Militão returns to lead as Real Madrid aim to stay unbeaten | OneFootball

Real Madrid seeks to maintain its unbeaten run this season against Levante on Tuesday (23rd), in the 6th round of LaLiga, driven by an unprecedented defensive solidity in recent seasons, largely thanks to the return of Brazilian center-back Militão.

Two things have stood out for Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid at the start of this season: Kylian Mbappé’s goals, who has already scored five in LaLiga and two in his Champions League debut against Olympique de Marseille, and the defense.

In six matches played this season, the ‘merengue’ team has kept a clean sheet in half of them, and in the other three, they have not conceded more than one goal.

Militão makes the difference in defense

The new Real Madrid defense stands out thanks to two signings this season, Dean Huijsen and Álvaro Carreras, but also due to Militão’s return to top form, after overcoming two injuries to both knees that kept him off the pitch for a long period over the last two seasons.

Together with the young Huijsen, Militão forms a solid central defense for Real Madrid and, as he showed last Saturday against Espanyol, can also be an offensive weapon, whether in the air or with his powerful shot.

When that match against Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabéu became monotonous, Militão opened the scoring with a shot from 30 meters out.

“It was a special goal: a shot that sometimes works. This time I tried and it went in,” said the 27-year-old Brazilian after the match.

Militão said he had already scored like that during a team training session. “But in training it’s one thing, and in the game everything changes. It seems easy, but it’s not,” he explained to Real Madrid’s official channel.

Militão, who arrived at the Spanish capital giant from Porto in 2019, lived in the shadow of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, but gradually earned his place until, with the Spaniard and the Frenchman gone, he became a regular starter in the 2021-2022 season.

But in August 2023, he suffered a rupture in his left knee and, in November 2024, shortly after his return, suffered another serious injury in his right knee, which kept him out of action for nearly two seasons.

“Getting back to my level”

He is now starting four consecutive matches for the first time since September 2024 and is enjoying a great moment.

“I feel very good. I’m working every day to avoid relapses and more injuries, to keep improving and get back to my level,” said the player.

With Militão leading the defense, the merengues face Levante, who are coming off their first win after thrashing Girona 4-0 in Montilivi.

In second place, two points behind, is Barcelona, who face Oviedo on Thursday at the Carlos Tartiere.

Meanwhile, Atlético de Madrid (12th) urgently needs a win against Rayo Vallecano at the Metropolitano. After drawing 1-1 with Mallorca on Sunday, they are now eleven points behind Real Madrid.

Matches of the 6th round of the Spanish Championship (Brasília time) and standings:

– Already played:

Celta Vigo – Betis 1 – 1

– Tuesday:

(2:00 PM) Espanyol – Valencia

Athletic Bilbao – Girona

(4:30 PM) Sevilla – Villarreal

Levante – Real Madrid

– Wednesday:

(2:00 PM) Getafe – Alavés

(4:30 PM) Real Sociedad – Mallorca

Atlético de Madrid – Rayo Vallecano

– Thursday:

(2:30 PM) Osasuna – Elche

(4:30 PM) Real Oviedo – Barcelona

Standings: Pts P W D L GF GA GD

1. Real Madrid 15 5 5 0 0 10 2 8

2. Barcelona 13 5 4 1 0 16 3 13

3. Villarreal 10 5 3 1 1 10 4 6

4. Espanyol 10 5 3 1 1 8 7 1

5. Elche 9 5 2 3 0 7 4 3

6. Betis 9 6 2 3 1 9 7 2

7. Athletic Bilbao 9 5 3 0 2 6 6 0

8. Getafe 9 5 3 0 2 6 7 -1

9. Sevilla 7 5 2 1 2 9 8 1

10. Alavés 7 5 2 1 2 5 5 0

11. Valencia 7 5 2 1 2 6 8 -2

12. Atlético de Madrid 6 5 1 3 1 6 5 1

13. Osasuna 6 5 2 0 3 4 4 0

14. Rayo Vallecano 5 5 1 2 2 5 6 -1

15. Celta Vigo 5 6 0 5 1 5 7 -2

16. Levante 4 5 1 1 3 9 9 0

17. Real Oviedo 3 5 1 0 4 1 8 -7

18. Real Sociedad 2 5 0 2 3 5 9 -4

19. Mallorca 2 5 0 2 3 5 10 -5

20. Girona 1 5 0 1 4 2 15 -13

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.