Real Madrid – Barcelona (2-0): Mariano, hero in 50 seconds | LaLiga Santander 2019

After 44 minutes in the Super Cup, he punishes Bara, who wanted to sign him, as soon as he entered the field. “He is the third striker,” says Zidane

At the end of September 2018, just three days after that brilliant 3-0 against Rome, the yawns at the Bernabu became a unanimous cry to ease the boredom against Espanyol: Mariaaaano!! The striker comes to amaze with a great goal in the Champions League and Julen Lopetegui I accepted the popular request. However, in that half hour, the heir of 7 Cristiano Ronaldo could not repeat successful auctioneer. Nor later, given that in his next 12 League games and four Champions League games he only converted three goals. At the orders of Zinedine ZidaneIts progress seemed so stagnant that the transfer option was handled as more than feasible last summer.

It is worth the bitterness of the precedents to better understand what the classic supposed on Sunday for Mariano Daz, author of 2-0 in the time added. With the 24 behind, forgotten and any heavy load of the 7, had entered the lawn a minute before to replace Karim Benzema. Given the narrowness of the result, the Bernabu barely noticed his presence. However, it was a very relevant moment for Barcelona: nothing less than his first minutes of this season in LaLiga.

“He is the third striker”

The inexplicable designs of football smiled at Mariano, one of those players who must carve out in each training what others reach with mere talent. He is the third striker of this team, clarified Zinedine Zidane, aware that this goal will not suddenly change his status in the squad. The French, who had left out of the call to Luka Jovic By technical decision, I prefer to send a message to the rest of the meritories. Mariano has not had many minutes so far, but I'm very happy for his goal. Today he had the opportunity and he has done very well. I will continue to count on everyone because they fight throughout the week and deserve this kind of opportunity.

Mariano's indefatigable spirit, of course, should serve as an example to Luka Jovic or James Rodrguez, both outside the call by technical decision. The alarming introspection of the Serbian, inside and outside the lawn, added to the parsimony of the Colombian, almost always plunged into the abulia, contrast with the involvement of the Barcelons, who until now had only had 44 minutes in the Supercup, against Valencia and Atletico . An ankle sprain frustrated his Champions debut against Bruges and various injuries further truncated his plans for the past few weeks. In the winter market, Madrid had returned to study various offers, although the most surprising comes from its hometown. As this newspaper reported, the interest of Barcelona was finally frustrated due to its five million salary and the subsequent commitment of Quique Setin by Martin Braithwaite. To add more pepper to the matter, the dans was stunned before Thibaut Courtouis in his clear chance for 1-1. The three points remained in Chamartn and Real Madrid recovered the gallarda of who is seen again in front of the table.

The calendar

The triumph gives us a raise, moral, because it has been a complicated week and it has been an opportunity to change that, Zidane admitted, more than satisfied with the improvement after the break, concretized in the quality of Toni Kroos and the incessant laboriousness of Casemiro with the broom. We deserve it for everything we have done offensively and defensively. This is what I highlight today, our strength, first is to defend together and then we know that at any moment we can have opportunities to score goals and the second part has been very clear for us. The first part has been matched, our pressure above was not perfect and in the second it was much better, analyzed Zizou about those waves of Fede Valverde They spurred the entire stadium. Of course, the final images of Marcelo, celebrating as a possessed the clearing that truncated the possible 1-1 of Leo Messi, show the growth of Madrid after the break. Now the duel back at El Etihad Stadium is looked more optimistically. Waiting for what happens with Eden Hazard, which may go through the operating room in the next few hours, the horizon suddenly looks much more encouraging.

Zidane, obviously, must opt ​​for prudence. Triumph means nothing. We have to continue in what we believe, because it will be complicated until the end, predicting the French, aware of all the curves waiting for a leader with only a margin point. In the remaining 12 days, six of them in Bernabu, Madrid must still travel to San Sebastin (April 5) or Bilbao (May 3) and receive Valencia (March 22) or Getafe (April 26). The rest seems somewhat simpler. Meanwhile, Barcelona visits Pizjun (April 5) and La Cermica (May 3) and receives Athletic and the Atletico at Camp Nou on April 12 and 26.