Real Madrid were expected to face a bit of a stiff test from Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, but were well on top from the start in a dominant 5-0 win.
3 things we learned from Real Madrid’s 5-0 decimation of Athletic Bilbao
What was supposed to be a tough test for Real Madrid turned into an absolute rout.
Denis Doyle
It only took two minutes for Los Merengues to take the lead. Cristiano Ronaldo was uncontested in nodding in a Gareth Bale cross from point blank range, and Madrid had no problem dominating from there until the end. Ronaldo almost doubled Madrid's lead in the 7th minute, but Gorka Iraizoz made a great save on this close-range shot from between a defender's legs.
Iker Casillas wasn't made to do too much work, but he did his job whenever he was called upon. His best and most important save came in the 23rd minute, when he tipped a shot from Iker Muniain over the crossbar.
Just before halftime, Karim Benzema doubled Madrid's lead, heading in a corner kick to make it 2-0. At halftime, both teams made injury-related substitutions, with Ibai Gomez replacing a bloodied Beñat for Athletic and Raphael Varane coming on for Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, who picked up a knock to his back.
Ronaldo’s second goal was similar to his first, coming off a cross from Bale that led to an easy close-range finish. From there, the rout was on. Benzema’s second came in the 69th minute off a square ball from Ronaldo, who went on to complete his hat trick with a bizarre, likely unintentional goal two minutes from time that appeared to deflect off his elbow and in.
Real Madrid: Casillas, Marcelo, Ramos, Pepe, Carvajal, James, Kroos, Modric, Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale
Goals: Ronaldo (2’, 55’, 88’), Benzema (41’, 69’)
Athletic Bilbao: Iraizoz, Balenziaga, Laporte, Gurpegui, De Marcos, Rico, Iturraspe, Muniain, Beñat, Susaeta, Guillermo
Goals: None.
3 things
1. Athletic can’t defend elite wingers - Four of Madrid’s goals came from their wide players torching Athletic’s fullbacks down the wings and playing crosses into the box. Ouch.
2. Toni Kroos is overcoming his chairman's bad ideas - Toni Kroos is not a defensive midfielder, nor is anyone else in Real Madrid's squad. But Florentino Perez doesn't care about that, and persists buying big names to feed his ego, so someone has to play the role. While Kroos would be much better used higher up the pitch, he's getting better every game, and he looks more comfortable in the position than Asier Illaramendi or the departed Xabi Alonso.
3. Madrid are very much still in the league race - Being four points behind Barcelona is certainly not ideal, but that's the gap before the first Clásico. If they win that match at the end of October, it'll be nearly impossible to establish a La Liga favorite.
See More:
