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Alex KirklandGAMES GAMES
Real Madrid guarantee a win 2-0 in Real Valladolid like Karim Benzema scored two late goals including a penalty to keep them one point away Barcelona at the top of LaLiga on Friday.
Ballon d’Or winner Benzema returns to starting line-up after missing World Cup because Franceinjured his thigh the day before the tournament started.
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In the 83rd minute, Real was awarded a penalty after a handball situation. Javi Sanchezwith Benzema converting the penalty.
Benzema doubled Madrid’s lead in injury time after a substitute’s assist Eduardo Camavinga.
JUMP TO: Player Rating | Best/worst performer | Highlights and remarkable moments | Quotes after the game | main statistics | upcoming match schedule
rapid response
1. Benzema’s brace starts to prove himself again
If Real Madrid beat Barcelona to win LaLiga, they will need Karim Benzema in top form, something we haven’t seen this season. His performance at Valladolid on Friday was a slow start to getting there. This is not a Ballon d’Or winner at his highest level – far from it – but when the final whistle blew, it was his two goals that gave Madrid all three points, helping they lead the rankings with Barca. play on Saturday.
After being sent home by France before the World Cup started, it is hoped that Benzema’s injury time on the training ground in Valdebebas – combined with a burning desire to remind everyone why he was honored as the best player in the world two months ago – will see he is finally firing at full capacity after a stoppage start, an injury that has caused disappointment for a season. It may have been wishful thinking, and in the first half, Benzema was like a player trying to find himself. His 17th-minute shot went over the bar after vinixius‘ low effort was saved by Jordi Masipis the kind of opportunity he should really bury.
Even so, Benzema’s patience is endless – his extreme form over the past few years has helped him get there – and his coolly taken penalty. in the second half, followed by another finish six minutes later, proved invaluable for Madrid on the night. They’ll hope it’s a sign of things to come.
2. Madrid has not accelerated after the World Cup break
After another 50 days, it is unlikely that Madrid will immediately return to their best form. While most teams had Copa del Rey matches last week to help kick-start LaLiga’s return, Madrid – along with Barca Super Cup contenders, Real Betis and Valencia – has not played football since mid-November, with two friendlies without spectators against Leganes and Getafe Their only chance to experience anything close to the right conditions.
The result can be seen for most of the match against Valladolid. Yes, Madrid should have had a penalty because defender Javi Sanchez let the ball touch, and Benzema had a chance in the first half to take the lead, but the hosts also had their moments, with Goalie Thibaut Courtois stretch all the way to stop the midfielder Álvaro Aguado from raising the score to 1-0. In the second half, Madrid created few clear chances, with plenty of danger coming from Valladolid at the other end, up to Benzema’s 83rd-minute penalty.
There is plenty of room for improvement and that will come with game time, with a packed schedule involving LaLiga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa and the Club World Cup over the next two months.
3. Asensio, Ceballos failed to reach new contract
Games like this — with teammates Aurelien TchouameniEduardo Camavinga and Luka Modric only recently returned from featuring in the later stages of the World Cup – precisely those occasions when fringe players like Dani Ceballos and Marco Asensio should take advantage if they want to convince the club to offer them new contracts, with their current contracts expiring at the end of the season.
Both players must have enough talent and experience to dominate a match like this – they would certainly be starters for most teams in LaLiga – but again, they give their all. few. Both were involved in Madrid’s first-half penalty appeal but faded quickly and were substituted long before the end.
They will need to offer significantly more to convince the club that they have something to offer beyond next summer.
Player Rating
RealMadrid: Thibaut Courtois 8; Dani Carvajal 6, Antonio Rudiger 7, david alaba 6, Ferland Mendy 6; Toni Kroos 7, Dani Ceballos 6, Fede Valverde 7; Marco Asensio 6, Vinicius Junior 7, Karim Benzema 8.
Prep: Rodrygo goes 6, Lucas Vazquez 7, Eduardo Camavinga 8, Luka Modric 6, Aurelien Tchouameni 6.
Real Valladolid: Jordi Masip 8; Ivan Fresneda 7, Joaquin Fernandez 6, Javi Sanchez 5, Sergio Escudero 6; Monchu 6, Roque Mesa 7, Álvaro Aguado 6; Ivan Sánchez 6, Academy Award Plano 7, Sergio Leon 5.
Prep: Gonzalo Plata 6, Kike Perez 6, Luis Perez 6, Kennedy 6, Shon Weissman 5.
Best and worst performers
Player of the Year: Karim Benzema, Real Madrid.
It wasn’t his best performance, but you can’t argue with his two goals.
Worst performer: Javi Sanchez, Real Valladolid.
Once let the ball touch his hand inside the box, only to be fouled again later. It was not the greatest night for Real Madrid’s young product.
Highlights and remarkable moments
Before the game, the teams paid their respects to Pele, who passed away on Monday at the age of 82.
Real Madrid honors Pelé before the game ❤️🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/4jo1WyzhUl
– FC GAME (@ESPNFC) December 30, 2022
Vinicius looks on from the pitch at the moment, while Ronaldo (the major shareholder of Real Valladolid) looks from the stands.
After the game: What the player/manager said
Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti, on Karim Benzema’s match: “It will be good for him, he looks good to me before this game, we know he will be important today. He looks very dynamic and confident. In the second part of the season. , we’ll see another Karim in the first part.”
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibault Courtois keeps a clean sheet: “Keeping a clean sheet today was good for us. In other games, if you win 3-0, of course you want that, but I’d rather win 3-1 or 3-2 than 0-0. . like a draw for a long time, there were some excellent saves by both goalkeepers.”
Ancelotti, on Courtois’ performance: “It was a tough game against an opponent that came in bit by bit. After the first half, when we played well, Valladolid played well and it was a competitive game. We didn’t defend. well, the team wasn’t tight either, but in this difficult situation we got three points, with a great game by Courtois, a great game by Benzema, so we ended up a good game. It’s been a good year. We have players in different conditions and little by little we have to get them all in good condition.”
Courtois, on the handball decision: “It’s a bit strange, but in the end handball, even at the World Cup, we didn’t understand what was handball and what was not. I thought that was obvious, but unfortunately for Javi, it was high. and he didn’t miss the ball. Those are stupid penalties but they are penalties.”
Key stats (powered by ESPN Stats & Information research)
– It was Karim Benzema’s second double of the season and the first since last August 28 Espanyol.
Next
RealMadrid: A Copa del Rey match against fourth-tier team Cacereno on January 3 before the next trip Villarreal in LaLiga action on January 7.
Real Valladolid: Faced second tier team Alaves in a Copa del Rey match on January 4, and then met Mallorca on January 7 during the tournament match.
