Player Ratings: Getafe 1 - 2 Real Madrid; 2017 La Liga

Madrid secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Getafe thanks to goals from Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo. It was far from an awe-inspiring display, but it is these types of games where the team has to find a way to win. Zidane and hus men will now turn focus to mid-week agaisnt Tottenham.

Player Ratings:

Kiko Casilla—6.5: Rotated into the squad after a small injury to Keylor Navas while on international duty. A passenger for most of the match as Getafe sat deep oftentimes with nine or ten men behind the ball. Wasn’t at fault for the goal as the defensive lines lost track of their marks.

Achraf Hakimi—8: Great performance from the youngster who already looks to be growing in confidence and more assured of his role. Never hesitated in demanding the ball when he was in open positions and constantly attacked down the right flank. He is shifty and has quality on the ball when isolated 1v1 against an opposing defender. The biggest compliment to this youngster is that he doesn’t look out of place in this Real Madrid side.

Nacho—6.5: Like Ramos, was very aggressive and stepped out early to prevent any counter attacks and to lock Getafe in their half. Kept the attack quiet for most of the night and had little to do defensively, but will be upset at the mis-marking and miscommunication on the goal for Getafe.

Sergio Ramos—8: Played the full 90 minutes after vomiting the night prior with the flu. Despite the illness, he put in a captain’s performance and martialed the back line well. Both Nacho and Ramos were aggressive stepping out and kept a high line to quickly win the ball back in transition and keep Getafe locked in their half.

Marcelo—6: The Brazilian returned from injury and looked a little rusty. His marauding attacking runs were limited and he and Asensio failed to effectively connect on the left flank, forcing the team to keep swinging the ball. Zidane took him off for Theo 75 minuets into the match to bring a spark and help build up both their fitness levels.

Marcos Llorente—6: The former Cantera product got his second start of the season and was partnered again with Kroos in a double pivot. The two man center midfield impacted both their performances. Llorente worked tirelessly and kept possession well with simple passes, but the midfield was unable to penetrate Getafe’s defensive line without a creative spark like Isco or Ceballos.

Toni Kroos—6: Like Llorente, was hurt not having a third midfielder to help break Getafe down. Produced his usual array of long and short range passing, but uncharacteristically had multiple misplaced passes and struggled to find the key to unlock Getafe’s defensive lines.

Marco Asensio— 4.5: It has been a poor run of form for the young Spaniard since his blistering start. He tried to move about from his left wing position but failed to get on the ball enough to make any significant impact. With a double pivot in the line up and Isco on the bench, more would be expected and needed from young Marco to secure a good result.

Lucas Vazquez—6.5: Very active in the first half and constantly drew fouls from Getafe. He was always an outlet for Achraf and connected well with the Moroccan. Only criticism would be to see more of his crosses and direct dribbling turn into a final product.

Karim Benzema—8.5: Karim came back from injury with a bang. He scored a beautiful individual goal, pit pocketing Alexis and then passing the ball to himself, leaving the defense behind and striking the ball in the bottom corner. It was clinical goal, something that has been lacking since the start of the season. He was heavily involved in the link up play and set up Cristiano beautifully for a volley after bringing down a cross with his knee.

Cristiano Ronaldo—7.5: Time and time again Cristiano comes up big when Madrid need him most. He was quiet for much of the game, but did have a few blistering shots which tested Guaita. His set-up run for the goal was a thing of beauty and young strikers should look to that example in how to deceive and lose defenders. The volley was of utmost quality and Cristiano will be happy to finally get his 1st La Liga goal.

Substitutions:

Theo—7: Came on for Marcelo as Madrid needed another goal to earn a victory. Scored on one of his first touches, but was correctly called offside. Used his speed and direct interior runs and overlaps to stretch the Getafe defense.

Isco—8.5: The game was in the balance and some Magia was needed to tip the scales in Madrid’s favor. Isco did just that, he came on and was everywhere. He demanded the ball and did everything he could to help get Los Blancos another goal. His efforts would be rewarded with a beautiful assist for Cristiano to score the game winner.

Borja Mayoral—6.5: Came on late into the match for Karim Benzema. Hounded the Getafe defense and worked tirelessly to help Madrid secure the lead. Had limited minutes to make any true impact, but his energy is always a positive.

Manager:

Zinedine Zidane—7: Zizou continues to use the double pivot of Kroos and Llorente despite its lack of previous success against Levante. It was rotated squad due to injuries and international break fatigue, but the team found a way through and earned three points. The introduction of Isco and Theo were crucial in scoring the game winning goal. The manager won’t love the performance, but will be happy to get the three points and move on.

Man of the Match: Karim Benzema