Real Madrid 3-1 Sporting Gijon - Match Report
Cristiano Ronaldo broke his own goal scoring in a season record, Real Madrid equalled the most ever goals scored in a La Liga season but more importantly, they went 7 points clear of Barcelona.
Have you ever seen a parked bus? Yes? Well have you ever seen 11 parked buses? Yes? Well have you ever seen 11 parked buses, filled with 11 other parked buses which in turn are filled with concrete? No? Well I can assure you, Real Madrid have. Despite a well organised, brilliantly applied defensive performance by Sporting Gijon, Real Madrid managed to overcome them. Cristiano Ronaldo broke his own goal scoring in a season record, Real Madrid equalled the most ever goals scored in a La Liga season but more importantly, they went 7 points clear of Barcelona. It was by no means an easy task, Sporting were organised and very un-ambitious going forward, which mean Real Madrid had little to work with on the counter attack and the team packed with defenders instead of midfielders did their job in frustrating Madrid well for the majority of the first half. Quite surprisingly, as they had so little of the ball and it clearly contrasted with the managers game plan, Sporting took the lead due to a quick counter attack and a fortunate penalty. There was no doubting it was a penalty, however if Ramos had slid in a second later the ball would have come off of his legs as opposed to his hands and Gijon wouldnt have gained the advantage they did with a calmly taken penalty by De Las Cuevas. Madrid did respond quickly, a sumptuous Ramos cross found Higuain in acres of space in the box and he calmly headed the ball in to the net; turning the game completely Madrids way. It was now no longer a question of whether they lost, it was just whether or not they left tonight with 1 or 3 points. The second half saw the introduction of Benzema and Di Maria to change Madrid to a 4-1-3-2 formation as they bombarded the stubborn Sporting defence. The breakthrough came midway through the second half, a Di Maria cross found the smart run of Cristiano Ronaldo who nodded it in off the post. The game was decided 10 minutes from the end, Ozil, who had been brilliant all match, slotted Benzema through on goal where he made no mistake in making it 3 goals, and 3 points for Madrid.