Player Ratings: Las Palmas 1 – 1 Real Madrid; 2024 La Liga

Full match player ratings:

Thibaut Courtois—7: Left with little help on the goal conceded as Moleiro waltzed through the defense with ease. Had limited action otherwise but was confident leaving his line and punching crosses.

Lucas Vazquez—7: One of the better performers and was a surprise substitution out of the game. Provided 2 key passes and had an expected assist value of 0.44. His first touch often baited the opposition and helped draw fouls in dangerous spots. Won the majority of his ground duels and acted as the outlet on the right wing.

Rudiger—6: In terms of defensive duels and long ball distribution, he was solid as ever but needs to command the backline with greater urgency in pushing up the field and squeezing the opposition. The line hung too low at times, providing large gaps between midfield and defense.

Militao—6: Same assessment as Rüdiger’s performance but also with some poor defending in the goal conceded. Both Militão and Tchouaméni appeared slow in their movements, as if their feet were trapped in cement, overly optimistic that Las Palmas would fail to finish off the play.

Ferland Mendy—4: Substituted out at halftime after providing no value in the final third for a team desperate for overloads and contributions from the fullback.

Tchouameni—4: Where is the Tchouaméni from the start of 2023? Outside of those 2-3 months prior to his injury, Tchouaméni has been largely inconsistent for Real Madrid and has yet to fulfill his potential. Both sides of his game need massive improvement if he is going to keep his place in the XI after Camavinga and Bellingham return.

Fede Valverde—8: The midfield has been a point of contention for Madrid fans over the last 3 to 4 games, with the connective tissue and collective spirit severely lacking. One positive note has been Fede Valverde. The Uruguayan has been contributing with goals, driving runs, combative duel-winning challenges, and improving his passing. He finished this match with 4 key passes, 4/4 long balls, a direct free kick that troubled Cillessen, 7/9 ground duels won, and was fouled 3 times.

Luka Modric—6: Failed to impose his stamp on the match.

Vinicius Junior—4: Hard to say which performance was worse — the second half against Mallorca or this game vs. Las Palmas. The Brazilian did step up and put away his penalty but was otherwise frustrated all evening. Only completed 2 of his 6 dribbles and lost more than half of his ground duels. It’s been a difficult start to the new season, and Madrid need their “franchise player” to bounce back into form quickly.

Brahim Diaz—3: After some bright cameos off the bench, Brahim earned a starting spot. He only lasted 45 minutes as he was overly conservative in his play and failed to bring his usual spark.

Kylian Mbappe—5: There are little moments from Mbappe throughout each match where you see his quality, but they are fleeting and not consistent enough to win a match. He has yet to find that chemistry with his teammates and is struggling to be a high-impact player in the #9 position. He will be disappointed with the lack of goals after another match with 5 shots, an xG of 0.52, and nothing to show for the effort.

Substitutions:

Fran Garcia—6: Slight improvement on Mendy but his best assest, crossing, is rendered ineffective with the lack of aerial ball winners in the box.

Rodrygo—5: Provided little in the final third after his second half introduction.

Arda Guler—7: A bright spot after coming on with the Turk being the catalyst to the penalty decision and creating a chance for Mbappe that nearly ended in a goal.

Dani Carvajal—N/A: Late substituiton for Lucas Vazquez.

Endrick—N/A: Another late cameo but did create two goal-scoring opportunities, including a run in behind the defense where he latched on to a through ball, but his volley failed to connect properly.