.png)
6 months ago
26
Typically in this month of the year, Casemiro would compete in title deciders and look forward to another Champions League final.
Such moments of wonder are now a distant memory for the Brazilian. His glories with Real Madrid must feel as though they belong to a different lifetime.
Instead, one of the most gifted defensive midfielders of his generation finds himself lost in a dysfunctional Manchester United team being told by pundits to 'call it a day.'
For the record Casemiro is only 32 and it's a mere two years since he won the fifth of his Champions League winners medals, when Real beat Liverpool 1-0 in Paris.
Hopes of getting back into Europe's top competition have long since faded for Erik ten Hag's United and after Monday's humiliating 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace, all continental competition may yet pass them by next season.
Casemiro endured one of the worst performances of his career as Manchester United were thrashed 4-0 by Crystal Palace on Monday night
It's just two years since Casemiro won the Champions League with Real Madrid - but his career has plunged from those heights after joining United
United may struggle to make Europe at all next season following their latest humiliating loss
In one of the lowest moments since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, United were outclassed at Selhurst Park with Casemiro - again playing as a makeshift centre-back - looking woefully out of his depth.
That was seized upon by Jamie Carragher in the Sky Sports studio, who said: 'Casemiro, deadly serious, should know himself tonight as an experienced player that he should only have another three games left at the top level. The next two league games and the [FA] Cup final.
'And he should be thinking: "I need to go to the MLS or Saudi". I'm deadly serious. He's ageing, the people around him need to tell him this has to stop.
'The football has left him at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level of football and move.'
It's definitely not how Casemiro, who vowed to fix United's problems when he left the European champions in search of a fresh challenge in 2022, saw things panning out.
His first season at Old Trafford was a major success as he established himself as a leader in Ten Hag's side and the dressing room despite no prior experience of English football.
After United won the Carabao Cup and finished third in the Premier League, everything looked set to push on under Ten Hag.
But Casemiro - like the team in general - have looked a shadow of that. Even before the injury lay-off that wiped out the middle of his season, the Brazilian looked as if he'd aged five years overnight.
Casemiro, slotting in as a defender again, struggles to get to grips with Palace's Eberechi Eze
Palace's speedy and tricky players proved too much for Casemiro and United to handle
The Brazilian was moved off the ball too easily in the lead-up to Palace's fourth after hesitating
His movements looked leaden, his dynamism had disappeared and his influence both defensively and pushing forward diminished. From being Mr Reliable, he now looked over-run and culpable.
Whether playing alongside Scott McTominay, Sofyan Amrabat, Mason Mount, Christian Eriksen or young Kobbie Mainoo, he suddenly seemed incapable of covering midfield space and opponents capitalised.
Pressed into emergency service in defence, Casemiro's loss of a yard of pace has been even more noticeable. His performance alongside veteran Jonny Evans on Monday night was painful to watch.
The way he committed to a tackle of Michael Olise 50 yards from his goal but was effortlessly body swerved, leaving Evans and Diogo Dalot to mark four Palace players and allow Olise plenty of time to shoot and score, was not befitting of his experience.
Another botched tackle near halfway left United exposed when Jean-Philippe Mateta lashed home Palace's second with Casemiro not even in camera shot when the goal ball went in as he jogged back.
He then lost track of Tyrick Mitchell, who stole in to make it 3-0 before hesitating over a clearance and being barged off the ball far-too-easily in the lead-up to Olise thumping home the fourth.
While there is mitigation in that Casemiro clearly isn't a defender, it must rank among the poorest performances of a glittering career.
It all led to another night to forget for both the Brazilian and his United colleagues
The United futures of both Casemiro and manager Erik ten Hag are in the air this summer
His overall stats for this season compared to that don't show a glaringly obvious decline across the board.
On a per game basis, Casemiro has actually enjoyed greater tackle success, passed with more accuracy and covered more ground.
Opta have recorded just one instance of when a Casemiro error led directly to a goal in Premier League action but, as Monday night proved, they can come more indirectly from misjudgements.
Perhaps the perception of Casemiro's decline comes from things that are obvious to those watching.
For instance, opponents dribble past him 2.73 times a game on average now as opposed to just 2.08 last season.
Casemiro's Premier League stats for this season compared to last don't necessarily show an obvious decline in his game. Courtesy of Opta
A £60million signing less than two years ago, Casemiro is contracted to United until 2026.
But as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos look to reset the dial - and with Ten Hag's future also under scrutiny - it looks increasingly likely he may be sold.
Whether that necessarily means Casemiro should accept father time has caught up with him and move to the MLS or Saudi Pro League is another matter entirely.
The Premier League looks too much for him now, however. Meanwhile, his old mates at the Bernabeu are celebrating another league success with a Champions League semi-final decider on Wednesday.
English (US)