Ludogorets vs. Real Madrid: Lessons Learned from Champions League Game
Real Madrid beat Ludogorets 2-1 on Wednesday night to go three points clear in Champions League Group B in an entertaining, close-fought match.
The Bulgarians took a shock lead when an unmarked Marcelinho headed past Iker Casillas at the far post after just six minutes.
Real looked to have found a route back into the game when Yordan Minev fouled Javier Hernandez in the penalty area. Cristiano Ronaldo missed the subsequent spot-kick to leave the European champions reeling.
The Portuguese was unfairly ruled offside when a chance presented itself soon after. He got himself another crack at goal on the 22nd minute when he crumbled far too easily in the box when Cosmin Moti challenged him. Ronaldo picked the same corner but did not miss this penalty kick.
Georgi Dermendzhiev's team continued to take the game to Real when they could, though the Spanish side had several chances to take the lead themselves. In the end they had to wait until less than 15 minutes to go when Karim Benzema scored from close range after Aleksandar Aleksandrov had slipped in front of him.
Read on for a few things learned from the action from Sofia in Champions League Matchday 2.
Real's Soft Centre Is Going to Continue to Cause Them Problems
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It has been a much-discussed issue this season and was problematic even as they thrashed Basel 5-1 two weeks ago. Real Madrid's midfield is the creative envy of much of Europe, but the players are not so suited to the comparative dirty work of the position.
When they are not in full flow going forward, as was the case on Wednesday night, their deficiencies are even more exposed.
Asier Illarramendi, Luka Modric and Isco formed Real's midfield three in Bulgaria. The former two certainly won some individual battles—they made six successful tackles between them, as tallied by Squawka—and largely did well stopping the marauding runs of the influential Marcelinho.
As a unit, though, they were often stretched by a Ludogorets team who relished running at them on the break.
Where the Bulgarian side's midfield was aggressive (occasionally a little dirty) and well-positioned to help their defence, the Real back four were barely covered by the trio in front of them.
Svetoslav Dyakov, Fabio Espinho and Marcelinho enjoyed engaging with their expensive counterparts. Though they did not keep the ball as well, their persistence made up for it—they knew they would get the chance to go at Real again soon enough.
Real won the game, so it would be churlish to criticise their midfield too much. Isco was typically tricky, Modric constantly probed and Illarramendi did his best to drive his team on.
But with tougher opponents still to come this season, Real's soft centre will still be a worry for manager Carlo Ancelotti.
A fit Sami Khedira should help provide some steel here, but for now the La Liga side has a worrying lack of balance.
Hernandez Is Not (yet) in Tune with Real's Quick-Passing Game
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Had Real Madrid not gone on to win the game, it would have been a moment to cause a sleepless night or two for Javier Hernandez.
With 56 minutes played, Gareth Bale broke forward after a Ludogorets corner. He passed cross-field to Ronaldo, who played Isco into the box. The Spaniard crossed deliciously to the far post, on a plate for Chicharito, only for the Mexican to somehow shoot sideways from just a few yards out.
It was the kind of chance Hernandez thrives on, the kind from which he made his reputation at Manchester United.
Benzema's goal spared his blushes, but even that will have provoked mixed feelings for the striker. This was his opportunity to show he could play his part in Real's fearsome front three, but he was unable to take it.
That moment was the nadir of Hernandez's night, but it was really a standalone occurrence. Perhaps more concerning for the 26-year-old in the immediate future will have been his struggles to effectively link up with his team-mates.
He was not hopeless. Hernandez connected with a Marcelo cross to test Vladislav Stoyanov and a minute later delivered a nice centre that almost found Ronaldo.
But where Benzema was straightaway involved in Real's intricate passing patterns, luring Ludogorets players out of position with his movement, Hernandez was comparatively unimaginative.
His two goals in the 8-2 win over Deportivo La Coruna suggest finishing will not be a problem for him in the long term. He is too good in this department for it to be.
However, Hernandez still has work to do to prove he can be a functioning part in all applicable aspects of a fluid Madrid attack that, at its best, is majestic.
Ludogorets Are the Real Champions League Deal
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Marcelinho's sixth-minute goal caused a stir at the Natsionalen Stadion Vasil Levski and across Europe. The champions of Europe were 1-0 down to Ludogorets of Bulgaria.
The result did not go the way of Dermendzhiev's side, but they proved their good performance versus Liverpool was no fluke.
After Ronaldo's equaliser, they held Real level until the 77th minute, when Aleksandro's unfortunate stumble allowed Benzema to score.
Stoyanov was excellent in goal, making some terrific point-blank saves.
Cosmin Moti was just as good at centre-back, stopping Bale and Benzema on the edge of the box with a pair of perfectly timed sliding tackles. Minev gave Bale a tough time from his left-back berth too and showed great awareness to come in from the left and clear a Ronaldo shot off the line in the second half.
Ludogorets would not have been the first side to hold their position and defend well against a more expensively assembled team. They also showed commendable attacking ambition.
At times they looked like a less-glamorous version of Real. Not so much in a formation that veered more into 4-2-3-1 territory, but in the swiftness of their passing and the quickness with which they struck on the counter-attack.
The likes of Dani Abalo, Roman Bezjak and Marcelinho are, of course, not at the level of Bale, Ronaldo and friends. But they again showed they are capable of giving any side problems.
"We were brave, courageous and played with no fear against the reigning European champions," Dermendzhiev told UEFA.com post-match. "We played as equal to Real and I am delighted with our performance, we could have earned a draw"
Their meeting with Basel later this month should make for fascinating viewing. The Swiss did not shame themselves against Real and again highlighted their strength at home with a 1-0 win over Liverpool.
If Ludogorets can beat Paulo Sousa's side, Group B will become even more interesting.
Ronaldo and Bezjak's Theatrical Behaviour Tarnished a Good Contest
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Diving and overexaggeration in football—not a new issue but one that continues to tarnish the game at the highest level.
Real's second penalty should not have been awarded. Ronaldo was barely touched by Moti, definitely not illegally so. It is all the more frustrating to see, as the Portuguese is yet again this season proving his brilliance by means fair and proper (he had scored 13 goals in all competitions prior to Wednesday).
The unexpected toughness of the contest perhaps provoked it from Ronaldo. He would wear a pained expression on his face frequently throughout the match.
Ironically, he was at his most aggrieved after a sturdy but legitimate challenge from the night's other best (or worst) actor contender.
Considering he was up against a World Cup winner in Sergio Ramos and one of Europe's best young defenders in Raphael Varane, Bezjak did a good job leading the line for Ludogorets. His movement was decent, and he did enough to distract his markers to free up his team-mates to try their luck attacking the La Liga side.
Sadly, he sullied this positive work with some theatrical reactions to challenges that did not warrant it. One instance just after the hour saw him attempt to dribble between Alvaro Arbeloa and Varane, only to then hit the ground like he had been smacked in the back of the head (he had not been).
Substitute Virgil Misidjan followed suit when he tried to claim a penalty for minimal contact from Illarramendi.
It was a shame that an otherwise engaging contest was dragged down a notch in respectability by this behaviour.
These players are better than cheating.
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