A win is a win, but the almost deafening silence that greeted the final whistle was an indication of exactly what the crowd felt about Real Madrid’s performance. Again, Mourinho’s men failed to turn it on in front of their fans, but all Mourinho will care about are the three points, especially against a team that is renowned for making life difficult against the big guns.
Real Madrid Vs Mallorca: Benzema Strike Enough For All Three Points in 1-0 Win
Mallorca deserve an enormous amount of respect for the way they approached the match. Without fear, it was clear Laudrup’s side had come to the Bernabeu looking for the win, and in players like Webo, Nsue and Chori Castro, they had players who could cause problems with the Madrid backline. Where Mallorca really impressed was in midfield, as Gago and Granero, a surprise midfield pairing for Madrid, simply couldn’t cope with the industry shown by Sergio Tejera and Joao Victor.
Half time saw Mourinho switch things around, with Xabi Alonso and Mesut Ozil coming on, but up until Benzema scored the only goal of the match, Mallorca had looked the more threatening of the two sides. With Gonzalo Higuain out for several months and with the transfer window close to closing, the goal with do the world of good for Benzema, who still struggles to impose himself on matches. The goal was top drawer, a rare flash of the undoubted quality he posseses, but if the striker wants to succeed at Real Madrid he needs to produce these moments week in week out.
While Cristiano almost made it 2-0 with a stooping header that hit the crossbar, and Benzema having a couple of guilt-edged chances to make the points safe, Mallorca came close to an equaliser with almost the last kick of the match, but Webo’s point-blank shot was saved by the legs of Iker Casillas. Unconvincing and hardly the sort of performance the Bernabeu craves, but three points which allows Madrid to continue in their dogged pursuit of Barca.
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