{"id":2120,"date":"2024-08-30T11:05:40","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T05:35:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hoverstud.io\/?p=2120"},"modified":"2024-08-30T11:06:04","modified_gmt":"2024-08-30T05:36:04","slug":"la-liga-2024-25-wasteful-real-madrid-held-to-a-disappointing-draw-by-las-palmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hoverstud.io\/la-liga-2024-25-wasteful-real-madrid-held-to-a-disappointing-draw-by-las-palmas\/","title":{"rendered":"La Liga 2024-25: Wasteful Real Madrid Held to a Disappointing Draw by Las Palmas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Real Madrid\u2019s slow start to the 2024-25 La Liga season continues as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Las Palmas in a match that left much to be desired for the reigning champions<\/strong><\/a>. Despite the star power of Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 and Vinicius Jr., Madrid struggled to find their rhythm, and what seemed like a fluke performance against Valladolid now looks more like a worrying trend. With only three games played, Madrid already find themselves four points behind a Barcelona side that is capitalizing on their rivals’ struggles.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A Stumbling Start for the Champions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From the first whistle, it was evident that Las Palmas came with a clear plan. They pressed high, disrupted Madrid’s buildup, and found an early breakthrough. In the fourth minute, Las Palmas took advantage of some lackluster defending from Madrid. Moleiro received the ball on the left flank, easily bypassed \u00c9der Milit\u00e3o, and fired a cross into the box. Tchouam\u00e9ni, who has yet to look comfortable in his new role, failed to close down the space, allowing Las Palmas to open the scoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Real Madrid, on the other hand, looked disjointed. The midfield trio of Tchouam\u00e9ni, Valverde, and Lucas V\u00e1zquez lacked cohesion, and the front line, led by Mbapp\u00e9 and Vinicius, failed to threaten. The Brazilian winger, in particular, had an off night, struggling to make any significant impact on the left flank. His lack of defensive contribution also left Mendy exposed, forcing Ancelotti to make adjustments early in the game.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Ancelotti\u2019s Tactical Tinkering<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ancelotti, known for his calm demeanor, seemed unusually agitated on the sidelines. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, he made two changes at halftime, bringing on Rodrygo and Fran Garc\u00eda in place of Mendy and Brahim D\u00edaz. The changes gave Madrid more control, but the team still relied heavily on individual brilliance rather than cohesive play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Las Palmas, however, did not sit back. They continued to pose a threat on the counter, with Kirian and Sandro linking up well to create chances. In the 60th minute, Sandro found himself one-on-one with Courtois after a sublime pass from Kirian but failed to convert, a miss that would prove costly for Las Palmas.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A Scrappy Equalizer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Real Madrid\u2019s equalizer came in the 70th minute, not from a moment of brilliance but rather from a scrappy sequence of events. Lucas V\u00e1zquez, one of Madrid\u2019s more industrious players on the night, managed to control a cross inside the box, disorienting the Las Palmas defense. Vinicius mishit his shot, but the ball fell kindly to Arda G\u00fcler, who had replaced Modric earlier. G\u00fcler\u2019s effort was blocked by a handball from \u00c1lex Su\u00e1rez, leading to a penalty. Vinicius stepped up and converted, finally making his mark on the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With 20 minutes remaining, it seemed as though Madrid would push for a late winner. However, Las Palmas remained resilient, and in the closing stages, it was actually the visitors who looked more likely to snatch a win. Courtois was forced into a brilliant save from a Mika M\u00e1rmol volley, and Las Palmas thought they had won it in the dying seconds when Viti\u2019s shot found the back of the net, only for it to be ruled out for offside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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