MADRID (AFP) - Zinedine Zidane brought Real Madrid's outcasts in from the cold and they repaid him with a win over Celta Vigo on Saturday (March 16) but La Liga's title race could well be over after Atletico Madrid were beaten by Athletic Bilbao.
Isco and Gareth Bale each scored in Madrid's 2-0 victory over Celta before Atletico lost 2-0 at San Mames, giving Barcelona the chance to go 10 points clear if they overcome Real Betis on Sunday.
Barca's superiority has been clear for some time but Zidane's new era is up and running. Isco, who had not started a single league game under Santiago Solari, gave Real the lead shortly after the hour and Bale got the goal his own committed display deserved to put sorry Celta out of sight.
Bale was teed up by Marcelo, who was also dropped by Solari but recalled, while Keylor Navas pulled off a superb save in the first half, having been brought back in ahead of Thibaut Courtois.
"Nobody can erase what these players have done," Zidane about those players he recalled. "I will count on everyone."
The victory ends a run of four consecutive home defeats for Madrid and means they are now two points behind Atletico, nine back on Barca.
That deficit will surely prove too big to close but Zidane's job was to restore morale in the 11 league games that are left and to find out what, and who, needs changing in the summer.
Â
"My team-talk was really simple," Zidane said.
"I told them to have fun, to play, to run together and to be united when we don't have the ball. When we have it, let's have fun, and that's what we did."
At times, it felt like a pre-season fixture, not just because of the baking hot sun but the relaxed atmosphere and the sense this is now a team on trial.
Bale, whose relationship with Zidane deteriorated to breaking point last season, was arguably the biggest winner, his performance proving there could yet be a place for him in what the club's president Florentino Perez has dubbed "the glorious new era".
Marcelo impressed too while Courtois might well wonder what his next couple of months hold, given Navas, an old favourite of Zidane, looks to be back in favour.
"There are 10 games left, today Keylor played, on another day it could be Thibaut," Zidane said.
"Real Madrid needs two or three great goalkeepers. We'll see what happens next year."
BALE RATTLES CROSSBAR
There was a cosy feeling at the Santiago Bernabeu, where fans had a new song to the tune of Hey Jude, replaced by Zizou, and cheered their new coach's name when it was announced before kick-off.
Bale came closest to scoring in the first half with an acrobatic scissor-kick that crashed against the crossbar and later teed up Karim Benzema to tap in, only for the referee to book the Welshman for a foul in the build-up.
Celta found chances on the break but never looked liked converting. Maxi Gomez, with only Ramos to beat, curled wide while Sofiane Boufal's finish had to be blocked on the line by Marcelo as Madrid were again caught upfield.
Benzema's goal was ruled out just before half-time and Luka Modric had one chalked off just after, this time VAR intervening to show Raphael Varane offside and close enough to be deemed active.
Isco's influence had diminished and Dani Ceballos was ready to replace him just before he scored the opening goal. Asensio made it, a superb run allowing Benzema to cross and Isco to bundle in.
There was still time for Bale to add a second, his touch making space for the shot after Marcelo had slipped him clear. The ball hit the post and then the net.
After going out of the Champions League to Juventus on Tuesday, Atletico's miserable week continued as they were undone by two late goals in Bilbao.
Jose Gimenez was at fault for the opener, gifting the ball to Inigo Cordoba who found Inaki Williams at the back post. Gimenez was unfortunate for the second too, as Kenan Kodro's shot deflected off his foot on its way in, leaving Barcelona with one hand on the trophy.
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 31, 2019, with the headline 'Start off well, Solskjaer tells United after winning run ends'. Print Edition
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer misses out on history as Man Utd winning
Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller has expressed his anger following Germany manager Joachim Low's decision to axe both him and two of his World Cup winning team-mates from the national team.
World Cup winner Thomas Muller blasts Loew for 'bad taste
Phil Neville says England Women need to be ruthless. By Adam Goodwin White finish put the Lionesses 2-0 up in a first half they controlled, before their levels dropped and Scotland pulled one
Phil Neville: England boss to be 'ruthless' when picking
"Neymar Jr will travel to Aspetar (sports clinic) in Qatar for the next 3 days as scheduled in the initial recovery plan," the club wrote on its Twitter account. "He will undertake a complete assessment after six weeks of his injury. He will be accompanied by a medical team from PSG."
Neymar heads to Qatar for medical assessment | Sport24
Ole aiming for European glory LONDON • Manchester United can ride their resurgence to mount a realistic challenge for the Champions League, said Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is edging closer to becoming the club's permanent manager.
