Bernabeu faithful turn on Vinicius and co. as Real edge past Levante
Real Madrid supporters made their feelings known with a hostile reception for players involved in Xabi Alonso transfer saga, as Güler's impact saved the day.
Real Madrid fans unleashed their fury on Vinicius Jr and Bellingham following the Xabi Alonso transfer saga, but the team still managed to grind out a crucial win against Levante.
Bernabeu shows its teeth
The Bernabeu faithful were in no mood for forgiveness yesterday, making their feelings crystal clear towards the players they believe torpedoed the exciting prospect of Xabi Alonso taking over as manager. Vinicius and Bellingham bore the brunt of the hostility, with supporters also directing their ire at club president Florentino Pérez for allowing the situation to unfold.
While the Madrid faithful have never been shy about expressing displeasure, the intensity and duration of yesterday’s protest caught many off guard. The whistles and jeers continued relentlessly until the final whistle - proper dog’s abuse from start to finish.
Most telling was how the targeted players responded - they shriveled. Vini only showed glimpses of his usual self once the match was heading towards a positive result, and Bellingham followed the same pattern. Both seemed desperate for a redemption goal, but the Bernabeu wasn’t having any of it.
Collateral damage
The hostile atmosphere claimed some innocent victims too. Huijsen looked completely out of sorts during his hour on the pitch - an absolute nightmare showing - while Camavinga delivered one of his poorest performances in a Madrid shirt.
Only Mbappé, Asencio and the game-changing Güler showed anything approaching their expected levels. The contrast with how past Madrid legends like Cristiano and Zidane responded to Bernabeu criticism was stark - they typically raised their game, while yesterday’s targets wilted.
Güler: The game-changer
The Turkish midfielder’s second-half introduction transformed the match completely. While others hid, Güler demanded the ball despite the toxic atmosphere, injecting much-needed rhythm and purpose into Madrid’s play.
Mbappé was the primary beneficiary, finally receiving the ball in dangerous areas - leading to the penalty for the opener. Güler also provided the assist for the second goal with a pinpoint corner, finding Asencio who remained as clinical with his mask as without it.
Protection for the youngsters
Arbeloa opted to shield the academy players from the hostile environment, giving them zero minutes. Valverde again filled in at right-back in a clear move to protect the less experienced lads from the Bernabeu’s wrath.
Huijsen’s nightmare
The young defender’s form continues to plummet, with yesterday’s performance against Levante particularly calamitous. Overwhelmed by the occasion, his body language told the whole story, forcing Arbeloa to hook him after an hour. At this rate, he’ll struggle to make the starting XI against Monaco on Tuesday.
Silver linings
Despite the turbulent atmosphere, Madrid now sit just one point behind Barcelona, who face a tricky visit to Real Sociedad tomorrow. The performance wasn’t pretty, but Arbeloa desperately needed to start accumulating league points.
Güler and Ceballos provided some much-needed organization in the second half. While the Turkish star is clearly more effective near the opposition box, Ceballos showed he might be the answer to Madrid’s need for a player who can dictate play from deeper positions - even if he doesn’t seem to be Arbeloa’s cup of tea.