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Bate Borisov 0-1 Real Madrid
Sorry for this late post, but I actually did write this the next day after the match, just forgot to publish it. Silly me.
Anyway,
Good PROFESSIONAL performance by Real Madrid in Champions League, as they say these days, a very PROFESSIONAL performance. Real Madrid didn’t play the expansive football that they are known for throughout the world or atleast Europe (Manchester United would certainly know that for what Real Madrid did to them in 2003, though after that, Real Madrid haven’t progressed that far to meet them again and Manchester have had far more success at Champions League level than Real Madrid these past 5 years or so.)
The match started in freezing conditions. Real Madrid just wanted to get that early goal to calm the nerves down and just when we all thought Raul was out, he came right back in with a goal. Mind you, it was a lucky one, I think his strike did get a deflection but nevertheless, the finish was exceptional.
Drenthe was the man of the moment in the build up to that goal, as he made space for himself down the left hand side and put in a good hard low cross for Saviola (initially) but Saviola is not the greatest attacker that was ever born, so he tried his best by trying to flick the ball with his strong right foot, missed it completely (thank God, because if he had touched that ball, the ball would had gone into row z), and the ball found Raul, who just blasted it into the goal on the 7nth minute mark.
Schuster played Saviola and Gabriel Heinze, both of which I didn’t want to see before the match. Saviola played as poor as he always does. He is so poor, weak, inadequate, feeble, meager, inferior I just cannot believe how in the world did he end up at Real Madrid.
Anyway, that aside. After that it was a striggle for Real Madrid. In the first half Real Madrid dominated the game, they were head and shoulders above Bate Borisov (more like what we expected if a normal Real Madrid was playing).
Credit to Bate Borisov who never gave up. Real Madrid were desperately trying for the second goal which would have killed the game off but couldn’t find it. Saviola had two great chances but he missed both, no surprises there. Moving on.
BATE had no choice but to go for broke in the second half. This is what you get when you only have a 1-0 lead.
The opposition always thinks that a draw is possible, one stroke of luck or magic and the game is a stalemate. Schuster knew it, and that is why he urged the players forward to go for the throat.A draw would have kept them alive another day in either the Champions League, although tricky, or the UEFA Cup.
One offensive series by Goncharenko’s men ended when Guti received a blow to the head, forcing him to finish the match with a bandage wrapped around the injured area. Minutes later Ramos was also cut in a mid-air collision with a Belarusian player. Lolz on that.
Real Madrid opted for ball possession and counterattacks to thwart BATE’s advances. Sneijder responded on 59′ with a magical pass to Saviola, who barely missed in a one-on-one with the keeper. The hosts were never discouraged however and had several close calls, but the Madridista defense was impenetrable.
BATE’s misfortune was countered by Real Madrid. Raúl could only watch as his strike from the top of the box stuck the post. Van der Vaart, who replaced Guti, and Wesley Sneijder also had opportunities to slam the door shut.
Alberto Bueno was subbed in for Saviola and made his Champions League debut with three minutes remaining. That was good news, but the headline of the night is that Real Madrid are heading to the Last 16 with one group stage match yet to be played.
The good thing that we can definitely deduce from this win is that, Real Madrid can now rest their main players against Zenit in our next Champions League clash as straight after that we have Barcelona clash, which is like the grand daddy of all Derbies.
So this couldn’t have come at a better time as Real Madrid is already struggling with injuries.
