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Cristiano Ronaldo scored a perfect hattrick (header, left footer, right footer) and Marco Asensio capped off a superb run with an even better finish as Real Madrid cancelled out a Robert Lewandowski and a scrappy Sergio Ramos own-goal as they ran out 4-2 winners on the night; 6-3 on aggregate.
At the end, it was more than a touch harsh on Bayern Munich who could rightly complain that they never got the rub of the gree anytime during the tie, but then that’s how things are in football – some go your way, some don’t. Here are the five key talking points from what was a truly epic Champions League quarterfinal:
#1 The Isco conundrum shows once again why the system must triumph over the individual
Isco deserved to be in the side today. He has been excellent this season, and never more than over the weekend where he was nigh untouchable – as good, if not better, than any Real Madrid player has been all season. And he was very good today as well – showing a rare proclivity towards making tackles, and showcasing that near-supernsatural dribbling ability of his on many an occasion.
But he shouldn’t have started today.
In the last game, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo had done some excellent defensive work-rates to shut down Bayern’s wings completey - Los Blancos 4-3-3 seamlessly seguing into a 4-5-1 when they were without the ball. Today, they started with a 4-4-2, and with the midfield four packed with central midfielders whose natural instincts are to always show a runner down the wing, they were overwhelmed continously on both wings (especially the right, where Arjen Robben and Philipp Lahm were absolutely immense).
What they gained in terms of personnel they lost in the integrity, or lack thereof, of the sytem. It took Zidane nearly 70 minutes before he corrected it with the introduction of Lucas Vazquez to complement Marco Asensio, and in that 4-3-3 he gained back a measure of control. If Robert Lewandowski had been a 100%, that may very well have not been enough
#2 Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng showcase the best, and worst, qualities of the classic modern defender
This, of course, comes with the disclaimer that neither Hummels nor Boateng were at their absolute physical peaks – which is why we will forgive them any mistakes they made in the taxing thirty minutes that is Extra Time.
It does, however, not detract from their performances over the 90. One look at the highlights reel, and you’d think both had brilliant games – and you would be right in thinking so.
Boateng made some crucial interceptions and blocks – none more so than that spectacular goal-line clearance from Sergio Ramos’ low heatseeker and Hummels too made many an eye-catching interception off, notably out-jumping Cristiano Ronaldo a couple of times when the Portuguese seemed to have peeled away.
That’s the thing, though. As with many modern defenders – these spectacular saves have given the footballing public the impression that they are great defenders.
They are not.
On more than one occasion, one of the two most centre backs in the world would switch off, mislay a simple pass, ball-watch instead of follow their man, go for the spectacular and fail where the simple would have often sufficed. Sharper finishing in the earlier stages of the game from Real Madrid would have have finished the game off and ruined all of Ancelotti’s best-laid plans.
The two of them are really good defenders, but as with most of their peers, they need to understand the eternal truth of the defender – over the long run, consistency trumps the spectacular.
#3 100 and counting: Cristiano Ronaldo does what Cristiano Ronaldo always does – win football games
Today, Atletico Madrid notched up their 100th goal in Champions League competition when Saul Niguez guided a sublime header into the far post at Leicester. Today, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 100th goal in Champions League competition when he tapped the ball into an empty net from all of yards.
There is very danger that the sheer volume of his efforts will dull us to the unmitgated awesomeness of the Portuguese superstar, but we shouldn’t make that mistake.
Read, Also – 5 Reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo is the Greatest Footballer of All Time
He scored the perfect hattrick – his header (excellent, as ever) came as a result of intelligent off the ball movement, his second (while blatantly offside) showcased his first touch and ruthless finishing, and his third was a result of his never say never attitude to running forward when the scent of a goal is in the air.
People can dismiss him for his poor overall performance over the 90 minutes (he wasn’t great, at all), people can thrash him for being selfish (he was, before he opened the scoring – he could easily have given Madrid the lead if he’d passed to Benzema when his partner was in far better positions than him)... what people can’t do, or rather shouldn’t do, is belittle him by saying he was just lucky for being at the right place at the right time.
That luck doesn’t happen if he doesn’t spot the pass, if he doesn’t make the run, if he doesn’t shake the defender.
After Benzema’s departure, he spent half-an-hour playing as a lone striker, and did a mighty fine job of it. He’s 32, and he’s already adapting into a whole-new role.
It’s scary just how awesome this man is.
P.S. That Marco Asensio looks some player, eh
P.P.S. Yes, the main talking point of the match is Cristiano Ronaldo. Yes, this one is about him. Yes almost everything else is about him. But the man of the match on the night? Marcelo Vieira da Silva Júnior.
#4 Avoidable refereeing errors show just how vital video refereeing is for the future of football
Yes, it seemed at first glance to be a blantant refereeing error, but he really shoudn’t have been forced to make the decision in the first place. Bayern were punished for their impetousness, just as they were in the first leg – the ultimate big-game club showing incredibly poor big-game mentality as Arturo Vidal went flying in on Marco Asensio despite being on a caution.
At one point in the game you could see Thiago Alcantara and Xabi Alonso implore with the fesity Chilean – “please, control your temper, these guys will make full use of it” (or something to that effect), but as with Javi Martinez last week, it seems to have paid no dividend.
While Vidal’ssecond yellow is debatable (slow motion replays do show that the Chilean got his man first, and not the ball) , it is an entirely different case that there were a number of calls that went Real Madrid’s way – Casemiro not getting a second yellow despite doing enough to recieve four, Lewandowski being called offside when he was in fact a foot on, Cristiano Ronaldo being given on side when he was, in fact, three feet off... while some of these decisions may not have changed if there had been more technological assistance for the men in the middle – that second Ronaldo goal would certainly not have stood the test of a video replay.
As our very own Rohith Nair has previously pointed out, the usage of video technology and altering, indeed correcting, decisions via replays doesn’t just NOT hamper the game, it enhances the experience. Because, nobody likes it when errors lead to crucial course-of-the-match altering decisions.
If a footballing season that has been marred with base refereeing errors shows anything, it is that for the sport to retain credibility with an increasingly critical audience, the men in the middle need all the help they can get – and any avoidable mistakes should... well... be avoided.
#5 Real Madrid have but one philosophy... winning. And no one does it better than them
When you look at the great teams of history, you associate footballing philosophies with them. The catenaccio of 60’s Inter. The total football of the Ajax and Bayern Munich sides of the 70’s. The tiki-taka of modern, Pep-era, Barcelona.
When you look at Real Madrid sides through history, including the Real Madrid side of today, there is no such single outstanding characteristic. They play possession football at times, they counter-attack at others. They generally play 4-3-3, but as they showed today, they can play a 4-4-2 diamond.
Earlier in the season, when Gareth Bale was fit they even appeared to play a traditional 4-4-2 at times. They attack through the middle when Isco is on the pitch, and down the wings when Vazquez and Asensio are. Fullbacks act as wingbacks. while at other times they hold a perfectly flat line at the back.
You see, this Real Madrid side, Zidane’s Madrid side, are very similar to its successful predecessors... here in the Bernabeu, the only philosophy that matters, the only philosophy that lasts, is winning,
This is the 55th consecutive game in which Madrid scored atleast one goal – a run that is more impressive than appears at first glance. This team always scores, and when they do get on the board, they very rarely go on to not make the most of it.
Of course, they had the rub of the green on this occasion, as they have on others, but getting it is one and making the most of it is another – it often spells the difference between winners and losers... and like their coach, this time is very much the latter.
Oh, and for their future opponents in the competition –
