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Real Madrid players celebrating after their victory along with their coachReal Madrid took a giant leap in the direction of quarter-finals as they beat AS Roma by 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in the first leg of the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. Cristiano Ronaldo and Jese Rodriguez plundered in two amazing goals to hand the visitors a giant lead heading into the second leg.The match was a nip and tuck affair with both sides going for the attack but lacking any sort of inguenity in the final third, which made the game all the more insipid. The second half started in much the same way, but a moment of brilliance from Ronaldo put the 10-time champions in the front.Beating his marker expertly to the ball, the Portuguese poacher unleashed a ferocious drive into the top corner, before Jese followed suit half an hour later. The young Spaniard struck into the far post from a tight angle on the right, leaving Los Blancos on the brink of last 8.Here are the major issues to discuss from the game in Rome.
#1 A game high on promise, low on end product
A game that was supposed to be tight contest turned out to be a one-sided affair
The stage was set for a heart pounding, full throttle football. The sides were all geared up to go hammer and tongs from the starting whistle and leave no stone unturned. However, what panned out was hugely disappointing.
Real Madrid dominated possession for large spells in the game, but were struggling to create any clear-cut opportunities. Roma spent most of the first half on the back foot, but were able to stifle the visitor’s moves with some resolute defending.
The roles reversed after the break as La Maggica threw everything at Los Blancos, but this time, some stout defending at the other end kept the game alive. What separated the sides were 2 moments of individual brilliance, and not a result of some footballing spectacle.
The match was closely contested, but ran short of entertainment as it lacked the end product.
#2 Ronaldo pulls a blinder
Ronaldo was simply magnificent for Madrid against Roma
In a game of momentous magnitude and enormous vitality, ace footballer Cristiano Ronaldo proved to be Real Madrid’s get-out-of-jail-free card as the Portuguese Man O Phwoar triggered the visitor’s rally with a magnificent strike.
Collecting the ball down the left from Marcelo, Ronaldo raced forward and cut back inside at the edge of the area to hook a shot that appeared to have taken a slight deflection off Alessandro Florenzi, straight into the top corner and beyond the reach of Szczesny. The goal oozed class as the 31-year old bagged his 12th strike in the competition from just 7 appearances.
He was also central to everything good from the visitors in the final third and gave Roma run for their money.
The former Manchester United man was oft-criticised for disappearing against big teams this season, but with a goal of such class, has reminded everyone what he still has in his tank.
#3 Wasteful Roma have themselves to blame
Roma could make the full use of the chances provided to them
Not that the Giallorossi were subpar to the mighty visitors that led to the defeat, but Roma were simply too profligate in the final third and were eventually punished for the same.
Whilst chances in the first half were as rare as hen's teeth, they came tenfold after the break. The Rome outfit made a late rally into the game that could have still salvaged the game, but instead, played ducks and drakes with the chances presented.
Roma may surely deserve plaudits for the resolve they showed at the back, but also deserve the blame for being so wasteful in front of goal.
#4 Spaletti outsmarts Zidane
Spaletti deployed a taut but strikerless 4-6-0 formation in an attempt to frustrate the free-scoring visitors
Zinedine Zidane and Luciano Spaletti were both presiding their first European game since taking over the helms of Real Madrid and AS Roma respectively last month, and in this battle of wits, the latter prevailed.
Spaletti deployed a taut but strikerless 4-6-0 formation in an attempt to frustrate the free-scoring visitors, and the move proved to be a coup de maitre as Blancos were stifled by some obdurate defending from the hosts and were made to work their socks off to get something from the game.
For all the attacking talents that Real Madrid vaunted within the ranks, failed to break down a sturdy Roma side, and Spaletti went a long way in outsmarting his counterpart in the opposite dugout.
#5 Real Madrid continue to struggle away from home
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The visit to Rome was Real Madrid’s third game away from the Santiago Bernabeu under their new manager Zinedine Zidane, and the common factor in all three of them was the struggles the side endured.
Whilst they have been relentless at home, Los Meringues have been toothless away from there. Firstly, they were held to a 1-1 draw by a spirited Real Betis in the league, and snatched a victory by a skin of their teeth in the 2-1 victory over Granada. Today, again, they had to strain every sinew to pull off a victory and yet were not appealing enough.
The away form is surely a matter of concern for Zidane, and must find an elixir to cure the ‘away syndrome’ as the season is fast approaching it’s business end.
