Sevilla 1 - 0 Real Madrid (Spanish League Day 4)

There is only a thing worse than a bad start, not start never. So is the Real Madrid in La Liga, in the starting blocks. Eight points gap with Barcelona and without understanding the reasons of the bad game. Has decreased the interest of the players or the speech of Mourinho has lost effectiveness. Perhaps the Tenth (European Cup) is the only possible stimulus after winning all the other tournaments. There was no football nor motivation. Neither joy. At the end Cristiano was right.

Seville defeated Real Madrid (1-0)

The match went in favour of the home team from the start. In the first minute Casillas save a long range shot from Navas and had to intervene again against Negredo from the rebound of a passage of play that resulted in a corner. The Sevilla players waited at the near post for the cross from the corner but Rakitic put the ball to the heart of the area and Trochowski arrived from deep to put the ball in the goal. Things turned against Real Madrid as they tried to respond to the goal inside the first ten minutes and deal with the intensity of the Sevilla game (five fouls in ten minutes).

After the initial lack of control Real Madrid took command and Cristiano Ronaldo took responsibility in attack with long distance shots. The first Whites’ shot (9') came from a free-kick in front of goal taken by the Portuguese which was saved by Palop and the resulting rebound was missed by Higuaín. Later in the same passage of play the Portuguese tried again from distance which again resulted in a corner. Mourinho’s players dominated but in an arena that favoured the home team, who waited well positioned at the back to launch counter attacks with Navas pushing forward and Negredo holding up the ball.

Higuaín was the other stand out player in the Real Madrid attack. The Argentine first put a header wide following a good piece of play by Marcelo on the left (18'), and in the 21st minute he had the Whites’ best chance of the first half. Özil’s ball into the area to Higuaín was well controlled and some good skill opened the defence, but his shot went high when he only had Palop to beat. Casillas had to take make saves from the shots of Cicinho (20'), Trochowski (34') and Navas (39') of a Sevilla side that were looking for break towards the Real Madrid captain’s goal at speed every time they robbed the ball. Cristiano had the last chance in the 38th minute after a good left footed shot following a bicycle kick that were once again blocked by Palop.

Mourinho reacted at the break and introduced Modric by Benzema and Modric for Di María and Özil and was the Croatian who was closest to scoring the equaliser. The Whites’ new signing took the ball on the edge of the area in the 52nd minute and his shot hit the post after Palop got a touch. Sevilla were crouched and ready looking for a second and Negredo had a chance in the 53rd minute, but his right footed shot went wide. Modric reappeared in the 55th minute and put a great ball in to Higuaín but Palop anticipated the ball well. Real Madrid kept up the siege but the goal did not come. Alonso crossed from the left in the 60th minute and Benzema controlled the ball at the far post and Ramos narrowly missed from Frenchman’s cross.

The Real Madrid coach went all out to win the match in the 66th minute when he brought on Callejón for Arbeloa. With only three in defence all of the lines pushed higher with the danger of Sevilla’s counter attacks, that used Manu del Moral’s (who came on in the second half) and Navas’ speed, but they did not manage a shot on target during in the second half. The Real Madrid players kept trying without making any clear chances in the final minutes, and Cristiano had the last chance from an injury time free-kick but his shot went high. We have to get over the defeat because on Tuesday the team play their opening Champions League match against Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Summary

Stadium: Sanchez Pizjuan
Attendance: 30,100
Goals: 1-0 Trochowski (min. 2)