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Wasteful Real Madrid were embarrassingly held to a 0-0 draw by a gritty Malaga side at home as they ceded their top spot to Barcelona just three days after clinching it. Having eked out a nervy 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao in midweek, Los Blancos were subject to another tough test when they welcomed the Andalusian side, who were winless but had conceded just three goals in their opening four games. The home side started off brightly when a Cristiano Ronaldo shot was ruled offside and continued to press the visitors with their high-pressing game. Los Boquerones were at the receiving end of relentless attacks from a desperate Madrid side, but their composed and obdurate defending was hard to break down.Despite creating a host of opportunities, Ronaldo in particular, Madrid squandered several gilt-edged chances and were made to pay for their profligacy as they were held to a stunning goalless stalemate at the Santiago Bernabeu.
#1 Ronaldo\'s elusive 500 goals continues to evade him
It has been 10 days and three games since Ronaldo last found himself on the scoresheet. Since the hat-trick in the Champions League opener last week, the Real Madrid ace needed just one more goal to reach a career milestone of 500 goals, and two more to surpass Raul as the club’s most prolific. However, the Portuguese star suffered a triple whammy when he drew a blank for the third consecutive outing.
Out of any other player in the all-white kit, the 30-year-old was at the receiving end of most of the chances but failed to convert even one. He fired a volley, he headed at goal, he tried a tap-in, he tried to connect to crosses but to no absolute avail as he just couldn’t break the deadlock for his side.
Ronaldo was visibly trying his best to get something out of the game. But it appears the stars just aren’t shining above him at the moment.
#2 Real Madrid still struggle against defending teams
As it has been the case all these years, Real Madrid seems to have not learned their lessons. Their Achilles Heel has always been teams that sit deep and that was on show again against a stout Malaga. Los Blancos failed to break down a spirited visiting side despite conjuring as many as 27 shots at goal. They have now dropped four points after just six games into the new La Liga season.
They were made to keep their noses to the grindstones at Bilbao in the midweek, and endured a similar prospect here even against a side teetering near the relegation zone. The Meringues floundered while looking to convert their chances and put up another disappointing show.
Every attempt on goal was either blocked by a highly alert Malaga defence or parried away by the resolute goalkeeper Carlos Kameni. A stream of white shirts kept pouring into the final third, but the pattern of misfiring was the same.
Real Madrid once again stumbled against a defensive opponent and need to look at ways to tackle such hurdles when they come across bigger clubs with a similar approach.
#3 Kameni silences the Bernabeu
While the whole of Malaga put on a great effort in racking up the historic draw, their custodian Carlos Kameni shone the brightest for the visitors. The Cameroon international made a string of crucial saves to deny the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco and Karim Benzema and frustrated the home side to a great extent.
Real Madrid fired a number of shots on goal but Kameni stood tall to thwart literally everything that came his way. He set the tone of the game by keeping out Ronaldo and, over the course of the game, made an astonishing eight saves and intercepted four crosses as well.
The Malaga no.1 put on a goalkeeping masterclass to become one of the unlikely performers of the day. His resilience and moral fibre in keeping the star-studded Blancos XI was eye-popping, and this was arguably one of his finest ever performances as a goalkeeper.
#4 Time to introduce Goal Line Technology in La Liga
Real Madrid were abysmal and deserve all the brickbats that landed at their feet after the final whistle. However, they would have still walked away with all three points hadn’t Isco’s strike been ruled out. The Spaniard’s effort sneaked through Kameni’s hands and trundled towards the net before defender Welington managed to parry it away. But replays showed the ball had clearly crossed the line before the clearance was made.
The incident ensued right after Malaga were reduced to 10 men and, had goal-line technology been in operation, Los Blancos would have made the difference here. The match referees are prone to make mistakes when they are to make split-second decisions, and their mistake can cost the team against whom the decision has gone.
Introduction of the goal-line technology thereby comes into picture and it is high time La Liga joins Premier League in the list of leagues in Europe where the system is installed.
#5 Nordin Amrabat spoils his own evening with red card
For the best three-quarters of the game, Malaga striker Nordin Amrabat was dazzling in attack and caused problems to the home side. He laid a cross for Juan Carlos who found it difficult to finish it off from a tight angle. He surged towards the box at every opportunity and kept Madrid busy at the back.
It was all going great for the Morocco international until the 75th minute when he marred his admirable outing by picking up a needless red card for advertently striking his elbow across the face of Marcelo. Amrabat received the ball in his own half and was caught on the counter by the Real Madrid full-back who vied for the ball. But the Netherlands born forward plunged into recklessness when he, under-pressure, whipped his elbow at Marcelo.
The referee wasted no time in sending the 28-year-old for an early shower and Malaga were reduced to 10 men. Although his side did manage to hang on after his dismissal, Amrabat spoiled a what was could have been a great evening.
