Lopetegui’s policy of playing Courtois in La Liga and Keylor Navas in the Champions League feels like mollycoddling, when instead a clear decision might be required. Both have been out with calf problems during this difficult run and it is no coincidence Madrid have missed them dearly. Bale also sat out the defeat to CSKA Moscow in the Champions League on Tuesday, as did Isco, who is recovering from an appendix operation. Replacements like Marco Asensio should have done better but a handful of key absentees have left Madrid stretched. Madrid are not the only team affected but their summer was particularly short, given they also reached the Champions League final on May 26, less than three weeks before the World Cup.

Source: The Guardian October 07, 2018 11:26 UTC