Granada vs. Real Madrid: Score, Grades and Reaction
Real Madrid cruised to their 11th straight victory across all competitions with a 4-0 triumph over Granada on Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and James Rodriguez, who netted a brace, scored for Los Blancos.
Granada were viewed as a potential threat to the Real winning streak. The Nazaries have displayed solid defensive form in recent weeks and had the benefit of playing at home. It wasn't enough to slow down the dynamic attack of the side from Madrid, though.
Real were on the scoresheet less than two minutes into the match courtesy of a tremendous all-around effort that ended with a Ronaldo finish.
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Dani Carvajal did most of the heavy lifting on the play. He made a nice run down the right side, won a battle for the loose ball and made a pinpoint pass to Benzema. The French international slid the ball into the middle of the box and Ronaldo made no mistake from there.
As WhoScored.com notes, to say the superstar forward is on fire is an understatement:
The level of competitiveness picked up after that early strike. Granada prevented the match from getting out of hand but struggled to put any pressure on the Real back line. Their few forays forward were handled without issue by the Blancos.
Then, just after the half-hour mark, Real struck again.
Rodriguez once again showcased his ability to produce highlight-reel goals with a brilliant volley from a tough angle. Benzema, who picked up his second assist of the game on the play, flicked the ball to the Colombian, who perfectly lofted the shot over Roberto and into the far netting.
Footy provided a look at the terrific finish:
"James Rodríguez scored this for Real Madrid this afternoon. http://t.co/O6Z8W2eK5G
— Footy (@Footy) November 1, 2014"
The only negative from the first half for Real was an injury to Carvajal. He pulled up after making a run and couldn't continue. The club noted the switch to bring on Alvaro Arbeloa:
Halftime didn't do anything to slow down the Blancos.
Less than 10 minutes after the break, they stretched their lead to three courtesy of Benzema. He took a backheel flick from Ronaldo and quickly poked it past Roberto, who didn't have a chance.
Fox Soccer Trax points out the delivery from CR7 was almost too good:
It was routine from that point forward for Real. They moved the ball around sharply and ensured Granada wouldn't get any opportunities to spark a comeback attempt.
Rodriguez got his second goal of the match in the final minutes after a scramble in the box. OptaJose provided a note about the tally that wrapped up the scoring:
Looking ahead, Real Madrid are right back in action on Tuesday against Premier League side Liverpool in Champions League play. The Blancos currently top Group B having secured all nine points so far. Each of the other clubs in the pool are tied at three.
Granada return to the pitch next Saturday for a La Liga clash with Celta Vigo. Manager Joaquin Caparros will have to get his side back on track during the week of training after being simply outclassed by a talented Real group.
Granada Grades
| GK | Roberto | 5 |
| LB | Juan Carlos | 6 |
| CB | Jeison Murillo | 4 |
| CB | Jean-Sylvain Babin | 5 |
| RB | Allan Nyom | 6 |
| LM | Abdoul Sissoko | 7 |
| CM | Eddy Silvestre (off 46') | 5 |
| CM | Manuel Iturra | 5 |
| RM | Dimitri Foulquier | 6 |
| FW | Isaac Success (off 50') | 6 |
| FW | Jhon Cordoba (off 65') | 5 |
| Time | Substitutes | - |
| 46' | Javi Marquez | 5 |
| 50' | Youssef El-Arabi | 5 |
| 65' | Ruben Rochina | 5 |
Real Madrid Grades
| GK | Iker Casillas | 7 |
| LB | Marcelo | 6 |
| CB | Sergio Ramos | 7 |
| CB | Pepe | 6 |
| RB | Dani Carvajal (off 38') | 8 |
| LM | Isco (off 84') | 7 |
| CM | Toni Kroos | 6 |
| CM | Luka Modric (off 76') | 6 |
| RM | James Rodriguez | 9 |
| FW | Cristiano Ronaldo | 10 |
| FW | Karim Benzema | 10 |
| Time | Substitutes | - |
| 38' | Alvaro Arbeloa | 6 |
| 76' | Sami Khedira | 5 |
| 84' | Asier Illarramendi | 5 |
Post-Match Reaction
RMadridHome passed along some remarks from manager Carlo Ancelotti after the match:
"Carlo Ancelotti: "We are playing with quality and a lot of concentration, a lot of work and sacrifice." #HalaMadrid
— RMadridHome (@RMadridHome) November 1, 2014"
"Carlo Ancelotti: "We must work to continue this run. We're playing well and getting points." #HalaMadrid
— RMadridHome (@RMadridHome) November 1, 2014"
Ancelotti has every reason to be pleased. Today's victory allowed him to win 11 straight matches for the first time in his managerial career.
