Real Madrid had to work hard to beat a good Granada in the City of Valdebebas (2-0). Casemiro was the protagonist in both areas in the white triumph. The Portuguese midfielder was the author of a possible penalty when, with the score still without goals, he grabbed Yangel Herrera by the shirt when he was just stepping on the white area to finish off a cross. Neither the Valencian referee Martínez Munuera nor the VAR considered that the action should be sanctioned, but the players of the Andalusian team and their coach, Diego Martínez – who would soon be warned – protested the play. The action was in vain and, after the break, Casemiro ended up opening the can shortly before the hour mark of the game with a powerful header after a good cross from Marco Asensio.
The Mallorcan footballer, in fact, was the best of his team. Despite not starting, Rodrygo’s injury in the first half meant the entry of Marco Asensio. The former Mallorca man, who had lost his place at eleven after a series of disappointing performances, signed his redemption yesterday in the eyes of Zinedine Zidane. In fact, he was very close to the goal in an action in which his shot ended up on the post.
Although Granada, intense and hardworking, complicated things for Real Madrid, Casemiro’s goal allowed the whites to have more control of the game once they overcame the pressure to advance on the scoreboard. Diego Martínez sought the reaction of his team giving entrance to several attacking players. Colombian striker Luis Suárez, veteran striker Jorge Molina and Alberto Soro, a winger, came in with good intentions, but a pragmatic and effective Madrid left little room for their rival. Only a possible hand, again, from Casemiro, to a shot by Antonio Puertas seemed to give hope to Granada, but the refereeing team also did not consider it worthy of being whistled. Finally, at the last minute, Benzema, who is living a sweet moment, signed the sentence.
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