5 reasons why Real Madrid will win the Champions League for the third consecutive time
When the chips are down, everyone berates you. They stamp on you, count you out. Before last night, Real Madrid were facing the same predicament. After being dumped out of the Copa Del Rey by Leganes—and that, too, at home—and trailing league leaders Barcelona by 17 points, the Blancos were down.
Against PSG, however, they showed that they might be down, but they are not out just yet. Before the encounter, most were expecting PSG to raze the Madrid outfit. In fact, their attacking trio of Edinson Cavani, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar is perhaps the best in Europe.
And against a Madrid defence which has been sorry for the most part of the season, this was just supposed to be an encounter with a raging bull and a red cloth.
In the end, however, the red cloth turned out to be a decoy; behind it was a bazooka waiting to pound the bull. And this bazooka can go on to win the Champions League.
And here are 5 reasons why…
#5 Asensio coming to life
After his breathtaking goals against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup, he seemed to have faded away within all the hype that surrounded him like a nebulous fog. Despite Madrid going through a bad phase and opening up slots in the starting XI as a result, he failed to stamp his name on it.
Even against Paris-Saint Germain, Zidane opted to go for Isco instead of the Mallorcan. Once he was brought in, however, he showed what he could do. On a night where two of the best young players shared the same pitch—Mbappe and Asensio—it was the Spaniard that outshone the Frenchman.
His assists to Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo were a work of art. It might have looked simple to the naked eye, but the way he garnered space for himself and served the drilling cross into the box was awe-inspiring.
Asensio could be to this Real Madrid what Isco was to them last year—and that would just ensure their title win.