MADRID, Dec 2, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Real Madrid’s revival under Santiago
Solari appears to be back on track after they moved up to fifth in La Liga
with a 2-0 win over Valencia on Saturday.
An own-goal from Valencia’s Daniel Wass gave Madrid an early lead before
Lucas Vazquez added a late second to wrap up their sixth win in seven games
under their new coach.
The 3-0 thrashing by Eibar last weekend, in Solari’s first official game
in charge, had placed the depth of the recovery in doubt but this was another
assured display to back up an impressive Champions League win over Roma in
midweek.
“We did not play well against Eibar but we were good in Rome, and we were
really good today,” Solari said.
Madrid move two points behind Barcelona and only three adrift of leaders
Sevilla, albeit with both still to play on Sunday. Valencia stay 13th.
Marcelino’s side, attempting a comeback of sorts themselves after a poor
start to the season, offered disappointingly little, save for a 20-minute
spell at the start of the second half.
“We deserved to equalise,” Marcelino said. “For a long time in the second
half we were better than Real Madrid.”
Otherwise, their opponents controlled the contest and while Gareth Bale’s
league drought stretched to 10 games, his longest ever, the Welshman played a
lead role in an energetic performance before coming off in the second half.
He appeared to signal some discomfort with his right thigh when sitting on
the bench, with Solari confirming afterwards that Bale had “felt a problem”.
The Santiago Bernabeu was almost packed out, eight days before Boca
Juniors and River Plate are due to play here in the postponed second leg of
the Copa Libertadores final.
With La Liga still pushing for Barcelona’s game against Girona to be
staged in Miami, there was perhaps something to be savoured in two Spanish
teams, in a Spanish competition, playing in a Spanish stadium.
Isco is one of Spain’s primary talents but is still to be picked in a
starting line-up by Solari.
This was the midfielder’s seventh consecutive game out of the side and
while he came on to cheers, 10 minutes with Madrid already ahead were only
crumbs for comfort.
Bale seemed more pinned to the left wing than he has been for a long time
and he rolled back the years with a straight run down the line before
whipping in an early cross. Karim Benzema’s ambitious volley sailed just
wide.
Madrid had made much the better start and in the eighth minute, took the
lead.
Wass headed into his own net but Dani Carvajal led the celebrations. He
kept the ball alive before rummaging past Gabriel Paulista and Jose Gaya. The
flicked cross gave Wass too little time to react.
Valencia made hardly any impact on the half, pressed and harried into
submission. Neto skewed a clearance under pressure but then made up for his
error by denying Bale from close range.
Fortunate only to be one behind, Valencia improved after the break. Santi
Mina blazed over with only Thibaut Courtois to beat. Gaya’s cutback was
slightly misplaced. Paulista volleyed over on the stretch from three yards.
Bale was replaced by Marco Asensio, who should have given Madrid breathing
space but his finish was blocked by Ezequiel Garay.
Isco came off the bench in the 80th minute and played a part in the second
goal. The excellent Carvajal was again the instigator, setting off on a
barnstorming break forward before exchanging with Isco and crossing.
In the rush, Benzema did well to pick out Vazquez, who poked home to
complete a convincing win.