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Scoreline: Real Madrid 3-2 Malaga
Scorers: Benzema 9' Rolan 18' Casemiro 21' Castro 58' Ronaldo 76'
In a fixture that was expected to go all but one way, Malaga grafted away and kept their noses to the grindstone until the very last minute as Ronaldo's scrappy effort from the penalty spot in the 76th minute proved to be just about enough to seal all 3 points for Los Blancos.
Earlier, Real Madrid got off to a flyer after Benzema tapped in from point-blank range after Ronaldo's header came back off the post. A terrible give-away by Toni Kroos in the 18th minute led to Malaga's equalizer as Diego Rolan stayed calm inside the area to find the bottom left corner.
Real Madrid snatched their lead back immediately as Casemiro headed home from a corner. Chory Castro's spectacular effort from 25 yards out breathed more vigour into the game. Real Madrid were desperate to get the goal that would win them the game and they were rewarded with a spot kick in the 76th minute after Luka Modric was brought down inside the area.
Cristiano Ronaldo's effort from the spot was saved by Roberto. But he could only parry it back into the path of Madrid's main man who sent the ball into a cuddle with the netting.
Here's what we learnt from the game.
#5 Lack of defensive stability hurt Real Madrid
Though Malaga were audacious and inventive going forward, it was Real Madrid's bungling at the back that gifted them both their goals.
While Sergio Ramos is not exactly famous for being a stoic at the back, his moxie and absolute irreverence for opposition attacks were sorely missed. Raphael Varane had to lend an arm to the young Vallejo who got himself into trouble one too many times.
Toni Kroos gave the ball away cheaply and Malaga made the best out of it with Diego Rolan keeping his calm and sending the ball to the back of the net with relative ease. He did so because Vallejo afforded him space and time inside the box and there is simply no excuse for doing that.
Vallejo was found to be erratic once again as he gave too much space for Chory Castro to unleash a strike from 25 yards out.
Real Madrid need Sergio Ramos and tonight's match was a testament to that fact. Also, Kiko Casilla has no business donning a Real Madrid jersey.
#4 Malaga's exciting attackers make Real Madrid sweat bullets
Diego Rolan was a livewire in attack for Malaga from the get-go. He was pumped up and running at the Madrid defence, fearless and focused. Rolan got a well-deserved goal to equalize and did not act for one second like the cat that got the cream. He continued to toil.
The same could be said of Keko and Chory Castro who were constantly on the front foot and helped launch several threatening counterattacking moves against Zizou's men.
In fact, Chory Castro was so influential for Malaga that he retrieved the ball 7 times. Let's not downplay that because he did that against a midfield that consists of Casemiro, Kroos and Isco.
They were also harshly denied a goal in the 45th minute when Baysse found the net after climbing above Carvajal. But the referee blew the whistle for half-time and disallowed the goal for a shove from the back.
If Malaga carry on in the same vein, the ball is going to hit the net far more often than it has for them this season and that is nothing but good news.
#3 Real Madrid have problems up front and it's time to face them
Karim Benzema netted what is possibly the easiest goal he will score in his career when he nudged the ball into the back of the net after Ronaldo's header rebounded off the crossbar.
In the 29th minute, however, Benzema missed a sitter. Carvajal played a peach of a through ball to find Benzema in space inside the box. The Frenchman had to go across the goalkeeper but finishing that chance off is something you've come to expect of a striker who plays for Real Madrid. Well, he botched it and it perfectly summed up Benzema's season so far.
No matter how much Gareth Bale gets hounded for his lack of fitness, Real Madrid are simply not as good without him on the pitch. Lucas Vasquez is a committed and tireless worker. But on a night where he had plenty to work with, his final balls lacked gravely in terms of quality and gave hardly anything for Benzema and Ronaldo to work with in the centre.
Yet another issue that needs to be sorted out is finding the right combination in midfield. Isco drifted in and out of the game with fits of the spectacular and the mediocre thrown in tandem. Kroos was found being casual as he handed Malaga their first goal but teleported to the other side of the spectrum within 3 minutes as he delivered a spectacular ball for Casemiro to head home.
#2 Malaga simply don't deserve to be in the relegation battle
Boy o boy, are Malaga coming back to life?
Malaga went neck to neck with Real Madrid and enjoyed almost the same amount of time on the ball as their glorious opposition. Though they did show their defensive frailties on occasion, we saw a team that put up a spirited performance at the absolute fortress that is the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Andalusians showed a lot of heart and got back on level terms twice. Roberto even saved Ronaldo's effort from the spot but unfortunately couldn't parry it away from his path.
They came into the match on the back of 2 wins in 3 La Liga matches and though they leave with a heavy heart, they can breathe easy knowing that they looked nothing like a team that's languishing at the substratum of the table.
#1 Dani Carvajal show Real Madrid just what they have been missing
Dani Carvajal is simply one of the best Real Madrid players right now. And tonight, he put in a shift and then some.
Carvajal drives the team forward and is just as reliable in attack as he is in defence. Though his aerial game is lacking at times, the Spaniard makes up for it with his toing and froing on the right flank.
Carvajal even released Benzema through on goal and could have got an assist to his name had Benzema did what he was supposed to do- finish it off. The 25-year-old kept finding Lucas Vasquez in space and he didn't cover himself in glory either with his wastefulness.
Real Madrid have definitely looked like a better side in the last 2 matches and Carvajal is the main reason behind it. While Marcelo is effective in the final third with his whipped-in crosses, he tends to get a little panicky in the centre of the park.
However, Carvajal is up to the task more often than not and gives it his all.
