FIFA virus gives Rafa chance to experiment

Spain’s match against Luxembourg on Friday was more or less a foregone conclusion: Vicente del Bosque’s side ran out 4-0 winners in Logrono to secure their place at next summer’s European Championship in France with little fuss. The Spanish media did pick up on a curious statistic, though.

Del Bosque’s starting XI was the first in 22 years of Euro and World Cup qualifying not to feature a Real Madrid player. Sergio Ramos and Dani Carvajal were absent through injury, while Isco and Nacho were on the bench. That may be something that Florentino Perez — with his desire to make Real Madrid a predominantly Spanish force in terms of national-team-eligible players — might have viewed with mild distaste but Rafa Benitez will have been a far from casual observer.

The so-called “FIFA virus” has been unkind to the Spaniard since his arrival at the Bernabeu. During the last international break, James Rodriguez picked up a thigh injury and has not played for his club since. Danilo joined the Colombian on the sidelines with a foot problem during the same round of fixtures and has also been unavailable for a month.

Several of Benitez’s players have been left shattered by international engagements, Toni Kroos most notably. Although the Germany international had a rest this summer, the strain of the World Cup, a full season with Bayern Munich beforehand and the demands placed upon him during his debut season at the Bernabeu have taken their toll. Kroos has been struggling so far this year in Real’s midfield and played the full 90 minutes in Dublin on Thursday night.

With Carvajal expected to be out until the end of the month, Pepe also on the sidelines and Rodriguez unlikely to be fit in time for the Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain on Oct. 21, the last thing Benitez needs is further casualties. Least of all to his form player, Karim Benzema.

The France striker picked up a hamstring strain in Les Bleus‘ 4-0 win over Armenia, in which he scored twice and laid on an assist. Benzema had not hit the back of the net for France in a calendar year and had been the subject of the same scrutiny for his national team that he has traditionally suffered at the Bernabeu. The French press was suitably succinct: “Debate over,” the headline in L’Equipe read as to Benzema’s importance to his country.

Benzema has been busy earning the same reputation at Real Madrid this season. The No. 9 leads the Liga scoring chart with six in six games, but more importantly is the spread of his strikes: Benzema has failed to score just once in Liga action this season, having missed the goalless draw at Sporting Gijon on the opening weekend. Cristiano Ronaldo has five on his own account, but they were all bagged in one afternoon against Espanyol. At Real Madrid, the debate is over as well; Benzema has basically been carrying Real in the league so far this season.

Benitez enjoyed a brief honeymoon period with a 5-0 thrashing of Betis and Ronaldo’s five-goal exhibition at Espanyol a week later, but since then no Real player other than Benzema has found the net in four domestic fixtures, which have resulted in three wins and a goalless draw against Malaga.

Fortunately for Benitez, Benzema is expected only to miss the league encounter against Levante at the Bernabeu. Of more concern is his potential absence when Real travel to the Parc des Princes to face PSG in the Champions League. That will be a game that, considering Real’s home record in European competition and the current status quo in Group A, could decide who goes through to the knockout rounds as group winners.

With that in mind, it’s time for Benitez to put his moneyed squad where his mouth is — or at least was during his presentation — when he noted that with the players at his disposal he had an “obligation” to attack. The Spaniard has worked his magic on the back four, which have conceded just twice so far this season, but he needs a goleada or two to dispel the notion that he is a defensive coach.

Against Levante, Benitez has a chance to flex his tactical muscles. Thus far, he has not strayed from a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, but the need to rest key players and injury absences should allow Benitez to try something different without too much trouble. Lucas Alvarez’s side put up a decent fight in Camp Nou for 50 minutes, then conceded three in 10 minutes.

Benitez’s selections to date have erred on the side of caution as well. Maybe it’s time to really go for a side from the outset, to throw caution to the wind. Rest Kroos, play Casemiro at the base of midfield, with Luka Modric or Mateo Kovacic operating between the lines in a 4-1-4-1 perhaps. Alternatively, stick with a 4-3-3 and use Denis Cheryshev and Lucas Vazquez — players Benitez insisted upon and who have done well when called on from the bench — to add much-needed width. Ronaldo might as well play in the middle given his tendency this season to drift there anyway. Isco is no winger and needs to be behind the striker.

A day after Jurgen Klopp was unveiled as Liverpool manager, one quote stood out above the rest: “I understand football. It’s only this game because of the fans. We have to entertain them. We have to make their life better. We don’t save lives, we are not doctors, it is our job that they can forget their problems for 90 minutes.”

Benitez did something similar during his time at Anfield. It’s time to prove he can do the same thing at the Bernabeu. Surely Levante at home is a decent testing ground for vollgas-fussball, Spanish style. Pragmatic victories only go so far on Perez’s watch. Like everyone else at the Bernabeu, he’s paying to be entertained.

Rob Train is a freelance writer who lives in Madrid, covers Real Madrid for ESPN and contributes to a number of other publications. Twitter: @Cafc13Rob.