value and character when going the other way…
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