Real Madrid came away with a 3-0 victory on Sunday at the Bernabéu, increasing their lead to 4 points with a game in hand over the other title chasers in La Liga.
While dealing with the ongoing injury issues of several familiar faces, manager Zinedine Zidane chose to go with Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Lucas Vazquez to spearhead the attack. On the other hand, the formidable trio of Kroos, Casemiro, and Kovacic took the shape of the midfield, while the back four consisted of Nacho, Ramos, Varane, and the struggling Danilo. Keylor Navas took his place as the shot-stopper.
First Half
Coming into the game after a disappointing showing against Celta Vigo over two legs, Real Madrid were determined to end the 7-day stretch in a positive note. Stepping onto the pitch for the first 45 minutes showed just that. Zidane’s men came out firing and looked to be comfortable on the ball, something not shown in games prior. Vazquez and Kovacic were the two players who impressed me the most before the halftime break, both pressing consistently and recovering loose balls more than anyone else on the pitch. Both players took their chance regarding performance, and Kovacic in particular was brilliant. Mateo’s forward runs displayed his dribbling and acceleration, often blitzing past defenders and relaying a ball to the outside. The Croatian delivered a stunning first half performance and even scored his first ever league goal in the 38′ minute.
The assist for the goal was vintage Ronaldo, winning a header just past midfield and carving up the two La Real defenders with a brilliant through ball, it allowed for Kovacic to spring free and execute a tidy finish to the left of goalkeeper Rulli. The first half concluded with a 1-0 scoreline in favour of the Royal Whites.
"Today, [Mateo] Kovacic scored and I liked his performance. He is a player who can do much more in the future.” – Zinedine Zidane"
Second Half
Coming out of the break, Real Madrid continued to control the match. Maintaining possession more than they did in the first half, and creating chances, Los Merengues quickly looked the stronger of the two teams. La Real did not orchestrate any clear chances to trouble the Costa Rican keeper, and the game (or lack thereof) ended just after the 50th minute. Both Kovacic and Ronaldo were the culprits again, as the young midfielder this time turned to being the provider. Feeding Cristiano through on goal, CR7 finally found his shooting boots by displaying a tremendous touch to chip the ball over Rulli in front of goal. The expression on Cristiano’s face said it all; a mix of anger, relief, and confidence sprung to the mind of the Portuguese international, as Real eventually created some breathing room. In the 66th minute, Alvaro Morata, who earlier in the week complained about a lack of playing time, came on for the distraught Benzema who just couldn’t seem to find form. Eusebio’s men continued to defend the continuous pressure of Real’s attack as the game proceeded, but all hope was lost in the 74th minute when Inigo Martinez picked up his second yellow on a brainless challenge on Casemiro. Morata proved to provide another spark as he bagged a goal late in the 82nd minute, capitalizing on his limited minutes.
Morata
— M•A•J (@UItraSuristic) January 29, 2017
As starter - 7 goals in 1873mins (1 every 268mins)
As sub - 14 goals in 880 mins (1 every 63mins)
Super sub?
(@2010MisterChip)
Zidane was obviously happy after the win and a clean sheet, but the Frenchman knows performances need to improve to maintain the firm stranglehold on this year’s La Liga title.