Real Madrid vs. Ludogorets: Lessons Learned from Champions League Game
Real Madrid made it six wins out of six in Champions League Group B with a 4-0 defeat of Ludogorets.
It was to prove tough going for the Bulgarian outfit after Marcelinho was sent off for a 19th-minute handball. Cristiano Ronaldo converted the subsequent penalty, and Real gradually picked their visitors off from there.
Gareth Bale made it two before half-time; Alvaro Arbeloa and Champions League debutant Alvaro Medran completed the scoring. With Liverpool drawing with Basel in the group's other game, Ludogorets missed out on Europa League football after finishing fourth.
Though not the most exciting night of European football, there were still a few lessons to be found in this one. First up, how Ronaldo found things as difficult as he has all season.
Ronaldo Can Be Stopped...
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...if you focus a large degree of your defensive efforts on doing so. Ludogorets did, and it turned out to be one of the Portuguese star's quieter nights this season.
First and foremost, the Bulgarian side looked to stifle Real Madrid's best player. After he went loose with a couple of early runs he was not allowed much space to operate thereafter (though that did not extend to dead-ball situations where Ludogorets' marking was woeful).
When Ronaldo did work an opening, his shot was frequently blocked by a green body flung in front of him. Eight of his 10 attempts at goal were stopped, per Squawka.
He might not have even scored had referee Clement Turpin let Gareth Bale's goal stand rather than penalise the momentarily earlier handball from Marcelinho.
The obvious caveat with Ludogorets' Ronaldo semi-fixation was that it allowed a little more time and room for Real's other considerable talents in the final third.
Javier Hernandez was barely tracked, while Bale and Isco popped up in dangerous positions repeatedly.
As noted above, the concentration the away side at least focused on Ronaldo in open play was not seen at the corner kicks from which Bale and Arbeloa scored their goals and others threatened too.
On a night with more at stake than a continuation of a winning streak (now at 19 in all competitions), Real might have punished Ludogorets more seriously.
It brings up an interesting dilemma for the champions' prospective European opponents heading into 2015. Especially ones less able to hurt Madrid in their own right down the other end.
There is a glaring need to stop an attacker who has already scored 30 goals this season. But how much of a team's resources can be directed towards doing so when there are others to worry about too?
None of Georgi Dermendzhiev, Brendan Rodgers or Paulo Sousa were able to figure it out in the group stage. We will soon find out which manager and team gets to try their luck next.
Illarramendi Showed Signs He Can Take a More Prominent Role
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Asier Illarramendi has not had it easy proving himself at Real Madrid.
The £34 million transfer fee Real Madrid paid Real Sociedad for in summer 2013 is a substantial one to justify for a player still finding himself at 24 years old. Especially when you consider the competition for places he has had to face since then.
With Xabi Alonso gone and Sami Khedira and Luka Modric facing injury problems at different points of this season, Illarramendi has had an extended run of late.
His performance against Ludogorets will not necessarily have convinced everyone he is the top-class deputy capable of covering for those big-name team-mates against Europe's best. Nonetheless, the way the Spain international looked to take the game to the Bulgarians at least underlined his willingness to try.
As per Squawka, Illarramendi completed 97 percent of his passes. That his counterpart Svetoslav Dyakov landed 98 percent of his attempted passes shows the work did not come amid the most competitive of midfield battles. Still, Illarramendi was not shy in directing where his team went, or in changing the tempo when he saw fit.
Within the first half-hour he made some terrific passes to Isco and Ronaldo inside the box from close quarters. With the Bulgarians defending well with play all bunched up, Illarramendi soon after made the call to try something a little more direct .
After an exchange with Ronaldo, the central midfielder picked out Bale's run over the top of the defence. Georgi Terziev tackled him, but the Welshman scored from the subsequent corner.
Illarramendi's influence would diminish post-interval. All in all, though, it was a mature performance that could prove to be a timely confidence boost for the young man.
Ludogorets Will Be Missed from European Competition
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A win for Ludogorets at the Bernabeu would have seen them finish third in Group B after Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Basel.
The recriminations and whining surrounding the Premier League outfit right now might have receded come February. But as things stand, it is a bit of a shame they, rather than the more-positive Ludogorets, will be taking a place in the Europa League in early 2015.
While their efforts to return to Europe's top table in the Bulgarian league will have demanded much of their attention post-Christmas, you suspect they would have relished the chance to further strut their stuff on a bigger stage. Bar the 4-0 away loss at Basel, Dermendzhiev's side have acquitted themselves excellently in the Champions League.
They qualified in thrilling fashion, winning a penalty shootout against Steaua Bucharest thanks to the memorable performance by defender-turned-scorer-turned-goalkeeper Cosmin Moti. In the group stage, the Bulgarians twice had Liverpool on the ropes, while their 1-0 win at home to Basel will not soon be forgotten.
Ludogorets also worked hard to ensure Real Madrid did not have it all their own way either. The 2-1 home loss was as uncomfortable as Carlo Ancelotti's side have been in the Champions League since last season's final with Atletico Madrid. The 4-0 win this week was easier going for Madrid, but you wonder if Ludogorets might have played them closer had Marcelinho not been sent off.
Goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov was excellent as the back-up to their Ronaldo-centric defensive plan. He made a number of terrific stops and was unlucky not to keep Arbeloa's goal from crossing the line.
Further forward, Virgil Misidjan's pace and purpose provided a vital outlet in the aftermath of the aforementioned red card. One that ensured Ludogorets were not pegged back to embarrassing results.
The skipper Dyakov worked especially hard once again, as did the relentless full-back pair of Junior Caicara and Yordan Minev.
Liverpool might well make their time in the Europa League count. Regardless, anyone who has watched Ludogorets this season should hope they are back in the Champions League for 2015-16. The prospect of seeing if they can improve even further would be a notable watch.
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