Four takeaways from Real Madrid's 0-2 victory over Schalke 04

1. Los Blancos did just what we should expect of them, and that is good news. Real Madrid arrived in the knock-out stage of the UEFA Champions League in a very difficult situation and they managed to almost solve the tie in the first leg. They avoided risks and managed to brutally control the game, conceding only one goal chance in ninety minutes. While it is true that this was not a brilliant game by Real Madrid, I believe that they deserved a wider margin than the one they got.
2. Things will be better once our injured players are back. Although it should not serve as an excuse for their poor output in 2015, Los Blancos have been missing very important players lately. Yesterday, with Pepe back in the lineup, we saw a much more solid team than the one we have been seeing lately, and this will get better once Ramos is ready. By the end of March, with Modric back in the lineup, we will likely see the best version of this team once again.
3. Ronaldo's goal is the first step for him to forget his post-Ballon d'Or crisis. For a predator like Cristiano Ronaldo, three games without being able to score a goal seem like a whole life, and perhaps this negative streak was undermining his morale. Although we did not see the best of Cristiano last night, he managed to score Real Madrid's first goal heading a brilliant cross by Carvajal, and this should serve him as a springboard for recovery.
4. Lucas Silva left a good performance in his first game in the starting lineup. He was not brilliant and probably Illarramendi would have done better than him, but he did a good job in the midfield, and this deserves some credit for a Brazilian player that just made his debut in the Champions League in a tough venue like the Veltins Arena. Silva showed a great tactical display, good positioning and a strong personality.

Bonus track: Varane will likely replace Chris Evans in the next Captain America movie.

Muy felices por el resultado de hoy. ¡Partidazo y victoria! #HaIaMadrid pic.twitter.com/BXedt3pjDd

— Álvaro Arbeloa (@aarbeloa17) febrero 18, 2015