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#2 A case for the defence
After eight games into the season, Real Madrid remain unbeaten in all competitions and are one of the only five teams across the top five leagues in Europe to hold the distinction. However, one of the most glaring things about this team under Rafael Benitez is their sturdy defence that has leaked in a mere one goal in 8 competitive games so far.
The Madrid-born coach has brought back a sense of stinginess into the Blancos backline that has been otherwise porous in seasons past. With the star-studded attacking lineup delivering up front, Benitez seems to have focused on resurrecting the rearguard. And suffice to say, he has done a laudable job thus far.
Keylor Navas has been just as exceptional in between the sticks, dispatching one dogged performance after another. And the defending quartet ahead of him have shown great vigilance and are not prone to errors. In this game, even without the regular defending troika of Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Marcelo, the visitors appeared rigid at the back and kept out the hosts for to a large extent.
The derby clash with Atletico Madrid will prove to be a real test for the defence. But to go by th performance we’ve seen from them till now, the results are overwhelming.
