Saturday, November 25, 2017
Real Madrid 3 Malaga 2: Ronaldo goal gives Madrid 3 crucial points
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a crucial late winner as Real Madrid gave their LaLiga title defence a much-needed boost with a thrilling 3-2 victory over struggling Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu.
With 14 minutes remaining, the Portugal international had a penalty saved by Roberto Jimenez but converted the rebound to settle an end-to-end encounter in which Madrid twice lost the lead.
It had looked like Ronaldo was about to suffer another frustrating match in front of goal after missing multiple chances, only for him to be handed a reprieve when substitute Luka Modric won the spot-kick and gave him the chance to score only his second league goal of the season.
Earlier, Karim Benzema headed in what was also his second top-flight goal of the campaign, ending a seven-game scoring drought - the longest of his LaLiga career - in the process.
Diego Rolan capitalised on a Toni Kroos mistake to stun the hosts with an equaliser that was Malaga's first away goal of the league season, but Casemiro quickly restored order with Madrid's second headed goal in a frantic start.
After the break, Kiko Casilla then failed to keep out Gonzalo Castro's 30-yard strike and it looked like Madrid would drop more points until the late drama saw Ronaldo settle the match.
The victory moves Madrid within seven points of leaders Barcelona and three behind second-placed Valencia ahead of their title rivals' crunch clash at Mestalla on Sunday.
Madrid only took nine minutes to breach Malaga's backline, as Benzema followed up his double against APOEL with the easiest of finishes.
The chance came after Marcelo's cross from the left found Ronaldo at the far post and the Portugal forward athletically headed against the crossbar, giving his strike partner a simple task to nod into an empty net on the rebound.
7 - @Benzema 's goal ended a run of seven La Liga gameswithout scoring; his longest run in the competition as a @realmadrid player. Relief. pic.twitter.com/XaUQspWniD
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 25, 2017
A sliding Dani Carvajal forced Roberto into a diving save and Isco also tested the away goalkeeper from 18 yards, but Malaga stunned the Bernabeu with an 18th-minute equaliser.
Kroos carelessly lost possession deep in his own half as he attempted to pass to Raphael Varane and that allowed Keko's right-wing cross to find Rolan completely unmarked, the Uruguay international chesting down and drilling in from 12 yards.
However, Madrid responded only three minutes after that strike, Casemiro latching on to Kroos' curling corner to power a header in from eight yards.
There was a moment of concern for Zinedine Zidane's men when a Keko delivery led to Castro's header being hacked away by Varane from close to the goal-line.
Madrid should have extended their lead when Benzema dragged wide from an excellent shooting chance and two efforts from Ronaldo – a first-time curling effort and a thumping header - were impressively kept out by Roberto as Malaga, who lost Juankar to injury, remained in the game.
There was still time for a controversial end to the first half when substitute Paul Baysse sent a magnificent header past Casilla, only for the referee to rule he had fouled Carvajal, leaving Michel demanding answers on the touchline.
Kroos' powerful strike was pushed away by a busy Roberto early in the second half but a back-and-forth contest took another twist after 58 minutes when Castro collected Keko's pass and somehow beat Casilla, who should have done better, with a 30-yard strike.
Another Madrid chance passed when Ronaldo failed to turn in Varane's header from inside the six-yard box after Lucas Vazquez's threatening delivery had created the opportunity.
Zidane brought on Modric for a quiet Isco and the Croatia midfielder made a vital contribution, being felled by Luis Hernandez in the box after taking a clever touch in latching onto Vazquez's cross.
Jose Mourinho has demanded improvement from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and accused the Manchester United playmaker of "disappearing" during games.
Armenia international Mkhitaryan started the season in impressive form, supplying five assists in United's opening three Premier League matches before scoring in the 4-0 win over Everton in September.
The 28-year-old's form has since tailed off since and he missed out on United's last two matchday squads against Newcastle United and Basel.
Mourinho told reporters the former Borussia Dortmund favourite would return to face Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford on Saturday but left him under no illusions that his standards have been noted as dipping sharply.
"I was not happy with his last performances," Mourinho said. "I'm not speaking about one or two, I'm speaking about three, four or five.
"He started the season very well and after that step by step he was disappearing. His performance levels in terms of goal scoring and assists, high pressing, recovering the ball high up the pitch, bringing the team with him as a No 10, were decreasing step by step.
"That was enough [to drop him] because the others worked to have a chance."
Good morning #ucl #mufc pic.twitter.com/7NjjJVSWsn
— Henrikh Mkhitaryan (@HenrikhMkh) September 28, 2017
Such criticism of creative attacking players have become a theme of Mourinho's management over recent years.
Anthony Martial was urged not to "waste" his talent by his boss earlier this year, while Juan Mata – the Spain international who Mourinho sold to United while in charge of Chelsea – has been in and out of the starting line-up this season.
"I think they give what they can," the Portuguese said. "I cannot complain about the dedication or the motivation.
"They all try to give their best. I think we had an improvement with Martial. He's scoring more goals than last season.
"The other players are what they are. They have different kinds of qualities. Sometimes they produce a lot, and we have lots of chances and we don't score enough.
"The reality is that in the Premier League by not scoring enough we are still the second team with the [second] most goals scored."
The Argentina star scored 37 LaLiga goals last season to clinch the honour and move level with Cristiano Ronaldo as a four-time winner, having previously topped Europe's scoring charts in 2010, 2012 and 2013.
But Messi was quick to point out he could not have found the net on such an outstandingly consistent basis without the help of his fellow players at Camp Nou.
"I've always said the individual prizes are won by the team," he said. "If the team is doing well then we have the fortune to be able to pick up these awards.
"It is true that this prize belongs to everybody. Without them I wouldn't have scored all the goals I did last season. It is for the whole group."
#Messi accepts #GoldenShoe award! ( @LuisSuarez9 is there too...) pic.twitter.com/WZ0l2mvdRL
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 24, 2017
Scarily for opponents across the continent, Messi feels he is getting better with age as he again leads the way for goals in LaLiga this season, with 12 to his name from as many matches.
"I always said I don't consider myself a striker," the 30-year-old said. "I have been lucky to score a lot of goals.
"I think I have grown on and off the field. On it, I have been getting better, adding things to my game and every day I enjoy being a footballer more."
Barca said in July that Messi had agreed a contract until June 2021, which would be signed "in the coming weeks".
The lack of confirmation on that agreement had led to talk that Messi could sensationally leave Camp Nou, with the Argentina superstar reportedly the subject of an audacious bid from Manchester City for his services.
However, Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu said earlier this month that Messi had signed three different deals - agreements with his Messi Foundation and one relating to image rights to run alongside the contract of employment - to cement his long-term future at the club.
And the long-running saga finally came to end on Saturday, with Messi putting pen to paper on his fresh terms the five-time European champions.