Real Madrid 4-2 Granada
It’s been another busy week in the soap opera that is life at Real Madrid.
A manager who admits he is under pressure but has defended his team following sub-standard showings in Europe.
A goalkeeper under the spotlight amidst the confusion.
And a side seemingly without a recognised left-back.
Yet here they are, going into the second international break of the campaign, top of La Liga.
Things are never straightforward in the Spanish capital and the goldfish bowl of Los Blancos.
Highlights of the game
For an hour there was no suggestion of a La Liga 2019 news shock as Real played like a side which was consistent enough to win three successive Champions League trophies from 2016 until last year.
That strength was outlined by the bench with manager Zinedine Zidane opting to leave James Rodriguez and Luka Modric out of the starting XI and going with an attacking front three of Gareth Bale, Eden Hazard and Karim Benzema.
Veteran goalscorer Roberto Soldado did overcome a muscle problem to start for Granada but he lasted little over an hour before being replaced by Carlos Fernandez.
That team news likely made Real even firmer favourites with the SBOBET La Liga 2019 betting odds, even though it was easy to forget this was actually an unexpected top of the table clash between the top two.
Newly promoted Granada were high flying on merit, too, with their performances including a five-match unbeaten run which featured one of the shocks of the season – a 2-0 home success over champions Barcelona.
They had conceded just one goal during that run but found themselves behind inside two minutes in the Bernabeu.
Bale delivered a sublime cross with the outside of his foot and an unmarked Benzema had the easy task of tapping the ball into the net for this sixth league goal of the season.
That was Real’s cue for a controlled first half despite losing Toni Kroos to injury (replaced by Modric), and that superiority was confirmed on the stroke of half-time when Hazard scored his first goal for the club.
It was vintage Hazard as he flicked the ball up and over the reach of Granada keeper Rui Silva.
On the hour, it seemed all over as the impressive Fede Valverde won possession and played in Hazard, whose pass found Modric and the Croatia international fired in the third.
Uruguayan midfielder Valverde really stood out in this game, making a number of key passes and providing an admirable amount of midfield energy.
However, Granada are a spirited bunch and gave the hosts one hell of a scare.
First, Darwin Machis kept his composure from the spot after Fernandez was brought down by stand-in goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
Then, a corner kick was flicked on by Antonio Puertas and Domingos Duarte stabbed the ball home at the back post.
Only when another home substitute, James Rodriguez, swept the ball home was the contest finally put to bed in stoppage time as Real breathed a huge sigh of relief.
In many ways this seemed to sum up their season so far – not all is right in the Real kingdom but they remain the league’s lone undefeated team despite some less than impressive performances.
Who knows what might happen when they find their form!
Key statistics
Madrid have won their last nine matches against Granada with clean sheets in six of those games.
Real have won all six matches at the Bernabeu by an astounding scoreline of 29-4. That includes a 9-1 hammering back in 2015, which saw Cristiano Ronaldo score a hat-trick in just eight minutes en route to his first-ever five-goal game.
They last met back in the 2016-17 season, with Real also winning by an aggregate score of 9-0 — 5-0 at home with a brace from Isco and goals from Benzema, Ronaldo and Casemiro sealing the win, as well as a 4-0 away success.
Real have also won 12 of their last 13 meetings, with Granada’s only win coming way back in 2013.
Granada’s only ever win at the Bernabeu was in 1974.
This match saw Valverde provide his first assist in all competitions after 55 appearances (25 for Deportivo and 30 for Real).
What’s next?
Real face three away games on the bounce following the international break.
Next up is Mallorca in La Liga (October 19), then it’s a trip to Turkey to meet Galatasaray in the Champions League (October 22) and the first El Clasico of the season against Barcelona (October 26).
Granada are next in action at home to Osasuna (October 18) and then host Real Betis the following weekend.
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