The change of rudder drives Real Madrid in San Mamés

Real Madrid achieved a hard-fought victory against Athletic that allowed the whites to keep up with Barça in the League and continue to recover after their debacle against the blaugranas in the Spanish Super Cup. Carlo Ancelotti’s team, with a new guard at the helm, offered a more applied and harmonious version than in his last appearances against a brave Athletic, although with wet gunpowder.

The Txingurri Valverde team hugged their opponent in the corkage of the lawsuit and submitted him at the end, but they failed to be definitive in the Courtois area and ended up paying dearly. Benzema, in the first half, confirmed his status as the rojiblancos’ black beast, and Kroos, on the horn, buried his hopes of scratching a draw that they came to caress with their fingertips.

The complicated scenario that Real Madrid faced on their visit to one of the most daring and intense teams in the championship led Ancelotti to do without Modric and Kroos in the eleven to reinforce the physical profile of his midfield. The Italian kept Camavinga as a pivot, returned Valverde to the engine room and rewarded the great performance offered by Ceballos and Asensio as a revulsion on Thursday in the Cup, getting them ready to start. Attending to meritocracy and states of form is usually a good recipe. It was recorded in San Mamés.

On the local side, the Txingurri sent in Zarraga and Vesga to support the midfield, assigned the bands to Nico and Berenguer, keeping Sancet as a striker, placed Iñaki Williams as the spearhead and associated Paredes with Vivian in the rearguard axis .

Faithful to Ernesto Valverde’s script, Athletic came out to bite with their advanced pressure on a Real Madrid who find it difficult to orchestrate the game from their cave without Alaba. Added to this deficit was the speed of the Williams brothers, whose attacks on Mendy’s side put Ancelotti’s block on the ledge. Nico had a great chance and Iñaki also launched his corresponding blow. He watered in both cases against a rival who took dregs with the passing of the minutes and polished an almost infallible talisman when facing Athletic

Benzema hunts Raul

Benzema, who had pardoned a good opportunity in the first section with a high shot after a drop shot from Mendy, took little time to inoculate his poison to the rojiblanco team, his favorite victim. Thirteen months ago, he dynamited La Catedral with a double in seven minutes. San Mamés ignored that bad drink and rewarded his formidable performance with a standing ovation. Despite this gesture full of nobility, the ‘9’ was merciless again this Sunday with the Athletic parishioners by volleying a Valverde cross into the net that he had previously hit Asensio in the neck.

It was Benzema’s nineteenth goal in the 28 rounds he has fought with the lions. A target that also had a special meaning, since it raised his tally of goals in the League to 228 and allowed him to catch up with Raúl González Blanco in fifth place among the championship’s all-time top scorers. The return to competition after the World Cup in Qatar has reactivated the Frenchman, who has added six of his team’s eleven goals after the break and once again sets the course.

The advantage relieved Real Madrid, who pulled from the lining and gave the initiative to Athletic. The locals accepted the challenge boldly, despite the risk they were assuming behind their backs. With such a disposition of the armies the figure of Nacho emerged. First warning in someone else’s area with an unsuccessful double shot and then correcting in his own when Sancet was preparing to shoot.

Ancelotti’s wake-up call for recent excesses had an effect on Real Madrid, which reduced space between the lines and gained consistency with Camavinga as anchor, Ceballos at the controls and an ubiquitous Benzema. The Frenchman, sharp again in shooting and passing, served the second to Asensio on a tray, who spoiled a free shot by finishing off too crossly. The same thing happened to Nico Williams shortly after, before Athletic established the final battle list.

Ancelotti called Modric to the ranks with the intention of strengthening the armor. Athletic turned in pursuit of the tie with the entry of Ander Herrera, Muniain and Guruzeta. The locals collected occasions, indefatigable in their efforts. Real Madrid suffered, experiencing minutes of extreme suffering against an opponent who ended up threatening by land, sea and air, albeit to no avail. Quite the opposite of Real Madrid. Therein lay the main difference.