The Weekly Summary

Real Madrid sealed this past week its qualification to the round of 16 in the Champions League. Thanks to the score between Brugge and Galatasaray, Los Blancos had nothing to worry about on their match against PSG, only their honor with the team wanting to improve the poor image given in Paris.

Madrid displayed probably some of their best football this season, trapping PSG in their own half for most of the game and not allowing them enjoy possession. Benzema was the one to open the scoreboard and also to put the 2-0. It seemed like a Madrid was on its way to an easy victory, when seconds after the second goal, the only lapsus on defense allowed Mbappé to score for PSG. It was all the French team needed to get in the game. Sarabia would tie it with an exceptional shot to the right top hand corner, imposible for Courtois to reach. It was 2-2 and anybody’s game. Gareth Bale had the victory on his feet, with a free kick under the boos of part of the fans (those who put their phobias before the team and would rather lose than have someone they dislike give the team the win…), that would rattled the post after beating Navas. It wasn’t meant to be.

The match on Saturday was the opposite with Zidane making some rotations once again on the lineup. The wether in Vitoria not allowing fancy football, and the rough play of the home team preventing Real from having long periods of possession. It was the type of match where Leagues are either won or lost, and Real submitted once again their candidacy as a serious contender. Ramos would open the scoreboard with a header from a set piece executed by Kroos (of course) but later would concede a silly penalty that Alavés would magnify to equalize.

Isco would have the victory on another heather but Pacheco would block the shot sending it to the post, just to have the rebound fall into Carvajal’s feet to kick the ball inside the net. It would seal the victory for Zidane’s side and help the team maintain the top spots of the table. Draw in points with Barça and only one goal behind in the goal average.

The team will enjoy a week of rest from competitive games to face Espanyol on Saturday at 13:00 local time. The Catalan team visits the Bernabéu in a rough time for them, but will not make things easy for the merengues. Meanwhile the shadow of El Clásico flies over Madrid, where half the league could be decided in Barcelona on the 18th.

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