Benzema prolongs the Real Madrid party

Real Madrid continues with the direct goal and He is already co-leader of the League, with the same games played as Real Sociedad although with two more than Atlético, his teammates at the top of the table. A double in the second half of Benzema, king of the heights who already counts the same goals in the First Division that a finisher as consummate in that luck as Raúl García, gave the third consecutive victory in the championship to Zidane’s team, the fourth also counting his triumph last week against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Champions League, and left without the prize of the draw a proud Athletic who had sought it as consolation, after spending almost the entire match in numerical inferiority due to an early expulsion precisely from the Navarrese attacker.

In addition to three points that reinforce their credentials and prolong the state of happiness that Valdebebas lives, the clash against Athletic served to confirm that Zidane has found his seat belt. He did not loosen it even against a rival in the middle of the table. The second unit is trading down, a logical result of the loud bumps it collects. Hence, the Frenchman only introduced a change with respect to the derby, and due to force majeure: Valverde for the suspended Casemiro. Not in vain was Athletic in front, a true classic that, moreover, was demanded at Di Stéfano.

The doubt remained whether the whites would maintain the mentality that allowed them to save three ‘match-balls’ at a stroke, once the drama that almost always encourages them to offer their best version had been eliminated. They soon dispelled it by adjusting to those Cartesian axes that guided their performance in the fantastic week: rhythm in the movement of the ball, continuous aids and skill in the fold.

Orderly and intense in pressure, Athletic closed the starting spaces well for Real Madrid, but the lions immediately exploded the plan with two yellows to Raúl García. The Navarrese’s entrances to Kroos filled the patience of Gil Manzano, who sent the rojiblanco to the booth. Less than a quarter of an hour into the game and Garitano’s team had to play outnumbered. Gross miscalculation coming from a footballer of such hierarchy and experience.

Athletic recounted to weather the storm. Two lines of four very close together, with Williams as a popcorn, and to resist as he could. The approach bothered Real Madrid for a good stretch, bottled by the center. A shot too crossed by Valverde to pass from Mendy was the first local flash. Two more would arrive just before half-time: a cross by Modric that Vinicius, in a doubtful position, failed to hock, and a dead ball in the small area that Valverde could not bring to the net either. And when Athletic was already caressing the truce, Kroos appeared with a cannon shot from outside the area that shattered the fort that the visitors had defended so hard.

Wasted effort

A slipstream on the scoreboard for one of those psychological goals and with one less, Athletic grew up in adversity. Capa came out bravely, teamed up with De Marcos while the whites attended his advance with a timid attitude and defined the side that, in the second instance, after Courtois repelled his first shot, won the prize for his insistence.

The first loss of Real Madrid in more than 300 minutes returned the whites to the starting point and with time pressing. Zidane retired Valverde and Vinicius, to reel Asensio and Isco, back to the green after remaining three unpublished matches. Garitano responded by enrolling Vesga and Villalibre for Vencedor and Williams.

The changes hardly altered the script of the duel, but the emergencies did. The set piece, so effective in the past for Athletic, was in this case the weapon that Real Madrid clung to, to gain the advantage again. Asensio threw a corner, Carvajal picked up the crown of the area and put it on the head of Benzema, who beat Unai Simón by biting the ball. Athletic is the favorite victim of the lionés, who once again surpassed the goalkeeper of the Spanish team to put the sentence on the horn. He has scored thirteen goals in his career in white for the lions, more than any other First team.