After midnight, local supporters gathered at the Santiago Bernabeu began to feel relief and celebrate.  After another incredible comeback in a frantic extra time, Real Madrid earned a hard-fought trip to the Copa del Rey final.  For a while, the excitement of making it to the season’s first final eclipsed all else, but a more sober analysis by a source also pointed out the primary flaw that worries Madrid supporters.  This was underlined by Álvaro Benito on Wednesday, who boldly identified the region where Carlo Ancelotti’s team’s plan is failing.

Benito first experienced what he described as “an incredibly entertaining match filled with chaos, emotions, and as usual, Real Madrid pulling off one of their classic dramatic finishes” after Real Madrid’s thrilling qualification.  He admitted, drawing attention to the difficulty of winning comfortably in such high-stakes situations and Real Madrid’s history of succeeding in them: “This team manages these scenarios better than any other, but you’re always at risk of the other side of the coin.” Real Madrid “succeeds in these extreme emotional situations, teetering on the edge.”

Endrick, who not only scored but also displayed glimpses of elite quality, was one of the positives from the Copera matchup versus Real Sociedad.  “He is an excellent young player who acts very aggressively and keeps his sights fixed on the goal.”  “Endrick’s sole obstacle is what’s in front of him, which is why we don’t see him often.

He would mature more quickly and we would see more of him if he could play 20–25 games.  He will need to develop gradually for the time being, though, according to Álvaro Benito, who nevertheless rejoices that “he has the right mentality” to be successful at the esteemed club:  “You must deal with the frustration of low engagement and realize that you don’t have many opportunities to alter that circumstance.  You must acknowledge your age and come to terms with it.

Conversely, there is the unsettling performance of Madrid’s left-back position.  Take Kubo’s skill set exposed Eduardo Camavinga, who was the first pick on Tuesday.  Fran Garcia later took his place, although neither has been able to convince the coach for this weekend.  “The coach and I both have a lot of reservations about Camavinga as a left-back,” Benito said.

“He’s trying out a variety of players there, but none have performed well enough.  The former football player told a source that “Mendy isn’t having his best season” and “Fran Garcia isn’t quite meeting expectations either.” “Camavinga could be a solution in a pinch, but we’ll see if he counts there in the real matches this season,” the source continued.