Real Madrid was victorious in a hard-fought match against Getafe with a goal from Sergio Ramos.
Real Madrid had to fight hard and suffer throughout the game to come away with a 1-0 win against Getafe. Jose Bordalas sent his team out with lots of aggression and intent to make things tough for Los Blancos. The Azulones pressed aggressively and pinned the Merengues back.
The Royal Whites stayed calm under pressure and got better as the game went on. They were able to get out of the press and eventually earned the penalty when Dani Carvajal got brought down in the box. Sergio Ramos stepped up and buried it past David Soria for the winner. The result keeps them at the top of the table and now four points clear of the second-place Barcelona.
Zinedine Zidane started Vinicius Junior in place of Eden Hazard. Luka Modric and Ferland Mendy were also back in the starting elven after serving their suspension. Here is how the players performed.
Goalkeeper
Thibaut Courtois – 7.5/10
Another day another clean sheet for the Belgian goalkeeper. Thibaut Courtois hardly puts his foot wrong during the game. His steady hands and confidence allow Los Blancos to stay calm and play from the back.
Courtois’s teammates show plenty of belief in their No.1 as they do not hesitate to pass the ball back to him to help them get out of pressure.
The Belgian international made three saves, including an excellent low dive to his right to keep out a glancing header from David Timor. Courtois has now conceded only 18 goals in 30 appearances this season and leads the race for the Zamora trophy.
Defenders
Dani Carvajal – 8/10
Carvajal was exceptional on the right side of the field for Real Madrid. He was solid defensively and made himself an outlet in attack often.
He completed three tackles, two interceptions, and two clearances in the match. He also took a booking for a tactical foul on Cucurella to prevent a dangerous counter-attack.
Going forward, Carvajal had one key pass and also won the penalty that Ramos scored for the winner.
Raphael Varane – 6.5/10
Raphael Varane got replaced by Eder Militao on the 33rd minute due to an injury. The Frenchman did well for the amount of time he was on the pitch.
He won two aerial duels and completed three clearances before leaving the field.
Sergio Ramos – 9/10
Ramos was a behemoth in defense for the Royal Whites. He put on a captain’s performance in the backline.
After Varane got replaced due to injury, he stepped up and protected the Real Madrid goal like a mad man. He completed one tackle, a great one-vs-one defending against Jaime Mata.
He also completed five clearances during the game and won three aerial duels to help his goalkeeper keep another clean sheet.
He also stepped up to take the penalty and score the winner for Los Blancos.
Ferland Mendy – 7/10
Mendy has proven himself as an excellent defender throughout the season.
He rarely goes in for a wild tackle and often wins his one-vs-one duel, and he did the same against Getafe. The French left-back won three tackles and completed six dribbles in the game.
His offensive game lacked a bit, but he did play a fantastic pass for Vinicius’s shot on goal.
Midfielders
Casemiro – 8/10
Casemiro put on another monster performance in front of the backline. His reading of the game is excellent, and he so often subdues the danger before they even start.
Casemiro had three blocks, won three aerial duels, and a game-high six clearances against Getafe.
Toni Kroos – 6/10
While he is most often the best player in the pitch, Toni Kroos had a poor performance against Getafe.
The German midfielder is usually the most reliable player for Los Blancos, but he found it difficult to find any control in his game. His lack of authority in the game was evident as the Merengues failed to control the game and often lost possession.
Toni Kroos completed only 88 percent of his passes, a low number considering his high standards.
Luka Modric – 7/10
Modric had a fantastic performance amid an unfavorable condition. The Azulones press gave Los Blancos plenty of trouble, but the former Ballon D’or was there to get the Royal Whites out of it.
He worked hard and completed five out of five dribbles while helping Real Madrid get out of the press. He was Los Blancos’ best midfielder not named Casemiro on the day.
Isco – 5.5/10
Isco struggled to find his rhythm against Getafe. He had one shot at goal that was well saved by Soria and one key pass.
Other than that, he barely contributed much to the Real Madrid offense. His passing was also off on the day as he managed to complete only 82 percent of his passes.
Forwards
Vinicius Junior – 5.5/10
Vinicius had a challenging game. He did not get into the game much and frequently had poor touches.
His moment of the match was when Mendy fed him a lovely pass from the left, and the Brazillian stretched to get a shot off at goal. Soria made a brilliant save to deny the younger winger.
Getafe did not give him any space to run at his markers, and he failed to complete his two attempted dribbles.
Karim Benzema – 6/10
Karim Benzema was unable to repeat his heroic performance from the Espanyol game. The Merengues forward is at his best when he is involved in the buildup and drops deep to help progress the ball.
However, he only managed 45 touches in the game, and his xGbuildup was a mere 0.38, according to understat.com.
Substitutions
Eder Militao – 6.5/10
Militao came in for an injured Varane and did an excellent job in place of the World Cup winner.
He partnered Ramos well, completing two interceptions and one successful tackle.
Marco Asensio – 6.5/10
Real Madrid looked more dangerous when Marco Asensio entered the field around the 68th minute. He got into sound attacking positions and forced Getafe’s defense to shift around.
He was also involved in a fantastic play going past his marker and setting Benzema up for a shot. The Frenchman, however, had a poor attempt at goal.
Fede Valverde – 6.5/10
Fede Valverde brought the energy and physicality needed against Getafe when he got subbed in for Modric.
He looked good as a two-way presence in the midfield and completed 94 percent of his 17 passes.
Rodrygo – 6/10
Rodrygo looked lively and made a couple of excellent runs. However, he lacked a final pass that led to a dangerous attacking play.
Mariano – N/A
Mariano replaced Benzema in the 88th minute and had very little time to have any impact in the match.