Man Utd manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer opens up on why his job
EIBAR, Spain (AFP) - Atletico Madrid needed Thomas Lemar to come off the bench and score an 85th-minute winner against Eibar on Saturday (April 20) as they stretched their lead over Real Madrid to
Atletico extend lead over Real with narrow win over Eibar
Palace rout Leicester to step up pressure on Puel | Pictures
Everton avoided a third consecutive Premier League home defeat as Kurt Zouma's header and a late goal by Dominic Calvert-Lewin earned them a flattering 2-0 victory against Bournemouth at a rainy Goodison Park on Sunday.
Soccer: Everton ride luck for 2-0 home victory over Bournemouth
Bangladesh FIFA Official Arrested For ''Defaming'' Prime
Kane making 'fantastic' recovery, says Spurs boss Pochettino Mauricio Pochettino says Harry Kane is making a "fantastic" recovery and could be back in action ahead of schedule following the ankle injury he suffered last month against Manchester United.
Football: Kane making 'fantastic' recovery, says Spurs boss
Liverpool held at Everton to surrender top spot in Premier League. Liverpool's Adam Lallana (center) and Everton's Seamus Coleman battle it out for possession. City by a point at the top of
Liverpool Held at Everton to Surrender Top Spot in Premier
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists the Premier League title race is something to get excited about rather than stressed about despite seeing his side overhauled by Manchester City in the past
Klopp excited by Premier League title fight - worldfootball.net
how to watch uefa champions league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming without cable
where to watch free live soccer streaming online
watch premier league live streaming youtube
watch soccer games online free streaming live
watch premier league live streaming zimbabwe
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming free
soccer tv live football streaming portugal
watch soccer live streaming mobile
live football watch free live football streaming free soccer
watch soccer live stream app
watch premier league live streaming jamaica
watch coppa america live streaming match
watch coppa america live streaming jamaica
watch usa soccer live stream online
watch champions league draw live streaming
watch premier league live streaming xbox one
watch champions league live streaming live free
watch coppa america live streaming youtube
watch champions league soccer live streaming
watch premier league matches live streaming
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online youtube
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo 7
watch champions league live streaming pakistan
watch premier league stream reddit
watch soccer online free streaming live espn
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming free online
watch live premier league football streaming online for free iraqgoals
super soccer tv live streaming persib
watch soccer online free streaming live app
watch champions league final live streaming online
watch soccer live football streaming - ronaldo7.net
watch champions league live streaming cricfree
watch english premier league live streaming free
watch live streaming soccer manchester united
watch soccer games live stream free app
watch coppa america live streaming hd free
watch live soccer streaming free android
watch hd soccer live streaming free
super soccer tv live streaming piala dunia
watch coppa america live streaming indonesia
watch champions league live streaming manchester united
watch champions league final live streaming
watch uefa champions league live streaming sportek
where to watch premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming spain
watch coppa america live streaming online free
watch english premier league live streaming hd
watch indian premier league live stream online
watch arsenal southampton premier league live stream
soccer tv live football streaming reddit
watch champions league live streaming bt sport
watch soccer live streaming juventus
watch coppa america live streaming xbox
watch soccer am live stream
tv soccer live stream sky
free watch soccer live streaming
watch live soccer game barcelona vs real madrid
watch soccer live streaming kenya
watch soccer online free streaming live youtube
watch coppa america live streaming putlockers
watch soccer online free streaming live hd
watch soccer online free streaming live manchester united
watch iceland soccer live stream
watch champions league live streaming now tv
watch coppa america live streaming zip
watch coppa america live streaming vf
watch champions league live streaming putlockers
watch coppa america live streaming crictime
watch coppa america live streaming pc
watch coppa america live streaming barcelona
khan tv pw watch indian premier league 2018 live streaming
watch soccer live streaming kenya vs ethiopia
watch coppa america live streaming qatar
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
watch coppa america live streaming yify
watch premier league live streaming online
watch premier league live stream reddit
watch champions league live streaming bola
watch the champions league live stream
watch epl live streaming on iphone
watch soccer live streaming zimbabwe
watch live streaming soccer games
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
#Barca #risate #acmilan #Liamgallagher #hoffenhiem #portsmouthfc #premierleague #realmadrid #jadwalbolahariini #JUVENTUS #footballdubai #golf #commentimemorabili #vandijk #footballmemes #manchestercity #roadtrip #arsenalfantv #satira #soccer #football #leomessi #comico #barcelona #championship #soccer #cristiano #coffeebreak #mancityvsliverpool #golazo #myfootballuniverse #streamingbolaid #hotcoffee #visubal #mancity #liverpoolfans #liverpool #manunited #paulmcartney #liverpool #salah #livestreaming #Bar #zidane #petercrouch #seriea #ucl #boxing #league2 #bayervshoffenheim #433skills #coyg #freekicks #insegreto #Suarez #chocolatecoffee
No comments:
Post a Comment