Madrid discounts days without losing advantage. That is the plan of a team forced to win a League after having won it in December. Kroos and Modric did not start, soldiers for another battle, nor did Benzema appear on all four sides, but Vinicius did, who learns to play an instrument every day. This time it was a pass from outside, a touch of temperance from the right of an agitator, who brought down the walls of Getafe. Casemiro put his head so that it sounded like bossanova. Quique’s team only wanted to be resistant, little to survive at the Bernabéu. .
At the time that Ancelotti announced his eleven against Getafe, Chelsea had just given a clean set to Southampton, a middle class of English football. Who knows if there was a principle of cause-effect, but the truth is that the notice that came from the Premier coincided with the Italian’s precaution to keep Kroos and Modric out, a decision that gives vertigo even if the opponent is close to the queue and everything has a remedy in LaLiga. But Madrid walks with one eye on the Oscar and the other on the Goyas and walks the fine line that separates necessity and virtue. Surely Ancelotti would also have wanted to save Courtois and Benzema, but putting a leader in each area has brought him here by coach.
With Valverde and Camavinga, Madrid was something else: higher pressure, lower construction. What he lost there he wanted to win on the wings, with two ends stuck in the side skin. Even so, it cost him against a Getafe very good at what he did, mortifying the opponent, denying him space, using himself in every help. Annoyances like this are also legal tender in football. Another thing is that this plan also requires releasing a counter from time to time to take away the offensive desire of the opponent. In this second part he failed.
That said, and despite the presence of Enes Ünal and Mayoral, perhaps the next replacement white nine, the game went in one direction. Without putting the DRS that is usual in the Champions League, Madrid was working the duel. On the wings, with Marcelo and Vinicius on the left, who created the first chances; in the center, with a good shot from Valverde, a footballer more of avenues than alleys; on the run, with a good arrival from Lucas Vázquez. However, he did not find the real way out of the labyrinth, finding Benzema in that blue forest, because nobody like the Frenchman to handle short distances.
It was better for Vinicius, who swaying on the left wing was about to make a couple of zigzags profitable. In the end, a Getafe defender always appeared. That was going from bodyguard to bodyguard. And so he decided to try it counter-style. He took the ball on the wing, opened his horizon towards the center and put in a perfect center with the outside of his foot (coexistence with Modric has to be of some use), one of those who grab an indefensible effect, which the owner of the square, Benzema, but a second instance auctioneer, Casemiro. In plate he surpassed David Soria.
From there to the break Madrid put an acceleration. The thing was to file this case soon, inevitable between Chelsea and Chelsea. Benzema and Marcelo, who is still very useful against shallow rivals, tried it out with no luck. There was also time for Casemiro to make an absurd foul that cost him the card and miss next Sunday’s game in Seville. Continence was never his strong suit.
That shock wave had no continuity in the second part. Quique brought in Óscar and Sandro to give color to his team to no avail and Madrid put the autopilot on too early. No one is free from an accidental goal that spoils everything. He did not let go of control of the game but stepped on less area. Marcelo sent a whiplash to the side of the net and Valverde a more distant one on purpose that grazed the post.
Getafe was also cracking behind, due to fatigue or boredom. Otherwise, the second goal conceded by such a well-protected team cannot be explained. One of yours from Lucas Vázquez and Rodrygo finished off the Galician in the small area. He had time and space, something unusual in the area. He put the ball into the net with his left foot.
The goal closed the game and opened a gap for Gareth Bale, that star who lost his health, attitude and game. In that order. He hadn’t set foot in the Bernabéu for two years. There was an ovation for Benzema at the start and unmitigated whistles for the Welshman. Even in times of peace, this public does not forget the lack of commitment. There will be no silver bridge for him in his march.
Ceballos also had minutes after Ancelotti’s apology for ignoring him more than he should have. He has no future here, but this time he helped Kroos and Modric rest completely. Chelsea will once again demand that they walk to the nines.