Rodrygo has a great time

It seemed petulant, but in reality it was a correct reading of the game. Ancelotti came out with six regular substitutes, kept his colonels and chewed few gums. He understood that Madrid would win this game regardless of who put up and it happened, because Elche came out with a white flag in hand. His miracle did not go through the Bernabéu. It was very soft behind and benign in front. A bargain for some madridistas wanting to progress. Rodrygo, without going any further, had a great time in Vinicius’ garden, Benzema took the sting out of the Bernabéu with two goals, Ceballos and Asensio accumulated renewal coupons, Alaba and Camavinga had a good time in different roles than usual and the fans demanded Modric’s renewal.

As the classification does not deceive, Elche went out on the ground. And since the calendar does not deceive, Madrid looked behind the gamewhere a few ‘eight thousand’ await him. The thing was in an eleven to shoot Militao, Alaba and Benzemawho leave the infirmary, to refresh Modric (Kroos was disabled by gastroenteritis without the need for Ancelotti to do it) and to experiment with the puppies. The Italian set up an unprecedented midfield, with Valverde and Ceballos as midfielders and Camavinga as a pivot. The Frenchman is looking for his place in the world. That roaming accompanies footballers that are difficult to define and this is it. It looks good but it is not clear for what. And above, on the sides, Asensio and Rodrygo, who is better on the left, but only Vinicius steps on there.

Also Elche understood that this was not their war. Not in the eleven, which seemed the best possible in the absence of Boyé, touched during the week and who started on the bench, but in attitude. He was well explained in the goal that opened the game. Asensio received on the three-quarter line, Raúl Guti and Magallán, very polite with the Spaniard, made him a corridor and the left-footed shot was unstoppable for Badia. The last national memory of Madrid was Mallorca, in a sandpaper match. This Elche must have seemed to him from another League. Especially Asensio, that footballer who often loses the duen without losing the goal.

monocolor party

The match was a bath and massage for the whites. The weakness of Elche and the vitamin of the Club World Cup helped. Winning always feeds self-esteem.

Rodrygo left no doubt that the left is his band, with very different records from Vinicius. The stealth and the noise. The modesty and the excess. Two ways to reach the goal. The best of the first half was invented by him and failed by Benzema. Two sweet deliveries from the Brazilian went to the Frenchman with a missed heel shot and a deflected header.

Enlarge

Madrid did not dare to process the game urgently, despite its overwhelming superiority, and Elche decided to collaborate with the cause. In a header from Benzema who, in the best of cases, was going for assistance, Roco put his right hand in to commit a free penalty. His repentant gesture at the moment of hitting the ball was a flat confession. Benzema converted the penalty to settle part of his debt with the Bernabéu. The best of an irregular year has been saved for the outings.

Enlarge

Elche saved pending lawsuits. He did not shoot on goal until after half an hour, which kept the problem of Madrid’s central defenders under the rug. This time, by the way, They both played in better shape, Militao and Nacho. Camavinga has everything: deployment, enthusiasm, courage, a certain lack of control. With his things, the Bernabéu has decided to love him. At the moment, more than Tchouameni, who until now has had a bland point. The lawsuit, if there ever was one, was closed on the edge of the break with another penalty. Penalty to be exact. Rodrygo’s break was great, but he did more for contact than Diego González leaving his right leg in his way just in case. Benzema repeated.

Ceballos and Modric

The second half was of little use. Of course, Badia demonstrated his innocence in the Elche situation. In just twenty minutes he took two goals from Rodrygo, who was tap dancing in the area, and another two from Benzema and Asensio, who had wide sleeves between a defense that had already lost much of the fuselage. Pape Cheikh, a former Celta youth squad, who had signed up 24 hours earlier, also made his debut at Elche. When all is lost nothing is lost by trying everything. She went out to pass a test, not to remedy the irremediable.

The score, what is to come and the passage of time have taken Madrid’s joy away. So he was spacing out his opportunities. TO lack of emotion, the stands adopted a vindictive tone: they applauded wildly the entry of Modric and the departure of Ceballos, renewed by the fans, still on the air for the club. The Croatian thanked him with a flag goal, a right hand to the squad.

They also had for a while the forgotten Odriozola and Mariano (it will take time to see them again) and Sergio Arribas, express scorer in Rabat and the youth squad closest to the first team. Ancelotti had time, in short, to make a good impression with everyone before the road gets steep.