Real Madrid 2-3 Shakhtar: Player Ratings as First Half Blitz From Visitors Secures Memorable Win
Real Madrid slumped to a 3-2 home defeat in their opening Champions League group stage clash with Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday night.
A stunning first half display from the visitors saw them take a shock 3-0 lead, and despite early signs of a comeback from Los Blancos in the second half, the Ukrainian side - missing ten players through injury and COVID-19 - held on for a famous victory.
VAR ruling out a late Madrid equaliser for offside helped, too.
Real Madrid Player Ratings
1. Goalkeeper & Defenders
Thibaut Courtois (GK) - 5/10 - Questionable for the opener and very poor for the third - his parry was straight to Detinho. Yet on the other hand he made some vital saves to keep his side in the game. Hmm.
Ferland Mendy (RB) - 4/10 - Can you ever be deemed to have a good performance if you concede three? No, but Mendy can take some solace from being the best of four poor performers.
Raphael Varane (CB) - 3/10 - For a central defender rightly considered among the finest in Europe, it's remarkable how lost he looks without Sergio Ramos alongside him.
Eder Militao (CB) - 2/10 - A prospect, sure, but Militao has been unable to string a consistent run of performances together at Real. He was torn apart by the delightful fluidity of Shakhtar's forwards and basically didn't even try to stop said forwards for their third goal.
Marcelo (LB) - 4/10 - As with most of the side, he got better after a stern rollicking from Zidane, but his positional awareness was so dire throughout that he gave the Shakhtar forwards space to play into.
2. Midfielders
Federico Valverde (CM) - 4/10 - Starting zipping the ball about with far more urgency after the break. Quite chalk and cheese outings in either 45, but his first half showing can't earn him more than a four.
Casemiro (CM) - 5/10 - Got caught out numerous times by Shakhtar's deep midfield runners, who had him chasing shadows for much of the game.
Luka Modric (CM) - 6/10 - Came off in the second half to provide fresh legs, but while he goal was magnificent, he was still way off the pace in the opening period.
3. Forwards
Marco Asensio (RW) - 6/10 - Improved in the second period as he drifted further infield, but that doesn't make up for a poor opening half.
Luka Jovic (ST) - 2/10 - Shot of confidence. Hopeless, really. Looks nothing like a Real player.
Rodrygo (LW) - 3/10 - Keeps getting mentioned as one of world football's brightest talents, but performances such as the invisible one he put in during that first half suggest otherwise.
4. Substitutes
Karim Benzema - 7/10
Vinicius Jr - 8/10
Toni Kroos - 7/10
Shakhtar Donetsk Player Ratings
5. Goalkeeper & Defenders
Anatoliy Trubin (GK) - 6/10 - Could do little about the goals but had some shaky moments early on when he choose to come for crosses well out of his reach.
Dodo (RB) - 7/10 - Very smart play from Dodo to sound out the precise moments to make forward runs. Intelligent play from the Brazilian who kept Rodrygo twiddling his thumbs in the first half.
Valeriy Bondar (CB) - 8/10 - Made a mistake in the second half to invite Vinicius in to score, but he was immense in the heart of defence with every cross attacked with purpose.
Davit Khocholava (CB) - 8/10 - Much like his teammate, he read danger well when Shakhtar found themselves under the cosh, although the presence of Benzema clearly worried him.
Viktor Korniyenko (LB) - 8/10 - An early yellow card looked like being dangerous, but Korniyenko was superb in his role and provided a stunning assist for the opener.
6. Midfielders
Maycon (DM) - 8/10 - Acting as the legs in that midfield, Maycon shielded his back four superbly, much in the manner that Casemiro didn't. Not even remotely overawed by the occasion.
Marlos (CM) - 8/10 - Had to score after 15 minutes but took far too long on the ball and allowed Courtois to smother his effort. Poor miss, but made up for with a dazzling display after that.
Marcos Antônio (CM) - 7/10 - Faced with Modric in the first half, Antonio can leave knowing he was the commander in chief for 55 minutes in midfield.
7. Forwards
Tetê (RW) - 9/10 - Can you give him a ten? No, unfortunately you can't. The only reason for that is because he missed a sitter. Otherwise, he was magnificent.. Scored the goal and had a hand in the other two.
Dentinho (ST) - 8/10 - Put the pressure on Varane to score the second, but in truth he put pressure on the entire Real team both when he ran the channels and dropped deep to link play.
Manor Solomon (LW) - 8/10 - The most suitable word to describe Solomon is 'nuisance'. Full of tricks, the Israeli ran Militao and Mendy ragged.
8. Substitutes
Vitao - 7/10
Heorhii Sudakov - N/A