In Conclusion
Don’t let the result fool you, Real Madrid were downright poor against Leganes. Despite enjoying the lion’s share of possession, Madrid looked completely impotent in attack throughout the vast majority of the match. Madrid were one touch away from Zidane looking like a complete fool for leaving the entirety of the BBC off the roster. There’s no reason why Madrid shouldn’t have had at least one of those attackers on the bench to cause danger in the second half. Isco and Modric got the job done and showed their quality, but Madrid were really fortunate to get the victory and the away goal.
Madrid also got really lucky when it comes to the referee decisions. Dani Carvajal and Theo Hernandez both had bad tackles which could have earned cards, but escaped without getting a yellow card. The fouls and cards seemed to mostly go Leganes’ way, with Madrid managing to avoid punishment for a number of potential infractions. Real Madrid did not getOne of Leganes’ assistant managers was sent off for protesting, and the crowd was incensed all night long. Any objective assessment of the match would have a hard time faulting them for their anger.
If players like Mateo Kovacic or Dani Ceballos hope to break into the starting XI, they’re going to have to do much better. Despite the win, Madrid’s B Squad looked subpar against opposition that should have been easily dispatched. Zidane still has a ton of work to do to set things right this season.
Next: Have Real Madrid's players given up on La Liga?
One positive from this game is that Real Madrid were finally able to chase down a late winner in the last minutes of the match. Madrid have been abysmal in the second half of games, and completely unable to find the crucial goals which made all the difference last season. Marco Asensio broke his duck, got on the scoresheet, and showed that Real Madrid do still have the decisive edge to set them apart when they need it.