Espanyol vs Real Madrid 0-6
Three things we learned:
1. Ronaldo's still got it
Some talk in the past few weeks of a slump had entered the Madrid sphere with fans and critics alike wondering if Ronaldo's numbers will take a dip this season. Credit it to his drive or a poor Espanyol defense, but the #7 quieted that talk today with a masterclass in finishing. Five goals on seven shots with an assist to boot, not a bad way to get on track. Basically, Ronaldo did this.
2. The offense is varied, and this is very encouraging
This goal by Benzema is reminiscent of 2011's counterattacks and it all started with an excellent Bale throughball. Ronaldo's fourth was almost a carbon copy. However, Madrid also looked threatening in possession and with patient build-up play. Last year the offense stagnated late and relied too heavily on crosses, this year it seems to have more variety. Will this last remains to be seen, but early signs are highly promising.
3. The defense is looking... better
Some nervy moments aside, the back four held up their end of the bargain versus a decent pairing of Caicedo and Moreno. The former did manage to bully Ramos off the ball early on, but Espanyol's chances were few and far in between. Madrid could stand to improve its passing at the back and limit individual brain farts like we saw with Ramos early but it'll do for today. A better opponent will provide more of a test but there's no way anyone can complain about three clean sheets to open the season.
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