Real Madrid returned from the international break with their minds on their Champions League debut coming up and, even more, on their match against Barcelona next weekend, ‘El Clásico’. However, today they had to face Cádiz, and mistakes and lack of focus are paid against Álvaro Cervera´s team.
Real Madrid started their match with a terrible lack of energy and motivation: static forward, too slow when falling back, and no attitude at all. On the other side, Cádiz went out way more focused on their duty and created lots of scoring chances in the first half.
Sergio Ramos saved the first one from the goal line in the 2nd minute and Cervera´s squad, boosted by strikers ‘El Choco’ and Negredo, had already attempted four times. But no words or complaints were heard on the pitch at all from Real. Their faces said it all: zero intensity. This way, Choco made justice by beating Courtois in the 17th minute after a great assist by Negredo.
Physical and tactical display from Cádiz was perfect, and opportunities kept coming. No doubt the best thing for Madrid was that they only trailed by one goal at halftime.
Substitutions did not work:
Zidane is not known as a coach to make multiple substitutions, but his team performance was calling for it. Isco, Ramos (injured), Lucas Vázquez and Modric were off after the break; Casemiro, Asensio, Militão and Valverde went in.
Minutes passed by and the equalizer wouldn´t come. Cádiz closed up every gap and Madrid crashed themselves against the yellow wall over and over. Time was running out. If Zidane´s team did not play at all in the first half, they did not have any other chance but crossing and crossing in the second. However, there was a player who read what the game was demanding properly: Karim Benzema. The French stepped out of his comfort zone and created danger, but reaction came late. Fair and sad defeat for Real only a week before ‘El Clásico’.
Brilliant and historical Cádiz:
It is hard to mention someone at Cádiz who stood out above the others. Cervera´s squad have given a huge football lesson as a team. Despite Madrid´s final minutes bombarding the box, they showed themselves pretty comfortable on defense and never lost focus from the game. Negredo and ‘El Choco’ won most of their battles forward, and the Jønsson-José Mari´s duo held Madrid´s midfield back. The Yellows have competed a very difficult task: apart from making Real look an average team, they ended scoreless. Cádiz earn three historical points and this team´s job is not going unnoticed.
