Real Madrid 3-2 Inter Milan: 5 Talking Points as Rodrygo rescues Los Blancos | UEFA Champions League 2020-21

Real Madrid vs FC Internazionale: Group B - UEFA Champions League
Real Madrid vs FC Internazionale: Group B - UEFA Champions League

#3 Real Madrid's defensive woes continue

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane

Even after Real Madrid's 4-1 win over Huesca in the La Liga on the weekend, there was plenty of concern regarding how shaky Zinedine Zidane's side have looked at the back this season. Indeed, Los Blancos have now gone six consecutive games in all competitions without a clean sheet, having conceding a staggering nine goals in this period.

In their defence, it can be said that there have been mitigating factors such as having to play Lucas Vasquez out of position at right-back; the winger was squarely at fault for Inter Milan's second goal. However, it cannot be ignored that Zinedine Zidane is still struggling to find the right balance between attack and defence, and Madrid were quite open and likely to concede for large swathes of the game against Inter Milan.

The Frenchman still has the knack of grinding out results, but he'll be glad to get this particular Champions League monkey off his back in 2020.


#2 The vultures are circling above Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte

FC Internazionale manager Antonio Conte
FC Internazionale manager Antonio Conte

It seems incredible to talk about Antonio Conte's future as an uncertain one at Inter Milan. That is especially after excellent progress last season and the club hierarchy's clear-the-air talks with the Italian in the summer, backing him after he had complained about a lack of support in the transfer market.

Yet, the Nerazzurri have only won one of their last seven games in all competitions, and the critics will no doubt come for Conte. The loss to Real Madrid further complicates matters as Inter languish at the bottom of their Champions League group with three games to go.

A tough fixture schedule comprising of games against Atalanta, Torino and Real Madrid is sure to give Conte sleepless nights in the days to come.

Failure to qualify for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League would be viewed as nothing short of a disaster by the powers that be at Inter Milan, so Conte will better hope that his team comes up trumps in the coming weeks.


#1 Karim Benzema caps off yet another fine night for Real Madrid

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema

After being instrumental in Real Madrid's win over Huesca on the weekend, Karim Benzema one again proved why he is crucial to Real Madrid's fortunes.

The Frenchman pounced on a stray backpass from Hakimi to open the scoring for Real Madrid just when it seemed like Inter Milan were beginning to exert some control in the game.

Benzema has been involved in six goals in his last four Los Blancos appearances this season. Given the way he stitched up play against Inter, he's not likely to stop any time soon.

Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio were a bit quiet alongside Benzema, but once Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo came on, the Frenchman turned on his inner samba and joined in the carnival.

Indeed, with Inter chasing the game, Benzema missed two very presentable chances, a feature of his game that continues to annoy his detractors. However, it would only take an injury to the Frenchman to lay bare how dependant Zidane's Real Madrid are on him.

Wrap him in cotton wool, I say.

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Edited by Bhargav
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