Sometimes you wonder if Real Madrid are not overdoing it with the short passes with their own goalkeeper, with the controlled build-up in their own penalty area. And then you rub your eyes in amazement. Just like on Tuesday in the 1-1 draw against Manchester City in the semi-finals of the Champions League. The move started with goalkeeper Courtois before Madrid made it 1-0 and ended with a goal from Vinícius on the other side. A wonderful interplay between old and young, between experience and youthful impudence, between Luka Modric and Eduardo Camavinga.
Right-back Carvajal had given a throw-in to Rüdiger, who played to Courtois. The Belgian in Real's goal briefly continued to play on Alaba on the left side, and then suddenly it happened at lightning speed. Alaba passed to Camavinga, who played three opponents in a double pass with Modric and then had free rein. The Frenchman led the ball tightly at his feet, Bernardo Silva could not keep up. In front of the opponent's penalty area, a cross pass to Vinícius, who pulled off and scored.
Not all of his scenes resulted in a goal, but Camavinga had many that night. The Frenchman, who is only 20 years old, was considered one of the sore points at Real Madrid before the game, inexperienced, even a little reckless, but he still had to replace the injured left-back Mendy. With a somewhat bouncy running style, he always seems a little impetuous, the ponytail at the back of his head flies wildly around, and with his musculature of a sprinter, he has become synonymous with the term "Energía" so often used by Ancelotti.
"He learns very quickly"
Camavinga kept his side tight. Bernardo Silva cut his teeth on him, and the Frenchman repeatedly blocked his attempts to cross. During a lengthy break for Gundogan's treatment (after a strong collision with Rüdiger) in the middle of the first half, Ancelotti also encouraged his youngest player on the pitch to behave more offensively in possession of the ball. The speech turned into a kind of "time-out", but became one of the key moments of the game.
After that, Real played less defensively and caused City significantly more problems in the build-up to the game. "Camavinga learns very quickly," Ancelotti told journalists afterwards. However, he concealed the fact that the Frenchman was also involved in conceding the goal. After winning the ball at left-back, he played a long ball diagonally into the middle, which Rodrygo could barely control and lost to Rodri. De Bruyne then scored the equaliser.
In Spain, Camavinga's style is often described as "desparpajo", a word that means youthful impudence, dexterity, but also chaos and disorder. It describes his impact on the pitch well: when he came on as a substitute last season – often for Toni Kroos – he was like a striker who not only upset the opponent's ranks, but also his own.
Fleeing the war
In his second year at Real Madrid, he plays more often in the starting line-up, is tactically more disciplined, without Ancelotti pushing him into a scheme. In any case, the Frenchman has long had plenty of experience for his age. At the age of 16 he got his first professional contract in Rennes, two months before his 18th birthday he played for the French national team for the first time.
Off the pitch, Camavinga engages everyone with a cheerful laugh that may be a little at odds with his fate. He was born in 2002 in a refugee camp in Angola. His parents had fled the armed conflicts in Congo. Later they came to France. His family's history makes him stronger, Camavinga said when he introduced himself to the press in Madrid almost two years ago. When he plays football, he always plays for his relatives.