Sergio Ramos scored a late penalty as Real Madrid came from behind to win 3-1 at Leganes in La Liga on Wedneday.
Defender Unai Bustinza headed Leganes into a sixth-minute lead in bizarre fashion, but Lucas Vazquez cancelled out that advantage within five minutes with a smart finish from Casemiro’s flick.
It was the Brazilian who shone after being handed a more advanced role on the night as he also started and finished the 29th-minute move from which the Bernabeu giants went 2-1 ahead.
Here are two good and two bad from the encounter.
TWO GOOD
CASEMIRO
Casemiro’s presence in midfield was lauded in the last couple of seasons and the defensive midfielder was deemed indispensable. This season however, he’s struggled like so many others in the team, sparking speculation of a move away from the Bernabeu in the summer.
Against Leganes though, we saw a different side to the midfielder. Normally a destructive force in the middle of the park, he seemed to break free from the shackles of an anchorman role with Mateo Kovacic instead playing as the number six while Casemiro ventured further up field to good effect. He set up Madrid’s equaliser with a clever flick on the edge of the box into Vasquez’s path.
He then gave his side the lead with a well executed finish after a great passing move. An energetic display from the Brazilian perhaps gives Zinedine Zidane some food for thought moving forward.
Casemiro (L) puts Madrid ahead
UNAI BUSTINZA
And the award for most unusual goal of the season goes too… Leganes took the lead against Real Madrid courtesy of bizarre header from Unai Bustinza. With just six minutes on the clock, a corner kick was flicked into the centre-back’s path.
His initial effort was blocked on the line but he dived bravely at the feet of Theo Fernandez who only managed to kick it onto the defender’s head as the ball then ricocheted into the net. Apart from that incredible opener though Bustinza, who has been in good form this season, put in a fine shift in defence, making five interceptions on the night.
He denied Karim Benzema any room to operate in and did well to put the Frenchman off when he attempted to head Vasquez’s cross in the 35th minute.
Bustinza kept Benzema quiet
TWO BAD
KARIM BENZEMA
Another game and a another disappointing performance from Karim Benzema. It’s simply unacceptable that Real Madrid main striker, their number nine and an experienced club veteran into his ninth season at the Bernabeu only has seven goals to show for his efforts across all competitions at this stage of the campaign.
One of his few strikes this season came against Leganes in the second leg defeat in the Copa del Rey but wasn’t able to find the target this time around. He had just one effort at goal in the encounter before being hauled off after 75 minutes.
Even that one attempt was one that came off his shoulder and went wide after he mistimed his header from Vasquez’s excellent cross into the area. His only real contribution was his involvement in the move for the second goal. Zidane is under pressure to bench the striker and after this performance, his compatriot hasn’t done his cause any good.
Karim Benzema (R)
ISCO
Isco has struggled to get a good run in the team this season. He did secure a start against Paris Saint-Germain in their 3-1 Champions League round of 16 first leg win but didn’t exactly shine in the encounter. Going by his display against Leganes, Zidane may be considering dropping him for the return fixture in Paris.
The Spaniard was anonymous for the most part, only coming in the game briefly in the first half before forcing Ivan Cuellar into a routine save in the closing stages. Isco was deployed in his favoured number 10 role but failed to make the most of the opportunity.
He dropped deep to get on the ball with the likes of Casemiro often bombing past him. In trying to find pockets of space, he went astray, seeing plenty of the ball but not in dangerous areas from where he could make an impact.
Isco (R)