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Benzema ensures Madrid bounce back with impressive win over Sevilla
MADRID, Sept 23, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Real Madrid eased the pressure on
Zinedine Zidane and delivered a resounding response to their loss to Paris
Saint-Germain by winning 1-0 away at high-flying Sevilla in La Liga on
Sunday.
Karim Benzema headed in the decisive goal at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan to
secure an impressive victory against a Sevilla side that were unbeaten and
hoping to return to the top of the table.
Instead, it is Madrid that go level on points with Athletic Bilbao in
first place after a controlled and determined performance that was by some
distance their best since Zidane’s return as coach in March.
“We have had a quite difficult time but the players reacted,” Zidane said.
His position had come under scrutiny after Madrid’s woeful 3-0 defeat by
PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday, a result that continued their bumpy
start to the season, following a turbulent summer in the transfer market.
But this win should do wonders for belief and leaves Barcelona as Spain’s
chief club in crisis, with Ernesto Valverde under pressure after they were
beaten 2-0 by Granada on Saturday. Madrid are now four points clear of the
Catalans after five games played.
“I am very happy as people have been questioning us a lot,” said Zidane.
“But we don’t think much about that. We played 90 minutes at a very high
level in a difficult stadium. We must congratulate all the players.”
Not for the first time this season, Zidane singled out Gareth Bale for
praise. “Today hard work was the key,” he said. “The effort made by James,
Gareth, all of them.”
Sevilla’s newly-installed coach Julen Lopetegui was sacked by Madrid 11
months ago, 139 days after taking the job that cost him the chance to lead
Spain at the World Cup.
He insisted on Saturday there was no desire for revenge but it is hard to
imagine victory would not have brought a little extra satisfaction.
Zidane was asked about his own future as well, several times, and while he
maintained he still feels the full backing of the club, there was a warning
too. If support dwindles, he said, “then it would probably be best to leave”.
– Lopetegui booked –
But for all the problems — a dreadful pre-season, signings and sales
missed, poor performances against Real Valladolid, Villarreal, Levante and
PSG — Madrid now sit second, buoyed by a display that may yet prove a
springboard for games to come.
A frantic opening half an hour made for an engrossing contest but there
were few chances, as Lopetegui earned himself a booking for beckoning Gareth
Bale to be shown a yellow card.
Real Madrid probably just shaded the first period and had its two best
chances as Eden Hazard was slipped in by Benzema, only to be denied by Tomas
Vaclik on the angle, before Dani Carvajal was sent clear by James Rodriguez
but this time Vaclik’s right foot blocked the defender’s finish.
There was little in it, as Bale’s excellent cross almost found James at
the back post shortly after half-time while Luuk de Jong went close with a
header, prompting Carvajal to hack the ball clear at the far post.
Still, Madrid looked more likely and so it proved as Raphael Varane won
back possession high up, allowing Bale to thread Carvajal in behind. He dug
out a cross, which Benzema met brilliantly, rising high to head home his
fifth goal of the season.
Sevilla might have equalised but De Jong headed wide under pressure from
Carvajal and then Javier Hernandez did score, in the 87th minute, poking in
at the near post, only for the assistant to raise his flag.
Bale could have made it two late on but hit the side-netting from an acute
angle. One was enough.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1555HRS