Real Madrid mercifully ended their home skid on Saturday with a sound beatdown of bottom-dwellers SD Huesca.
Gathering the ball at his feet and immediately looking to goal from 25 or so yards out, Huesca goalkeeper Andres Fernandez did not look ready for Eden Hazard to unleash over a year’s worth of anger and frustration on the ball.
Yet, the Belgian international, who made his first start for Los Blancos this season and first since August, looked cool as a cucumber as he fired his side in front near the end of the first half.
Karim Benzema bagged a brace and an assist in his best match of the campaign and Federico Valverde remained hot as well as he registered a goal and an assist.
Here are the three takeaways from the all-important win.
The thriving forwards
Karim Benzema shrugged off the drama that followed him for most of the week and turned in his best individual performance of the season this afternoon. The French goalscorer scored his first goal in the comeback draw against Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday and added two more to that total here.
Karim has not looked like himself for several weeks and now, he is far more confident and was pleased to play off of Eden Hazard down the left flank.
Benzema was dropping deep in to his false nine role and helping to build up the attack. It sure helped that Fede Valverde was stepping up into the attack as well to provide even more pressure.
Though Vinicius Junior has been solid in relief of Hazard, having the number seven seemed to spark the Real Madrid attack, especially in the buildup to the third goal.
Hazard played a great give and go to Marco Asensio and immediately joined the attack with Benzema. The two worked the ball all the way down the field until Benz set up Valverde.
I will also add that both of the young Brazilians – Rodrygo and Vinicius – looked active and created some very good chances despite controlling the game and the lead. Dare I say Zinedine Zidane now has options on the attack?!