The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job, Ezek, Valyrian Steel, Felipejack, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco and yours truly, Kung_Fu_Zizou
Derbi Day
José’s men enter the cauldron of the Mattress Makers in the first big game of the season. For anyone wondering just how much the team has improved, this match will show all that
and more. It comes just before the international break and like a true grudge match has not sympathies for momentum or form guides. It’s a game all on its own. It still carries the weight of 3 points and Liga ambitions, yet very little of that seems to enter the mind once the game kicks off.
Nowhere To Hide
Real Madrid have their toughest away match of the season nice and early. There’s no hiding from the Mattress Makers. This is their biggest game of the season and they will not relent. They simply have to be beaten. A tall order for a Real Madrid side still trying to understand how to manage a game and increased pressure from opponents.
Redemption Arc?
Dean Huijsen had a difficult first season at Real Madrid. There may be many reasons for this but he is looking increasingly settled under José Mourinho. The Derbi will test and show just how far he’s come. It is not merely a technical test. It is a battle of wills and character when the cross-town rivals bring out the drums and insist that none shall dance at the Wanda. Dean has a wonderful opportunity stamp his authority as a genuine top class centre half, the future of Real Madrid’s back 4. This will not be his last opportunity but it comes at a time when his star in the all-white strip is beginning to rise.
Might Makes Right
Fede Valverde has the responsibility to lead the side this season, on and off the pitch. The Uruguayan made a mess of it at the first time of asking, last season. He now has an opportunity to bring some legitimacy to that armband on his left arm. It’s not about dressing room sing-alongs. It’s about dressing room mentality that spills over onto the pitch. The fight, the hustle, the desire to stand and fight alongside a fellow soldier when you feel the heat around the corner. This is what a leader has to bring out in his teammates. He has to show it. The words are fleeting but the actions echo!
Vini Vidi Vici
