Madrid took over the lead after 17 minutes, thanks to an accurate header which proved unstoppable for the Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.
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It’s not the first time that the former Liverpool and Chelsea boss has been quizzed on the club’s transfer business in recent days, after he dropped a hint that Arsenal target Karim Benzema’s future lay at the Bernabeu.
Carvajal is an extremely solid right-back defensively, but going forward last season he struggled to link-up with Gareth Bale and that had a big knock-on effect for the Wales international.
Do you think Real’s BBC frontline will be back to their best this season?
Atletico Madrid will depend once again on Diego Simeone’ s work ethic and ability to forge his players into a tight unit. The Spanish side played eight games against some Europe’s top teams in the wake of the preparation for the upcoming season.
Alot of people at Real Madrid are heading into the new season facing mounting pressure. “In the case of the striker, the same”.
Kevin Gameiro and Ciro Immobile should guarantee goals, while Stefan N’ Zonzi is a midfield powerhouse and Adil Rami, who was once at Valencia, a powerful central defender. After all, that’s the position where Bale had his breakout season with Tottenham Hotspur, when Andre Villas-Boas wanted him to be more than just a classic left-winger.
The badly-handled departure of club captain Iker Casillas earlier this summer saw jeers being directed at Perez, and the criticism will significantly mount if his appointment of Benitez turns sour.
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What changes would you make to the proposed Real Madrid XI to face Sporting Gijon? A pivotal campaign gets off to an inauspicious start. It seems reasonable to question whether he will be able to become that man or not, but the best thing Benitez can do is give him the freedom he needs and a fair shot to show what kind of player he is.
