Real Madrid lost to Getafe earlier this season, but they avoided making mistakes and were much, much more in control. Even with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric getting well-earned rest before the second leg match against Chelsea in the Champions League, Los Blancos were composed on the ball and effective in attack, creating consistent chances in front of the Santiago Bernabeu faithful.
Thanks to a diving header from Casemiro off a sensational outside-the-boot Vinicius Jr. cross and a left-footed “pass” into the net from Lucas Vazquez after brilliant combination play with Rodrygo Goes, Real Madrid eased to a 2-0 win over Getafe on Saturday night in LaLiga.
Here are the player ratings for Los Merengues.
GK Thibaut Courtois
Thibaut Courtois had precious little to do in goal for Real Madrid, which was a welcome change-of-pace for a man who made heroic saves in recent wins over Celta Vigo and Chelsea.
Rating: 6.0
LB Marcelo
Coming into the match, Madridistas may have been concerned about Marcelo at left back, considering he struggled badly against Getafe in their second meeting last season. But Marcelo turned in a very strong performance. He was never caught out defensively, as Getafe carried no threat and the wingers and young wide midfielders helped plenty. Marcelo was in command offensively, putting in dangerous crosses and weaving nice combinations with Karim Benzema, Vinicius Jr., and the midfielders.
Rating: 7.5
CB David Alaba
A strong game from David Alaba that should not go underrated. He was always in the right place at the right time to cut out any rare opportunity for Getafe inside the penalty box. Enes Unal has been one of the most in-form players in LaLiga in 2022, yet he struggled to do much of anything against Alaba and the Madrid defense. Alaba did a lot to help the team offensively, too, recording two key passes and a team-high 88 pass attempts before exiting the match. He really stepped up in the build-up play with Toni Kroos out.
Rating: 8.0
CB Eder Militao
Eder Militao completed around 95 percent of his passes, though he did not always take the safe option with a cool 10 of 13 long balls completed. The 24-year-old is one of the most underrated center backs in Europe when it comes to passing the ball. He had a couple of dangerous moments offensively, though he continues to struggle with consistently hitting the target with his head from corners.
Rating: 7.5
RB Lucas Vazquez
One of the best players on the pitch for Real Madrid, Lucas Vazquez was another bounce-back performer for the Merengues. His goal was very well-taken, hit with the presence of mind of a prolific goal-scoring right winger and not a makeshift right back.
Vazquez worked incredibly hard for the team and earned rave reviews from Madridistas for his ball recoveries and stepovers. He supported Rodrygo Goes and the other forwards well, and he was quite dominant defensively. After Alaba left, he ended up in the team lead with 90 pass attempts.
Rating: 8.5
CM Eduardo Camavinga
Madridistas continue to be impressed with Eduardo Camavinga, who earned claps from the Bernabeu faithful during the match. Camavinga was everywhere, shining brightly in the first half with his nonstop movement off the ball. He made several defensive interventions and was composed offensively, providing an outlet for his teammates and making very good decisions with the ball at his feet.
An intelligent player beyond his years, Camavinga is someone Madridistas feel blessed to have in their ranks. He is one of the classiest midfielders you will find in LaLiga, even though he isn’t a starter for Real Madrid.
Rating: 7.5
DM Casemiro
The biggest negative from this performance is that Casemiro will be suspended next weekend against Sevilla in an important LaLiga fixture, as he was booked for arguing with the ref. It was a soft call, so I cannot fault Casemiro. He scored the first goal with a brilliant diving header and was composed with his passing, completing about 90 percent of his attempts with 8 of 9 long balls completed.
Although Casemrio gets stick from fans and analysts, including myself, for his ball security, he has been an asset to Real Madrid this season. And this was another strong display from the defensive midfielder, who, again, was much better on the ball than in the previous match against Chelsea.
Rating: 7.5
CM Fede Valverde
Fede Vaverde came oh-so-close to scoring a wondergoal – and he nearly did so twice. Valverde is a demon in transition, as defenses cannot even get their hands on him to tactically foul the young Uruguayan. With three key passes and 93 percent of his pass attempts completed, Valverde combined his usual tireless effort with passing that was both accurate and threatening. He is the complete center midfielder and continues to state his case for being indispensable to Real Madrid.
Rating: 7.5
LW Vinicius Jr.
A strong bounce-back performance from Vinicius Jr. compared to his quiet display at Balaidos last weekend. Vini had two key passes, two fouls drawn, and four dribbles completed, producing some jaw-dropping skills. He had two nutmegs, including one on Djene that led to a shot inside the box.
His biggest highlight was his most effective play of the match, an outside-the-boot cross that hung in the air perfectly and was met by the onrushing Casemiro. Vinicius did not have as much of the ball in this one, but he always made the possession count. And he did a lot of hard work defensively, earning applause from the Santiago Bernabeu.
Rating: 8.0
CF Karim Benzema
A quieter night for Karim Benzema, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. He had a goal chalked for offsides and was subbed out early for some extra rest, as Gareth Bale made his way onto the pitch. Benzema dropped deep frequently against Getafe to help Real progress the ball into the final third, though his passing in the actual final third was lacking. He made some risky passes in transition when he could have kept the ball to himself. That said, Benzema’s creation was strong as usual, with three total key passes vs. Getafe.
Rating: 6.5
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RW Rodrygo Goes
Rodrygo Goes grew into the game as the proceedings went on, providing another well-rounded display on the right flank. Even if we say Fede Valverde is the best option at RW, Rodrygo is comfortably second ahead of Marco Asensio. He just offers so much more creatively and in driving at defenders, which we saw against Getafe.
The 21-year-old drew a couple of fouls and led the team with four key passes, including the assist for Lucas Vazquez’s goal. Rodrygo also completed 94 percent of his passes, as he is one of the best forwards in LaLiga when it comes to his ability in tight spaces as a passer and dribbler. A mature display.
Rating: 7.0