Some fans were unhappy at Gareth Bale last season, but he remains a firm fixture in the team, and will likely line up behind the striker.
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Benitez, who could not hide his emotions when he took over as coach at his boyhood club, has spent time carefully honing his team in pre-season games, changing formations and taking copious notes at each match. There’s nothing wrong with his stats, given that the Welsh has scored 39 goals and delivered 31 assists over 92 appearances.
Rafa Benitez suffered an embarrassing setback in his first La Liga outing in charge of Real Madrid when they were held to a 0-0 draw at promoted Sporting Gijon in their opening match of the season on Sunday.
A 1-0 win-like neighbours Atletico Madrid secured against Las Palmas on Saturday-would do the new manager just fine, but after a somewhat laboured summer in front of goal, such a result won’t at all please the club’s following, which is already skeptical of the Madrilenian.
Prediction: If everything clicks, there is unquestionably the quality in Real Madrid’s squad to win the championship for the first time since 2012. The most important thing was to take this game seriously. He has a lot of work to do with the team combination as the club failed to retain Champions League as well as the Copa del Rey last season.
Madrid were made to pay for that miss early in the second period when Sneijder levelled against his former side with a fine left-footed strike into the far corner.
“We will try to make is uncomfortable for them, and ensure they do not have a high percentage of possession”.
“Ronaldo, for example, is an extraordinary header of the ball”. If Benitez’s grand plan to move him into the centre proves effective, yielding goals and assists at a Ronaldo-esque rate, then it may yet salvage his status in the capital and restore him as the long-term successor to the Portuguese. Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Isco all started in midfield, as did Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and cantera product Jese up top.
The Lions won the league title for a record 20th time last season and earned the right to wear a fourth star on their crest.
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Benitez brought James Rodriguez on prior to the hour, but Real continued to dominate without reward, Abelardo Fernandez’s plucky side standing firm.
