Granada vs. Real Madrid: Winners and Losers from La Liga Game
Real Madrid continued their excellent streak of form by defeating Granada 4-0 at Estadio Nuevo los Carmenes on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring in just the second minute, slotting a low ball into the box home with style. Then a James Rodriguez volley doubled the lead and wowed the crowd at the same time.
Karim Benzema added a third to halt any potential comeback idea in the second half, and James grabbed a second late on.
Here, B/R picks its winners and losers from the game.
Winner: Jeison Murillo, Who Impressed in an Ailing Defence
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Granada defended better than the final score indicated in this match, with Real Madrid's first two goals moments of beauty you can't legislate for on the training ground.
Among the impressive performances was Jeison Murillo, a young Colombian centre-back who is trying to prove to Jose Pekerman he can be counted on at the heart of his defensive line.
Murillo dealt with the pace and movement of Karim Benzema and Co. about as well as any 22-year-old would. He certainly upped his profile despite his side being beaten in comfortable fashion.
Loser: Dani Carvajal, Who Was Rushed Back to the XI Unnecessarily
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Dani Carvajal has a hamstring issue dogging him, and it felt as though he was prematurely rushed into the XI for this match.
Granada, with respect, are not the toughest examination and don't require that sort of forced action, and Carvajal limped off after tweaking his muscle in the first half.
You have to ask if his presence was necessary. Carvajal was excellent bombing forward and caused no end of issues at the byline, but it feels like an injury that could have been avoided with ease.
Worse yet, replacement Alvaro Arbeloa played poorly from a defensive perspective.
Winner: Karim Benzema, Who Creates and Scores at Will
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Karim Benzema is one of the most underrated forwards in world football; his propensity to assist and create as well as score makes him a dream for most managers.
In a game where Real Madrid's other superb attacking outlets found the scoresheet, Benzema picked up two first-half assists in a very team-orientated role. Regular Merengues viewers already know this, but casual spectators may have been surprised to see selfless runs, clever passing and strong chance creation.
He iced his personal cake with a well-taken goal in the second half.
Loser: Pepe, Who Struggled All Game Despite the Clean Sheet
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Pepe had a game to forget, and although he was part of a Real Madrid clean sheet and a professional performance, individually he can be called into question.
Sergio Ramos bailed him out twice after falling asleep while tracking and "marking," and in the first half, the Portuguese managed to plant his studs right into his colleague's stomach.
It was a rough day for him.
Winner: James Rodriguez, Who Conjured the Spirit of the World Cup
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James Rodriguez's very expensive transfer to Real Madrid attracts natural criticism and close scrutiny. While he hasn't "turned it on" as yet for Los Blancos, he's by no means the passenger some have suggested.
It was great, therefore, to see him net a stunning volley that looked akin to his World Cup wonderstrike in some ways. His left-footed effort, fired into the top corner from an acute angle, took the stadium's collective breath away for all the right reasons.
He added a second late on, pushing his claim for Man of the Match into the realm of legitimacy.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was quoted by Stefan Coerts of Goal.com as saying: "James scored a fantastic goal and Cristiano Ronaldo gave a fine assist for Karim. It's getting harder and harder to talk about Cristiano Ronaldo. He is a fantastic player."
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