As the new Champions League draw has just concluded, Real Madrid travelled to Las Palmas with the first changes to the squad from Carlo Ancelotti.

Lucas Vazquez, Luka Modric and Brahim Diaz, along with the return of Ferland Mendy from suspension, have completely changed the face of the team but in a negative way, very different from Carletto’s basic lineup in the first three games of the season against Atalanta, Mallorca and Real Valladolid.

Los Blancos had a subpar performance, with the first half being a disaster and the second half relying on fighting spirit and individual play, they avoided defeat with a goal disallowed by Las Palmas. Both away trips ended in draws.

And from Gran Canaria, Kylian Mbappe left with zero goals, a worrying figure that has remained the same after three games in La Liga 2024/25.

Vinicius holds the right of way

Vinicius equalized 1-1 from the penalty spot.

 

One of the questions that has been raised in a Real Madrid team with Mbappe is who will take the penalty. That hasn’t changed. The priority still belongs to Vinicius. His first goal of the season confirmed his role despite the presence of a specialist like the French striker. On a day when Vinicius was inaccurate and somewhat lackluster, he took a penalty that was unstoppable.

The Essence of the Canarian School

The Canary Islands have undeniable talent with the ball. Valeron, David Silva, Pedri,… In the current Las Palmas squad, that role belongs to Alberto Moleiro, who comes from Tenerife. His name has long stood out on the Spanish pitch as one of the players with magical feet, bringing unimaginable creativity.

Moleiro opened the scoring with class in the 5th minute.

 

Moleiro’s goal against Madrid was a product of talent, quality and creativity. Especially because of what he showed and the opponent he faced. In the 1-0 defeat, Militao knew full well how terrifying Alberto was. When Moleiro left the pitch in the 65th minute, he received a standing ovation from the Canary stands.

Ineffective adjustment

The changes have not been positive for Los Blancos.

 

 

After about half an hour of play, it was clear that Real Madrid were not functioning properly. Carlo and Davide Ancelotti held a meeting outside the pitch. The solution was to change the formation and switch to a 4-4-2, with Vinicius and Mbappe up front and the two wingers being Valverde (on the right) and Brahim (switching to the left). The question is what Los Blancos are looking for, improved attack or defensive stability? The truth is that their team is not functioning well anywhere on the pitch.

Ancelotti’s fury

Ancelotti is not satisfied with his students.

 

The first half left Ancelotti fuming. He was disappointed with most of his players, especially Brahim and Mendy. The defender had a poor day. He was constantly outplayed by Marvin on the left flank of Los Blancos. It was rare to see Mendy so outclassed. While Brahim’s loss of possession left the Italian coach frustrated. The lack of reasonable solutions in difficult situations. As a result, both had to leave the field at the break with Fran Garcia and Rodrygo coming on.

Collective question mark

Realizing that the team could not create danger through collective play, Real Madrid decided to continue the match in a way similar to video games: let the stars solve the problem.

Disappointing match day for Vinicius – Mbappe.

 

Vinicius, Mbappe and Rodrygo have all had their own shots on goal, with the ball starting and ending with them. It’s not ideal, but when you have so many stars up front, you know anything can happen even if the game isn’t going your way.

Modric gets respect

Modric’s feelings after the match at Gran Canaria must have been sad, because he left the field when his team was behind, playing poorly and he himself was not performing at his best.

Modric received applause.

 

Modric was blocked by Las Palmas’ style of play and made some poor passes, which he rarely makes in his career. But at this stage of his career, that is no longer so important. If Luka were on the pitch and replaced, there would still be applause for him. That is worthy of Lukita’s achievements in his career.