Three things we learned from Real Madrid’s 1-3 win against Real Sociedad

Real Madrid earned a hard-fought 1-3 win at Anoeta even without key players like Toni Kroos, Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo and Karim Benzema. Los Blancos completed an excellent performance during the first half and managed to increase their lead in the second, all but sealing the win for coach Zinedine Zidane.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

1. Gareth Bale’s goal could change his season. The Welsh player needed to score a goal like that one. He needs to gain some momentum and confidence back because he still didn’t lead the team. Coach Zinedine Zidane said during the post-match press conference that Bale is capable of doing much more for the team and he’s right.
2. Isco, Modric and Asensio controlled the midfield during the first half. They allowed Real Sociedad to create more chances and dictate the tempo of the game throughout the final third of the match, but their performance let Madrid dominate through the first 45 minutes.
3. Mayoral and Theo are ready for more minutes. Mayoral scored Madrid’s opening goal and created the chance for the second even when most fans and analysts thought he was going to be start the game on the bench. Theo Hernandez played very well offensively but it’s true that he will need to improve on the defensive side of the game. One way or another, these two men can be trusted.