Real Madrid were always likely to have a number of heroes on the night that they beat Barcelona 4-0 at Camp Nou, but arguably the most impressive was from Eduardo Camavinga.
Thibaut Courtois made an inspired save, Karim Benzema notched a hat-trick, and Vincius Junior was spellbinding on the night. Yet their brilliance has almost become a standard they have set.
Meanwhile Camavinga, still just 20 years of age, put in his own stellar performance from left-back, playing out of position. He did not just cover as the left-sided defender, he stood out.
Raphinha and Ferran Torres could not escape his clutches all game, as he made the right side of the pitch a vortex for Barcelona, where the ball went but never came out.
Not only was he strong defensively, Camavinga did not misplace a single pass.
Eduardo Camavinga last night in #ElClasico:
8 tackles
10/14 ground duels won
65 touches
32 passes
100% pass accuracy
5 line-breaking passesThis is a 20-year-old playing out of position at left-back. pic.twitter.com/6mdsvf80cy
— Football España (@footballespana_) April 6, 2023
Manager Carlo Ancelotti maintains he is still just an emergency option at left-back to Diario AS, but it is becoming increasingly clear that regardless of where, he will be playing.
“He is very young, he is in a very good moment, either as a pivot, as a full-back… He is getting used to it, he played the duel against Raphinha very well. Like the others, he has had a top game. He is an option at full-back in emergency situations, yes. But he does it very well.”
Marca had plenty of praise for Camavinga too in their player ratings.
“He started again as a left back to the detriment of Nacho. Physical problems as soon as he started, from which he recovered before putting in another outstanding performance as a left-sided full-back. At this point it is unknown if he is better as a pivot than as a full-back. Huge game out of position for the Frenchman, who continues to grow exponentially in Madrid. Big words.”
Ahead of their tie against Chelsea next week, Ancelotti will be forced to think long and hard about where he uses the French protege.
Add to all this the fact that he tweaked a muscle in 5th minute, and was laying down for a couple of minutes and limped for a while. Still managed to shake it off, played through the pain and made raphinhas 59 mil pricetag look like another “solid piece of business” as Iewa ahahaha.
Best part? He didn’t cost us economical levers, we got him for 30 mils, lmaooooo
Author this is what a smart signing looks like.
Half Iewas age, half Iewas cost and infinitely more potential.