Zinedine Zidane marked his return to the Real Madrid hotseat by helping his treasured club to a first clean sheet in 10 games as second-half goals from Isco and Gareth Bale sealed victory over Celta Vigo.
The Frenchman made big selection calls and though his side were not fluent until midway through the second-half, a fine move started by Marco Asensio and finished by Isco eased nerves.
Marcelo then found Bale, whose low finish wrapped up the win and kicked off the second Zidane era with a flourish.
OLD GUARD, NEW ATTITUDE?
With nothing to play for except pride – and even that is unlikely salvageable from a disastrous campaign – Zidane could afford to massage the egos of some of the club’s biggest underperformers.
In came Isco, Marcelo, Bale, Asensio and Keylor Navas, who all suffer from a unique problem: peripheral, reckless, injury-prone, short of self-belief, and a lack of star appeal respectively.
It was a sensible ploy, really. Let the old guard prove they can remain relevant under the old/new regime, against a Celta Vigo side that had collected just four points from their last 11 La Liga games.
For the first hour there was little to suggest that those five, as a collective at least, would serve as the backbone of more famous Madridista triumphs.
Bale was energetic and crashed an acrobatic effort off the crossbar, though could have been sent off for a second yellow for his hack on Sofiane Boufal. Isco and Asensio were scrambling around for the same wavelength while Marcelo at one point was 20 yards up the pitch while Boufal was through on goal.
Navas pulled off a tremendous save from Maxi Gomez, from which Marcelo was also at fault. Some things never change.
We were then served up some nostalgia as Isco and Bale sealed the deal – but that shouldn’t fool Zidane. Every veteran needs to re-interview for his job, and it’ll be a 10-game audition. The troubling first hour against poor opposition can’t be forgotten.
2 - Last two Isco LaLiga home goals for @realmadrid have been scored against Celta de Vigo. Returned. pic.twitter.com/Akw6rbIwL1
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) March 16, 2019
MARCO … POLO
All that said, there was genuine hope for a young player who has looked like a husk of his previously effervescent self. What’s more, his demise hasn’t even been covered extensively compared to the dreary dramas surrounding Bale, Isco and Marcelo.
Asensio, remember him? The name at the forefront of a new era at the Bernabeu, where big-money signings were jettisoned and youth was encouraged.
The 23-year-old has looked anything but encouraged this season, registering just one goal in La Liga all year and struggling to conjure up opportunities for anyone else.
It was only natural given Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure – the void he left was a black hole that sucked all life from a Madrid attack that had become far too reliant upon his services.
Asensio can do a lot of things well. He’s tenacious, a wonderful passer, can dribble, has Thor’s hammer for a left foot, and is quick besides. However, we never see the whole package consistently.
But there’s space in the post-Ronaldo era for players to breathe, and in the 62nd minute on Saturday, he made the Bernabeu hold its breath.
Asensio surged up the middle, jockeyed one defender, cut another to ribbons and played through to Benzema, who whipped in a cross – and Isco did the rest.
It feels as if playing without Ronaldo has been a chore rather than just a challenge for some this season. With a little confidence, Asensio should start relishing it.
This is the Marco Asensio that had been in hiding all these months
— Rez (@Asensiazo) March 16, 2019
SORRY CELTA
Celta have shipped an average of 3.7 goals per game in their last 10 meetings with Madrid, so Saturday’s defeat actually represents something of an improvement.
For large spells it was difficult to believe that this side sat 18th and Madrid, wobbling giants though they are, could look so vulnerable.
If not for Boufal’s brain fades, and a similarly frustrating display from Pione Sisto on the other wing, Real would have been attempting to win from behind in the first half.
Ultimately Celta’s defence is not strong enough to withstand a barrage if their attack is not firing on all cylinders and shorn of their favourite son, the injured Iago Aspas, things will continue to look bleak.
Remarkably they have won just once without Aspas – who is suffering from a calf tear – in the last two years, a 1-0 victory last month over Sevilla. It has had a knock-on effect, too, as fellow striker Gomez has not looked the same without his diminutive forward partner up top.
He’s needed back – fast.
