Spanish Real Madrid did not face a shortage of goals with the start of the new season 2023-2024, despite the departure of its French top scorer Karim Benzema to the Saudi Al-Ittihad club, but another crisis appeared to the public due to penalty kicks.
It seems that Italian Carlo Ancelotti, coach of the Royal Club, did not find a reliable player to take the penalty kicks, which Benzema was taking care of before his departure.
According to the Spanish newspaper “Mundo Deportivo”, Ancelotti did not specify a specific player to take the penalty kicks, and this was evident in the matches he played since the start of the new league, and even in the preparatory period.
She indicated that the English young man, Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund, in the current summer transfer market for 103 million euros, undertook the task of scoring goals, just as Benzema used to do. But when it comes to shooting from the penalty mark, which Benzema was responsible for and scored many goals through, Real Madrid clearly suffers.
She added, “After Benzema’s departure, Vinicius Junior was the first player to take a penalty kick, during the friendly Clasico in the United States, which was a preparation for the new season, and at that time the young Brazilian sent the ball to the crossbar.”
The referee awards a penalty kick to Real Madrid, but Vinicius misses it.#Real_Madrid_Barcelona #Abu Dhabi_Sports 1 pic.twitter.com/KhsdGO8ufR
– Abu Dhabi Sports Channel (@ADSportsTV) July 29, 2023
And she continued, “The matter was repeated for the second time in the Balaidos stadium (the stronghold of Celta Vigo), when his compatriot Rodrigo Goes applied for a penalty kick that he got himself, but the Brazilian followed in Vinny’s footsteps, and his team missed the opportunity to advance in the match, but this time because of Ivan’s brilliance. Villar, the goalkeeper of the local team.
Rodrigo misses a penalty kick for Real Madrid #La Liga #Real_Madrid_Celta_Vigo #LaLiga #beINLiga pic.twitter.com/EYd72uJq9h
– beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) August 25, 2023
She indicated that Croatian expert Luka Modric was supposed to take the penalty kick, but Rodrigo did not adhere to the instructions of his Italian coach, whose anger was documented by television cameras.
Ancelotti had previously confirmed that the order of penalty takers in Real Madrid was as follows: Vinicius, then Modric, then Rodrigo. Rodrigo took the penalty kick despite the presence of Modric on the field, knowing that Vinicius had left the stadium injured since the 18th minute.
Bellingham continues his brilliance in La Liga#La Liga #Real_Madrid_Celta_Vigo #LaLiga #beINLiga pic.twitter.com/NDM8ScbzpN
– beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) August 25, 2023
Bellingham took care of saving Rodrigo and the Real Madrid team from falling into a goalless draw for the first time in the new season when he scored the winning goal 8 minutes before the end, after he followed Joselo’s pass and put it with his head into the net, to maintain the presence of the “meringue” in the lead with the full score.
