:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51103511/610716466.0.jpg)
Our second Champions League match was against last year’s victors Real Madrid in the Westfalenstadion. We managed to hold them to a 2-2 draw, and it was a good night, all things considered.
Read our post-match analysis here.
Tuchel: 8.5
Thomas Tuchel is the man in charge of making a bunch of teenagers feel like they can hold their own against the likes of Sergio Ramos, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo. He wasn’t conservative, his starting lineup and his substitutions were full-on attack where any other manager would have been happy to play defensively.
Starting
Bürki: 9
Holy shit those saves! He has really come into his own, ready to step up when our defense falters. Real’s goals weren’t his fault - they overwhelmed him with players and he couldn’t be everywhere at once.
Piszczek: 8
He was a bit more conservative than Schmelzer, choosing to hang back rather than take part in the attack. Which makes complete sense, seeing as we were facing players like Bale and Ronaldo who needed to be marked at all times.
Sokratis: 8.5
Papa is the brick wall that not even Ronaldo or Bale can break.
Ginter: 6.5
He did well, but he’s still shaky. I docked points because his lapse in judgement led to the first Real goal. I still think he makes a great reserve CB.
Schmelzer: 7
He had some really nice crosses and long balls, and he took part in the attack when needed. However, his performance was a bit lacking - he seems to find some difficulty tackling and getting physical these days.
Weigl: 8
Brilliant and really important, as always.
Guerrero: 7
He was really good in the central midfield, but somewhat ineffective in the attacking midfield.
Dembélé: 6.5
Ousmane didn’t have the best game. He made some stupid mistakes, but that might have been because of nervousness. He sometimes overdid it - too many dribbles and turns/ too early a shot on goal. He did create as many chances as he squandered, but we might have ended the first half on a lead if he had the awareness to pass.
By the second half, he was tired and lost the danger factor that balances out his decision-making, or maybe Real adjusted for his dribbling.
He did trash Danilo on several occasions, and that was fun to watch.
Götze: 7
He was very important for us keeping possession - we lost that once he came off. But he needs to work on his stamina, he seemed spent and lacked speed in this game.
Castro: 8.5
He’s on a really great run of form these days. He had a crazy work rate this match, he was running like a man possessed. He was really solid in defense, especially protecting Ginter several times.
Aubameyang: 7
He’s still lacking in front of the goal, but he’s playing an important part in build-up these days.
Substitutes
Schürrle: 8.5
Andre is such a great supersub. He was a bit invisible initially, and a bit frustrated when things didn’t go his way. But he waited patiently for his chance - and took it!
His substitution also added the width that we were lacking.
Mor: 7.5
He had some dangerous-looking attempts and was pretty solid in team play. I’m impressed.
Pulisic: 9
I’m always so impressed by his decision-making. His set-up of the second goal was especially gorgeous.
What do you guys think? Weigh in the comments!