Real Madrid 0-2 Real Sociedad
There are a handful of clubs in world football for which second place constitutes failure.
Real Madrid is one such example.
So, given they went into this La Liga weekend seven points off the pace – after only securing a point at lowly Villarreal – the reigning European and world champions needed a positive result in this one.
Highlights of the game
Recent results had showed dissatisfaction among some of their notoriously hard-to-please fans.
Los Blancos’ final home match of 2018 was played in front of 55,229 supporters and, the Madrid derby aside when 78,642 people attended, the other 11 matches this term had been far from this figure and on five occasions below 60,000.
This crowd of 53,412 was their third lowest of the season and that dissatisfaction was also evident in other ways from the outset as left-back Marcelo, out of form, was booed by sections of his own support.
It hardly helped their own team’s morale to hear one of their own being booed and, after two minutes, his fellow Brazilian Casemiro was adjudged to have fouled Mikel Merino and Willian Jose converted the penalty past Thibaut Courtois.
It was a disastrous start for Madrid.
With Gareth Bale, Marco Asensio and Mariano Diaz all injured, coach Santiago Solari had handed a start to Vinicius Junior and the Brazilian was determined to make the most of the opportunity.
The teenager caused panic in the visiting box after 10 minutes but Karim Benzema couldn’t convert and then the 18 year-old saw his shot go past Sociedad shot-stopper Geronimo Rulli but lacked pace which allowed the defence to clear.
Casemiro, Daniel Carvajal, Benzema and Raphael Varane saw efforts blocked while Luka Modric twice called Rulli into action and Varane and Casemiro weren’t too far away with headers.
The one-way pressure continued but Real’s frustrations were evident as Toni Kroos found Lucas Vazquez whose cross cum shot was tipped onto the post by Rulli a minute before the break.
Into the second period, a combination of dogged defending and Rulli kept out Varane and Vinicius, while youngster Mikel Oyarzabal missed a good opportunity to draw the hosts level.
Former Man Utd man Adnan Januzaj was a constant threat on the counter for Sociedad who were close to doubling their lead through a David Zurutuza header.
Solari’s decision to leave out Isco in the Spanish capital, again named among the substitutes, grew stranger with every passing moment and when he finally did call upon the fans’ favourite, the expectation was short lived.
Almost immediately, Vazquez was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Merino and the hosts were down to 10 men.
As the home side had to go for broke, so chances increased on both sides.
Januzaj and Merino tested Courtois, while Modrc, Vinicius, skipper Sergio Ramos were all kept out by the increasingly impressive Rulli.
Januzaj and Isco also saw efforts blocked before the atmosphere inside the ground became even more toxic.
Eight minutes were on the clock when Jose delivered a cross and substitute Ruben Pardo headed into the bottom right hand corner beyond Courtois.
Game over, a famous victory for Sociedad and a humbling for Real, not helped by sections of their own support.
There is no doubt that Real need strengthening.
The capture of former Malaga youngster, Brahim Diaz, in a deal that could be worth up to £22 million, is a start but most SBOBET followers of a Real persuasion will tell you more is required.
Porto’s promising Brazilian defender, Eder Militao, is the latest player to find himself on the club’s radar as he continues to impress in Portuguese football.
Yet after producing very few of the La Liga 2018 highlights, it will take more than a few players to turn this around.
This was the worst possible start to the new year as their La Liga 2019 betting odds seem a lost cause.
Real Madrid are officially out of the title race.
Key statistics
After seven straight defeats, this is the first time Sociedad have defeated Real since August 2014.
This is the first success in the Bernabeu since May 2004.
Vinicius Junior is the first player born in 2000 or later to start a La Liga game for Madrid.
No other La Liga team has hit the woodwork more times than Madrid this season (21 – level with Barcelona).
Real have a poor home record over the past 12 months.
Going into this contest, they finished 2018 with a winning percentage of 63% at the Bernabeu, meaning they did not win 37.04 percent of their matches, the worst percentage in 24 years.
What’s next?
A busy start to 2019 continues for Real who face Leganes in midweek in the first leg of their Copa del Rey last 32 tie.
Before the second leg, they travel to Real Betis next weekend and then entertain Sevilla on January 19 in what could be a key contest for a top four berth.
Sociedad actually face Betis in the Spanish Cup with the two legs scheduled for January 10 and 17. They entertain Espanyol in La Liga a week tomorrow (January 14) and then travel to Rayo Vallecano on January 20.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
