Benzema’s fight for pichichi reactivates Madrid’s fragile deficit against Almeria (4-2)

In a league that is moving day by day towards an irreparable alirón Barça, Madrid found in the Pichichi who is fighting for Karim Benzema the motivation to activate, at least in attack, to beat Almería and partially repair the mess of the big defeat against Girona in midweek. The Frenchman signed a ‘hat-trick’ that revives the battle of the shooters with Robert Lewandowski and led a calm white afternoon, albeit a duplicitous one.

A good role for Ancelotti’s team in the offensive, in which the electricity of Vinicius, the goal of Benzema and the talent so pleasing to the eye of Rodrygo excelled. Once again, a worrying defensive performance from a team that struggles to maintain concentration at the back and relies on its formidable strike to handle league commitments like the one it faced against an Indálico side, with faith but not enough arguments to resist in the face of individual quality from Madrid.

With a more than recognizable eleven, from which among the heavyweights only Carvajal, Valverde and the injured Modrić dropped out, Madrid jumped out onto the destroyed Bernabéu turf as if the League was red hot, not doomed. The bad taste in the mouth of the duel in Girona and the proximity of the Cup final and the semi-final of the Champions League activated the white team from the start and especially the strange pair of Vinicius and Benzema, through whom a good part of Madrid’s hopes rest. The Brazilian, who does not understand dosage or procedural games, faced as always on the right and was a flash against Mendes to serve Benzemi the goal on a platter.

Almería did not react to the first strike when Vinicius and Benzema, Benzema and Vinicius, once again threw the partnership with a masterful wall in the box and the Frenchman’s shot in the center, accessible to Fernando, who already had an inkling of a working afternoon in Chamartín. The goalkeeper reacted as best he could to the electric Vinicius’ long-range shot, but there was nothing he could do to prevent Benzema’s double strike after the excellent Rodrygo’s Maradona play.

After a night of dogs in Montilivi, it was a quiet summer afternoon in Madrid for a team that enjoyed the game. Confident in their advantage and in complete control of the game, the Madrid players wore themselves out minimally, although the harmony of the afternoon was disturbed by the yellow card of Vinicius, which will remove the Brazilian from the duel against Real at Anoeta. Again too fierce with the judge from Rio de Janeiro, who only knows how to live on a high pulse, for better or for worse.

defensive relaxation

Almería saw out half-time with only one goal to avoid a serious correction when Ramazani conceded a needless penalty on Lucas Vázquez which Benzema took to get even closer to Lewandowski. The bulk of the result relaxed Madrid’s defensive concentration and Ancelotti’s face contorted as Militao and Rüdiger returned to Girona’s old ways, allowing time and space for Ramazani’s pass and Lázaro’s goal just before the break.

If there was any hope for Almeria, Rodrygo was tasked with snuffing it out as soon as the second act began. A huge blow from the Brazilian towards the team and the game decided on a fast track. With a solid advantage, Madrid loved it in attack, but again showed an alarming lack of intensity at the back, conceding too much again on Robertone’s goal.

Once again the anger of Ancelotti on the wing and the lane of Militao, who acted as the leader of the Real Madrid defense and demanded more intensity from his colleagues in the position. A second goal against and a booking for Camavinga, which, like Vinicius, will prevent him from playing in San Sebastián, turned things around on an afternoon at the Bernabéu before Benzema stayed very close to the poker. First in Fernando’s penalty on the Frenchman, which was preceded by a foul on Ely by the scorer in the fight for the ball, and then in a shot against the post. The ‘9’ fight for Pichichi at least opens up the battlefront for a team used to more ambitious goals.

party paper

Real Madrid: Courtois, Lucas Vázquez, Militao, Rüdiger, Camavinga, Tchouaméni, Ceballos, Kroos (Nacho, min. 72), Rodrygo (Asensio, min. 72), Benzema and Vinicius (Carvajal, min. 82).

Almería: Fernando, Mendes, Ely, Chumi, Akieme (Centelles, min. 75), De la Hoz (Robertone, min. 57), Samu (Melero, min. 75), Puigmal (Eguaras, min. 57), Portillo, Lázaro and Ramazani (Luis Suárez, min. 64).

Goals: 1-0: min. 5, Benzema. 2-0: min. 17, Benzema. 3-0: min. 42, Benzema, penalty. 3-1: min. 45+1, Lazar. 4-1: min. 47, Rodrigo. 4-2: minutes 61, Roberton.

Referee: Cuadra Fernández (Balearic Committee). He warned Vinicius, Lázaro, Mendes and Camavinga.

Incidents: The 32nd round of the First League was played at the Santiago Bernabéu in front of 58,036 spectators.