Over and over it. Real Madrid has five match days The League completely overturned. Gone is the backlog on FC Barcelona, a two point lead has come. At six matches from the end, the team of Red Devils Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois is the top favorite for the title in Spain after the economical 0-1 victory against Espanyol.
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Does that actually exist, the opposite of a crowd player? A footballer who bounces when the stands remain empty, for whom goals and assists themselves are as good as the reception by the audience, who would rather celebrate alone than with 50,000 others? If not, then maybe we have a suggestion who can serve as an example: Karim Benzema. The Real striker is one of the few who, despite the separate preparation, excels in post-quarantine times. Three goals in four matches after the resumption of the competition. One of them – against Valencia – was also princely. Benzema was and is on fire.
15 out of 15 for Barcelona
Also on Sunday evening against Espanyol, the last one in Spain. In an uncomfortable first half, the Frenchman put his club on the way to a lead just before half-time. A wonderful heel – which was due to the heel ball that Benzema himself once received from Guti – gave Casemiro free rein towards the goal and the 0-1. Ban broken, Real already on the way to a 15 to 15. Benzema should have received a penalty and Eden Hazard – who took quite a few tackles – then missed another nice chance: the three points were scored. An equally sparkling second half did not change that much.
The delicious heel from Karim Benzema.
Video: Eleven Sports
Not sparkling, but indeed
Those three new points also resulted in the leader position. Barcelona’s 2-2 against Celta Vigo on Saturday meant a change of the guard. In five games, Real has transformed from an insecure challenger to a proud leader. Not that football under Zinedine Zidane is so sparkling, not that Eden Hazard breaks everything after his long injury, not that it finishes every match with sky-high dominance. No, Real is just businesslike and solid. Rock solid. With a Thibaut Courtois who had to allow only two goals in five games. That helps of course. Exactly three more weeks: then we know whether thoroughness also yields titles.
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