Real Madrid took care of business against Eibar thanks to these five stars.
In their first game back after the COVID-19-created stoppage in La Liga, Real Madrid didn’t miss a beat. Although they faltered in the second half and will have to respond with a more comprehensive 90 minutes against Valencia, Los Blancos were rampant in the first half.
Real Madrid scored three wonderful goals in the game’s opening stanza, including a tremendous finessed shot in the top corner from superstar midfielder Toni Kroos in the fourth minute.
Here were the top five individual displays from the 3-1 victory.
Real Madrid CF Karim Benzema
It all starts with Karim Benzema, who was in great form in the team’s first game back in La Liga. Benzema drew some criticism in February and March for scoring infrequently, as he only had two goals in La Liga in the year 2020.
While Benzema didn’t add to his tally, he was at his creative best, linking up perfectly with returning superstar Eden Hazard. Benzema seems to be Eibar’s nightmare, as the 32-year-old repeatedly tore them apart on the counter.
He finished the match with three dribbles completed, and while he didn’t have an assist and just one key pass, his work in the final third was deserving of high praise. Benzema makes everyone around him look better.
Real Madrid CB Sergio Ramos
Captain Sergio Ramos scored a tap-in that was unselfishly set up by Eden Hazard, as most superstar players would shoot first instead of passing it off to an onrushing defender. But Ramos isn’t like most defenders, as exemplified by this counterattacking goal to give Real a 2-0 lead over Eibar.
Ramos started the move by recovering the ball near midfield, he made one pass, and then he was off to the races alongside Hazard, who rewarded the experienced center back in the end.
The 34-year-old attempted 60 passes, completing more than 90 percent of them yet again. Ramos’ consistency as a passer is exceptional, and he plays almost like a box-to-box midfielder but as a center back.
Defensively, Ramos, per WhoScored.com, had two interceptions and three clearances.
Real Madrid CM Toni Kroos
Center midfielder Toni Kroos has been one of Los Blancos’ top players throughout the 2019-2020 season, and he emphasized his elite qualities with the opening goal. It was a strike of the highest order from Kroos, as only a handful of players in Europe would have been capable of producing such an effort.
Kroos helped out plenty defensively with three tackles, working extremely hard in the middle of the park to fight for loose balls and press the opposition. People forget that while he is no defensive midfielder, he is an asset defensively in a variety of other ways.
Real Madrid CB Raphael Varane
Los Blancos’ other superstar center back didn’t score a goal, but he definitely deserves a shoutout for his hard work against Eibar. Raphael Varane has been one of the world’s absolute top defenders for years, and the former World Cup winner delivered a high-quality display against Eibar’s attack.
Real were a deflection and Thibaut Courtois error away from a clean sheet, but that takes nothing from what Varane did for 90 minutes. The France captain led the team with 76 passes, completing 90.8 percent of them. He even completed 14 of 18 long passes, with more than double the number of completions of Casemiro and Toni Kroos in second place.
Varane was unstoppable in the air, cleaned up any messes around him, and did plenty of covering for Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy on that right side.
Real Madrid LW Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard announced his return from injury and La Liga’s return with a strong match against Eibar, whom he already roasted in November. The Belgian superstar unselfishly assisted for Sergio Ramos, and his unselfishness was the story of the game.
As always, Hazard ran all over the pitch and gave 110 percent for his teammates. He popped up on the left and right to exploit space, doing damage to Eibar’s defense when linking up with star striker Karim Benzema.
Hazard drew three fouls, completed two dribbles, and was accurate on 90 percent of his passes. He wasn’t the Man of the Match, but he was one of the standouts in a comprehensive attacking display to seal the game in the first half.