Real Madrid Player Ratings from a Karim Benzema-inspired win over Athletic Bilbao
LW Vinicius Junior
Vinicius Junior had a surprisingly pedestrian performance, though the officiating did not help him as the referee played into Athletic Bilbao’s plan of getting physical with Vini to throw him off his game. Like against Cadiz, Ferland Mendy could not offer the overlapping support for Vini, who was forced into difficult dribbling situations. Vini had a role in the opener for Benzema and worked very hard defensively, so he was not anonymous. That said, it was not a banner game for Vini.
Rating: 5.5
CF Karim Benzema
Tremendous from Karim the Dream. Without Benzema, Real Madrid would have lost all three of their points at San Mames. If he was cool and clinical for his second, he was out-of-this-world for his first goal of the night. Benzema was at the heart of everything good for Madrid against Athletic Bilbao, with his movement off the ball being a particular highlight. It’s a shame the other forwards could not come close to matching his level, because Los Blancos could have played some high-quality football around Benzema with the form the Frenchman was in. He received a standing ovation from the fans at San Mames, which says it all.
Rating: 8.5
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RW Eden Hazard
Arguably the worst player on the pitch. Eden Hazard left Real Madrid vulnerable with a couple of horrible flicks that led to counters for Bilbao. He was slow on the ball, and he often ruined transition opportunities by jogging or simply standing on the ball instead of quickly finding an option. Hazard had a couple of bright moments with his decisions off the ball, and he made one great recovery to help out Lucas Vazquez in his own box. He even drew a handful of fouls.
However, Hazard did a whole lot of nothing, because, like Fede, he could not find that extra gear in the opposing box. And for a forward, that is a huge problem. He did not do his teammates any favors at San Mames, and this was a step back from his encouraging second half vs. Cadiz.
Rating: 5.0