Talisman (s) Casemiro: One for the important goals

ReportageHis main task is actually to prevent his opponent from scoring goals, but Casemiro himself appeared as a goalscorer in the confident 4-1 win against Deportivo Alavés – again. As interesting statistics show, the Brazilian has meanwhile blossomed into an absolute lucky charm for the royal team.

Foto: imago images / ZUMA Wire“>Enlarge

Irreplaceable for his team: Carlos Casimiro – Foto: imago images / ZUMA Wire

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Zidane’s best act?

When Zinédine Zidane took over the post of head coach from Rafael Benítez in January 2016, a lot changed at Real Madrid. He turned the team back into a mentality monster, created for the big games and the magical Champions League nights. In his first (half) season he won the premier class with Blancos, in the following years 2017 and 2018 the title hat-trick, which was considered impossible, was to succeed. The two championships won should not go unmentioned either. Especially players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos or Marcelo were in the spotlight, but many experts agree: The real key to success was Carlos Henrique Casimiro.

While offensive free spirits like Isco or James Rodríguez played in midfield alongside the seeded Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić, it was Zidane who installed Casemiro in the royal midfield. As a tireless worker and clearer, the man from the vicinity of São Paulo ensured the previously missing balance in the Madrid game, and also kept the duo Kroos-Modrić free, which was also able to develop its own strengths better. The Merengues subsequently gained control in midfield, against which hardly any opponent had a suitable answer ready. Kroos himself once said about his Brazilian neighbor: “It helps a lot, is always there, even when you are not there yourself.” Whether a stroke of luck or a tactical masterpiece – Casemiro’s installation in the control center was one of, if not one the Zidane’s best official act.

The numbers speak for themselves

How well Real’s number 14 fulfills his role as a “vacuum cleaner” is revealed by his statistics from the previous season: With 294 ball captures and 60 tackles, no player in LaLiga had more than Casemiro! However, his trainer is not entirely satisfied with that, as “Case” recently revealed: “Of course he asks me to give the team stability. But he also always says I should go into the box more often because I’m strong at headers. ” So what does the defensive specialist do? Obey the demands of his coach and set the best score in the current LaLiga season with three header goals! Across all competitions, Casemiro has already scored five goals in the current season and thus equalized his goal record from the previous season – and that already at half-time. He is also currently in second place in Real’s internal scorers list, only Benzema scored more often.

The man for the important goals

What is particularly noteworthy is the importance of his goals – Casemiro does not score “irrelevant” goals to 3-0 or 4-0, he scores important goals. In his five successes this season, he made three times (against Atlético, Granada and Alavés) for the relieving 1-0, plus the important last-minute equalizer in the Champions League against Mönchengladbach (2-2). By the way: he prepared Karim Benzema’s goal shortly before the end.

If you look at his last eight goals across the seasons, he even scored five times (also against Sevilla and Espanyol). This is also joined by the winning goal to make it 2-1 against FC Sevilla in the preseason. Seven of his last eight goals were therefore extremely important – Or expressed in numbers: his last eight success stories were worth an unbelievable 19 points at the moment he scored!

If you consider the importance of all of his goals to Los Blancos, it gets even more incredible: 13 and thus almost half of his total of 28 goals in the white jersey were so-called “game winning goals”, i.e. goals that ultimately led to victory. As a result, Los Blancos get an average of 2.52 points per game if their talisman hits. The importance of Casemiro’s hits: More of a constant than a variable.

Games: 263
Tore: 28
Assists: 20
Title: 15
Contract until: 2023

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The success and the numbers are no coincidence

These impressive statistics are no coincidence; they are the product of irrepressible will and unparalleled hard work. The self-proclaimed “Tower in Battle” is someone who works tirelessly and wants to move forward. His Brazilian team-mate Rodrygo Goes once said about the 28-year-old: “To see how hard he works, what he has already won in his career – he is a role model. He’s a leader, very important. Casemiro has helped improve the lazy Brazilian image. The whole time he says: ‘Off to the weight room, on to the ice bath, on to training.’ He’s a great inspiration. “

Such leaders are what a team needs. Especially when things are not going well, as is the case with Real Madrid. After the double knockout in Supercopa and Copa del Rey, Casemiro has fulfilled his role again: He went ahead and took the lead. Many already knew about its immense importance as a clearer in front of the defense. However, what importance he is given in front of the opponent’s goal, that most would have guessed. A royal talisman (s). And still Zidane’s masterpiece.

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