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Real Madrid came back to third place in La Liga after an entertaining 4-2 win at Espanyol on Sunday night.
Good points
Blancos Fans bored by their team just weeks ago will have won a second 4-2 victory in four days. The opening of Karim Benzema's score with 187 seconds was the fastest goal of the season for Madrid. The collective intensity from the first whistle was a big difference from the lethargic departures that took place earlier in the campaign. The big players, Benzema, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric, are enjoying their best season, while Gareth Bale scoring on his return from injury was also a huge plus.
The negatives
A new lack of concentration in defense led Leo Baptistao and Roberto Rosales to reach the goals of Espanyol. Raphaël Varane was also sent off for a professional foul when the match seemed already long won. Captain Ramos could be injured on the knee, which is worrying, especially with Varane now facing a suspension. Teen Vinicius Junior may need rest after playing a lot lately.
Rating of the manager out of 10
8 – Benzema's first match was exactly what Santiago Solari expected of his team, pressure in the opposition half field and a direct hit. Antonio Pintus, a specialist in physical preparation, is paying off with the fitness of his team. It remains to be feared that so many players on the field will put the defense naked.
Player's Notes (1-10; 10 = Best Players Introduced After 70 Minutes Receive No Notes)
GK Thibaut Courtois, 7 – No one could do much about one or the other goal since both were beaten close to him.
DF Dani Carvajal, 7 – The first races forward from the back right indicated that Madrid was about to go for it. Former teammate Diego Lopez denied the goal in the second half, after a magical staging by Benzema, then led the ball to the goal when Espanyol was leading at the end of the match.
DF Raphael Varane, 5 – Will not be happy about his role in the goal of Baptistao, or especially of a first consecutive red card of his career in a club after falling on the wrong side of Pablo Piatti, the submarine of Espanyol .
DF Sergio Ramos, 7 – The head of a typical center-forward guided straight into the far corner for his third goal in two games to make it 2-0. Retired at halftime, presumably as a precaution, after sending a sore knee stroke as a result of Sergio Garcia 's foul of Espanyol.
DF Sergio Reguilon, 7 – Another impressive 21-year-old performance that really settled on the left side of Madrid's first choice defense. Moved to the wing when Marcelo came in the middle of a late reshuffle.
MF Luka Modric, 8 – We took advantage of the opening of the defense by Espanyol to make a shot that led to the first goal, then a clever selection for Ramos in a tight turn for the second. Back to his best now, and linked beautifully with Benzema many times.
MF Casemiro, 7 – Sharp and attentive to the midfielder base, will know that he needs to continue to play well with the doubled Marcos Llorente returns to fitness. Then replaced at the back after departure from Varane.
MF Toni Kroos, 8 years old – He returned to his first start after three weeks with an adductor muscle problem. Has shown his clbad with the key pbad in the preparation of the third goal, although his shot still looks rusty.
FW Lucas Vazquez, 6 – He overcame his usual mountain of work against his former camp, without ever really threatening to score or create anything.
FW Karim Benzema, 9 years old – Superb full performance of a player in the form of his career at the moment, training his markers in a joyous dance for most of the game. The first goal was an effort by the poacher, of whom he was often accused of not having enough, while the second was a superb curved strike after having built the movement itself.
FW Vinicius Junior, 6 – A frustrating evening for the young Brazilian, his best moment being his important role in the third goal. Now, up to 15 shots, nine on goal, without scoring in La Liga. Perhaps he was lucky that the officials did not witness a suspicious altercation with a marker Mario Hermoso.
replacements
DF Nacho, 7 – He replaced Ramos at the break and made some brutal interventions because he had more work to do than expected.
FW Gareth Bale, 8 – Upon his return from four weeks of play with a last calf muscle problem, his first involvement led him to overturn two defenders of Espanyol and to throw the ball into the net at 10 yards.
DF Marcelo, N / R – After coming late in a redistributed defense, he was slow to push up and played against Rosales, who raised the score to 2-4.
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