Real Madrid 3-4 Schalke: 5 things we learned

UEFA Champions League Match Review

With an El-Classico around the corner, their form in the league descending, it will be fair to say that this match refused to bill the expectations of the LOS BLANCOS. Coming into this match with a 2 away goals cushion at their back, Real Madrid were anything but commanding in this tie.

Even though the defeat has no ramifications whatsoever in their future in the competition, it is the manner in which their defense was exposed time and again that could give Carlo Ancelloti some sleepless nights.

Here are 5 things that we learned from this epic fixture at the Bernabeau: –

Casillas did little to help his team-mates

For the first goal of the night when Christian Fuchs barricaded the ball straight at the veteran goal-keeper, Casillas was anything but promising as he deflected the ball into the back of the net. While his inclusion in the first goal of Schalke could be doubted, his save which led to Schalke retaking the lead in the first half through a Klaas Jan-Huntelaar finish left exposed him to all sorts of criticism.

This was a match that supposed not to be a pressure-cooker type for Real Madrid but credits to Schalke that they took the game to Real Madrid and forced their senior-most player to crumble time and again.

3rd wake-up call in a row for the LOS BLANCOS

If they hadn’t taken their defeat at the hands of Athletic seriously on the weekend, this match should be enough for Ancelloti to have another look at his plans. Having given repeated statements in the pursuit of the 4-3-3 formation, yesterday was a game when only Cristiano Ronaldo, that too from headers delivered from the BBC.

However, as they have advanced to the quarter-finals albeit with less swagger, the water has not flown over their heads and they can still put it right over the coming weeks.

Schalke should take massive boost from this performance

Being at 5th place in the Bundesliga is one thing, humiliating the reigning European Champions at their home soil takes it to unmatchable limits for the former Chelsea boss and his players. Right from the final whistle to the moment that Huntelaar scored the 2nd, Schalke looked more like a team playing total football with Real Madrid appearing in and out at regular intervals.

Boos at the full time whistle is a sign of things to come

While playing for a big club like Real Madrid has innumerable perks, it has also its cons that were epitomized by boos and jeers from the Real Madrid folklore at the full time whistle. For any team across Europe, having made a 5th successive entry into the Quarter finals of Champions League would be a huge credit but not for Real Madrid fans as they expect their team to not only progress, but progress with swagger.

And looking at the performance which the men in white put in at their home soil, it was enough to sour butter put in the homes of the Real Madrid folklore.

Thus, with EL CLASSICO approaching and damage still within limits, Real Madrid have to perform much better than they did against Schalke to capture a trophy this season. And if they consider the Real Madrid fans harsh after that defeat against Schalke last night, any kind of causality in the EL-Classico might well turn the fans against them.

Bale and Ronaldo both aren’t happy with the reception

Even though Gareth Bale didn’t put his feelings into words, Cristiano Ronaldo was brave enough to express his feelings as he imposed a self-inflicted ban of talking to the press till the end of this season. Even though he scored 2 goals and was the savior, Ronaldo got his share of boos which were directed towards the entire Real Madrid team in general.

However, for the man in the center of criticism, Gareth Bale is currently undergoing the most difficult spell of his Real Madrid career.

Full time: Real Madrid 3-4 Schalke

Real Madrid 3-4 Schalke: 5 things we learned