Real Madrid vs. Basel: Winners and Losers from Champions League Game
Real Madrid's defence of the Champions League got off to a strong start with a comfortable 5-1 win over Basel.
The Swiss outfit showed an encouraging resistance in the early going, forcing the home side out wide and dealing comfortably with the subsequent crosses. It broke down on the 14th minute when a delightful James Rodriguez backheel freed Nacho inside the box, with the right-back's cross deflected in by the unfortunate Marek Suchy.
Carlo Ancelotti's side had to wait 15 minutes for their goal and then added a third soon after. Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo were the scorers, each having been involved in the other's goal with good work from Luka Modric too.
Rodriguez made it 4-0 before Derlis Gonzalez reduced the deficit prior to the interval with an incisive move that split Real. The European champions slowed things down in the second half, doing enough to keep Basel out, before Karim Benzema sealed the victory with a comprehensive finish from the edge of the box.
Madrid top Group B on goal difference after Liverpool's narrow home win over Ludogorets. Here are some winners and losers from the action at the Bernabeu.
Winner: The Attacking Ambition of the Real Madrid Midfield
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James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos joined Real Madrid this summer for a reportedly combined sum of £83 million, as per The Guardian.
Along with Luka Modric, they were involved in all five of their team's goals against Basel in the best example yet of the creativity that is intended to be the calling card of their midfield.
Rodriguez played in Nacho in the run-up to Real's first and was then on hand to notch their fourth after Karim Benzema's shot had been parried by Tomas Vaclik.
Modric conjured up a superb assist of his own when, with the outside of his boot, he placed a superb pass into the path of Gareth Bale as home side went two-nil up. That move gained momentum following a nice exchange between the Croatian and Cristiano Ronaldo, and it was the Portuguese who finished Bale's cross after he had been sent forward by Modric down the right.
Kroos completed 94 percent of his passes—as tallied by Squawka—a reflection of a performance that was understated rather than showy. He did enjoy a moment in the limelight, though, when he helped set in motion the combination between Ronaldo and Benzema that put Madrid 5-1 up.
With these three pulling the strings, the attack of Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo will not be short of service. This is something to concern a list of rivals already fearful of the Spanish club's expensive, ample attacking threat.
Loser: Doubts Remain over the Real Midfield's Defensive Ability
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The downside of a midfield of Kroos, Modric and Rodriguez is none of them is particularly suited to anchoring his team's efforts going forward. That was a role occupied by the departed Xabi Alonso.
Basel had some joy getting behind them, especially as the game opened up following Real's declaration of their own attacking intent. The best example was the Swiss side's goal itself.
Luca Zuffi received the ball completely unmarked in the centre-circle. There he chose his option swiftly, freeing his attacking midfielder partner Derlis Gonzalez who ran at the back-pedaling defence and placed a superb shot in the bottom corner.
The midfield might have expected its defence to stop Gonzalez from getting as far as he did. Nonetheless, Real Madrid's lackadaisical approach to this side of their game is becoming a worry given the frequency with which it is causing problems.
None of Kroos, Modric and Rodriguez were anywhere to be seen when Arda Turan struck Atletico's winner in the Madrid derby this past weekend.
Again, there was a certain negligence from their team-mates in defence in granting Turan so much space. That is where a midfield is supposed to offer some security, though, tracking back to cover potential issues not necessarily apparent from so deep.
The best form of defence for Real Madrid is always going to be attack. However, if the former is not addressed from its midfield perspective, there will be trouble ahead.
Winner: Basel Prove They Still Have Options to Cause Teams Problems in Europe
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The departure of players such as Mohamed Salah and Valentin Stocker over the past year has left Basel without key men from some memorable campaigns in the Champions League and Europa League.
The European champions were not severely troubled by the Swiss titleholders on Tuesday night. Yet, there were some individual performances that suggested Basel still have talent capable of doing well at this level.
Gonzalez scored a fine goal and was a constant thorn in Real's side with his intelligent movement.
Just 20, the Paraguayan showed he is not afraid to try his luck from varying distances. He fired one just wide from outside the box and almost added a second when he got onto a misjudged header back from Raphael Varane, only to be denied by a superb Iker Casillas save.
Substitute Breel Embolo's contribution was arguably even more impressive given he is just 17. Unafraid of the considerable stage on which he was playing, the Cameroonian striker used the ball sensibly and had no qualms about running towards goal when the opportunity came up.
Farther back, goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik will not feel too good given he conceded five goals. The signing from Sparta Prague made some fine saves, though, and will only improve at this level coming up against such classy, experienced opposition.
One face familiar to the Bernabeu faithful was their former defender Walter Samuel, who joined Basel this summer following the end of his successful near-decade with Internazionale.
The 36-year-old was withdrawn on 64 minutes after he was booked for fouling Marcelo on the edge of the box. Dangerous as the subsequent free kick was, it showed his hard-earned nous stepping into stop a Real attack that might have been more costly. That experience was seen in a more legal fashion elsewhere and should prove useful for the Swiss side down the line.
Loser: Sousa's Ambition Will Need Checking
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Despite the promise shown by Basel's players, new and old, the ambition previously hinted at by manager Paulo Sousa will have been tempered by their loss in Spain.
"We are coming here without any kind of complex and with courage and character," Sousa told UEFA.com's Marcos Prieto pre-match, while he also hinted on FIFA.com at the prospect of catching Real Madrid out given their recent struggles in La Liga.
"In clubs this big where there is always the need to win, these type of things can happen. I am sure they are going to solve their problems, but I hope it will not be tomorrow."
Sousa is a two-time winner of the Champions League as a player. Knowing how tough the competition is, his comments will have been spoken partly with attempting to boost the confidence of his players in mind.
Still, there was an undoubted hope from the Portuguese—fresh from winning the Israeli title as boss of Maccabi Tel Aviv—that the occasion could bring the best out of his team. "Playing against the best will enable us to reach another level," he stated to Prieto.
Their time in the Champions League this year might still prove as conducive a learning experience. Indeed, they will still be hopeful of progressing in Group B given how Liverpool toiled to a 2-1 win against Ludogorets.
Given the scoreline, Basel did not shame themselves at the Bernabeu. Nonetheless, Sousa should not take for granted the challenges still to come.
Winner: Real Do Not Appear to Have Lost Their Champions League Motivation
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Winning the fabled La Decima last season was an obviously huge deal for Real Madrid. The European Cup/Champions League forms such a notable part of their history, the celebrations that greeted their 10th success were completely understandable.
The risk that comes with achieving such a longed-for victory is regaining the motivation to do as well in the tournament afterwards can prove challenging.
The fact there have been no repeat winners of the trophy since AC Milan over two decades ago is in part because some of those successes were the culmination of big efforts to get that far (notably Chelsea in 2012). It is also, of course, incredibly difficult to get the better of Europe's best for more than one year at a time.
The feeling of a target having been reached can serve to minimise subsequent efforts, though—no matter how unconsciously. Given the hard work Casillas, Ramos, Ronaldo and Co. put in to getting over that final hurdle, a comedown would not be surprising.
One win over a decent but clearly inferior Basel side does not make a season. Still, the manner with which Real Madrid pulled them apart at times suggests this is not a side resting on its laurels.
Bale and Benzema's goals were particularly brilliant, more than a match quality-wise for any of last season's great moments.
Plenty of challenges will have to be navigated in the coming months if Ancelotti and his team are to repeat. A good start does not hurt.
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