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Undeserved upset for Real Madrid in their one-thousandth League match at the Bernabéu

The Santiago Bernabéu stadium was all decked out in its Sunday best to celebrate this special anniversary: 1,000 League games. There were many and important changes in the starting eleven, with some players coming back from injury and others absent unable to recover in time. Real Madrid made their way onto the turf of their home ground with a 100% Spanish defence, that is, Salgado, Helguera, Ramos and Torres. Absentees Fabio Cannavaro and Fernando Gago were well covered, with Helguera-Ramos forming a solid duo in the centre of the defence, and Guti making his comeback to orchestrate the team's game down the middle after his sprain against Deportivo Coruña over one month ago. Also back was the nº 7 of the Whites, Raul, who came in to play down the right flank, but knowing his tendency to cut into the middle, he ended up complementing Higuaín as an attacking midfielder more than sprinting up and down the byline.

The first minutes allowed both teams initial contact, with the typical give-and-take of most fixtures until the players break sweat. In Abel Resino's team, for starters, the most noteworthy feature was a defense line that was pushed forward outstandingly, almost to the middle line, in search of the constant offside call of the offensive Madridista finishers. But fate was cruel with the Whites and Real Madrid had to restructure their game and approach when an early penalty was awarded in favour of the visitors.

It was only ten minutes into the match and Kapo was the man who fabricated the play. The Levante attacking midfielder cut in down the right wing all the way to the goal line and did excellently to pull it back, confusing Sergio Ramos, and crossing the ball over to Tommasi, who was challenged and brought down by Diarra. The man who was making his debut with the Valencians and playing for his sixth team in the Spanish First Division, the winter transfer window signing, striker Salva Ballesta, assumed all responsibility and kicked the ball in. Casillas dipped toward the right corner and even touched the ball, but to no avail. It was 1-0 for Levante.

Looking to draw
Having almost saved the penalty, that was all Casillas had to say, with the visiting squad not trying their luck on the Madridista goal again during this first half. The Whites increased their pressure and their determination to make a swift turnaround. Higuaín and Raúl got down to it. Working for the team, it was the Argentine who first tried to puncture the back of the opponent's net with a beautiful curling ball which visiting stopper Molina did well to deflect. Next up, it was Diarra, with a powerful shot just a few steps back from the box (min.16). And third up was Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who looked to score on two different occasions. The clearest chance, however, would be played out by the two most active footballers of Capello's side: Higuaín cut past his man, fullback Manolo, turning 2 other defenders inside out and generously serving the ball for the incoming Madrid “7”, who unluckily left the ball behind him instead of tapping in the ball in front of an empty box. The crowd requested a penalty for what they thought had been a tug on the shirt of their Captain, but it wasn't to be.


And so, Real Madrid went onto the break one goal down, their game abusing the search for the equaliser down the middle. After halftime, Robinho came in for Reyes to set the park alight and give the Merengue attack some luster, but the Brazilian was unable to finish the game with a strong knock in his right thigh quadriceps muscle following an aggressive challenge by Levante defender Camacho. The first few minutes of the second period seemed to bring good news in the form of rightful winning hopes for the Madridistas and the excitement was full on. For Levante, their best man, Kapo, was always looking to surprise an always attentive Casillas. And then, alas, it was the turn of the partially-sighted referee Álvarez Izquierdo, who upset the home team when he failed to call two seemingly blatant penalties in the Levante box. First, with 50 minutes on the clock, Alexis lifted his foot up excessively, hitting Raúl's elbow. But if this foul inside the area left people doubting for any reason whatsoever, Rubiales' challenge on Van Nistelrooy three minutes later was the stuff that expressions like crystal clear are made of.

All out... but no goal
Real Madrid put all their chips on character play. And the natural in this discpline is none other than Captain Raul. He tried first with a shot from the half circle that proved a notch weak and then following up with what would be the best collective play by Madrid all night long. Youth player Torres crossed it over to Guti, who cut the ball in to Raul, who in turn missed his one on one against Levante's keeper. Real Madrid did not deserve this punishment in the electronic scoreboard, but the bad luck seemed to be lurking over them during the entire evening. In the 75-minute mark, Nieto, who had substituted an injured Robinho, tried his luck with an awesome shot which sliced the woodwork of Molina's goal. The Whites kept at it until the very end, increasing their pressure, with attempts by Van Nistelrooy, Raúl, Diarra or Ramos himself, who looked more like a striker due to his position in the final minutes. But the goal never came and Real Madrid were unable to pocket the three points in the 1000th League match in the history of the Colosseum of the Whites.






Match report by Cristina Monge
Photos by Ángel Martínez, David R. Anchuelo & Fernando Comeche
Translation by Luis Orueta

posted by khalidmrrakchi@hotmail.com @ 11:16 PM