Real Madrid vs. Getafe: Winners and Losers from La Liga Game
Real Madrid concluded their 2014-15 season with a 7-3 romp over Getafe at the Bernabeu on Saturday night.
Los Blancos climbed over the 90-point plateau behind a sensational first-half effort from Cristiano Ronaldo, who bagged goals in the 13th, 32nd and 34th minutes.
Getafe were able to keep up with the hosts during the first 45 minutes, as Sergio Escudero, Diego Castro and Mehdi Lacen struck the back of the net to level the match at three goals apiece entering the half-time break.
Goals from Javier Hernandez, James Rodriguez, Jese and Marcelo allowed Real Madrid to leave their home pitch for the final time this season with their heads held high.
Continue reading on for a look at the winners and losers from Real Madrid's attacking explosion at the Bernabeu.
Winner: Cristiano Ronaldo
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Ronaldo celebrated his capture of the Pichichi Trophy with a first-half hat-trick in front of the Madrid faithful at the Bernabeu.
In the 13th minute, the Portuguese superstar rose high in the air and nodded in a Marcelo cross to boost his total in league play to 46 goals.
His second and third of the match came in quick succession, as he whipped one of his trademark free-kicks into the left side of the net in the 32nd minute and converted from the spot two minutes later.
The trio of strikes allowed Ronaldo to break his own personal record of total goals in a season. His final total was 61, including 48 in league play.
Unfortunately for Ronaldo, he was unable to add to his terrific season in the second half as he was taken off in the 58th minute for Martin Odegaard.
Loser: Iker Casillas
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While Ronaldo continued to receive cheers from the Madridistas on Saturday night, Iker Casillas felt the wrath of the home supporters after conceding on three occasions in the first half.
The Spanish netminder let in two goals in four minutes, as Escudero and Castro both struck the bottom-right corner of the net with shots from outside the box.
Things went from bad to worse for Casillas in the 42nd minute, when he was left flatfooted on Lacen's goal. Lacen was able to hit the back of the net thanks to Casillas' positioning on a Getafe corner.
Since Casillas was still rooted to his spot looking for the ball, he stood no chance against the attempt from the Getafe midfielder.
Throughout the rest of the match, Casillas was greeted with a mixture of boos and cheers from the Madrid fans, who may have watched the goalkeeper play his final game for the club.
Winner: Sergio Escudero
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Escudero delivered Getafe with their best strike of the match in the 22nd minute, as he belted a shot from distance into the bottom-right part of the net past Casillas.
The strike was the second of the league campaign for the 25-year-old left-back, who last struck the back of the net on April 5 against Deportivo La Coruna.
Escudero's brilliant piece of skill in the final third was one of the few highlights produced by a defender at the Bernabeu on Saturday night.
Despite being on the wrong end of the final result, Escudero can take pride in scoring the goal that leveled up the match in the 22nd minute.
Loser: Pepe
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Seconds after making a standout interception in his own half, Pepe exited the pitch with an injury in the 40th minute.
In an attempt to stop Getafe from scoring a third, the center-back extended his leg during a slide as the visitors were springing forward on a counter.
Although he did his job and stopped the Getafe attack from moving further forward, Pepe injured himself in the process.
Even if the injury is not serious, Pepe will have to put in some extra work during the offseason to reach full fitness, which is something no footballer wants to do during the start of their holiday.
Winner: Javier Hernandez
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In what was likely his final home match at the Bernabeu, Hernandez turned in a productive shift and scored the fourth Madrid goal in the 47th minute.
The showing capped off a stretch of two months in which the Mexican forward caught fire in the front of goal. Since April 11, Hernandez has five goals and three assists to his name in all competitions.
Although he may not have impressed the Real Madrid brass enough with his play over the course of an entire season, he did show off his talents at the right point of the campaign in order to secure a permanent move elsewhere.
The Mexico national team should also benefit from Hernandez's scoring streak, as he will be an important cog in the El Tri machine during the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July.
Winners: Fans Who Stuck Around for the Final Match of the Season
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The final scheduling quirk of the season allowed Real Madrid to host Getafe two hours after the start of the meaningful clashes in Spain this weekend.
Those who stayed around for the final match of the Spanish season were treated to a enjoyable 10-goal thriller that saw plenty of individual brilliance.
While all the headlines, and rightfully so, will be on Barcelona's title celebration and Xavi's farewell from the Camp Nou, these two sides did give us something else to talk about on a weekend where most of the drama around the continent has been taken away due to previous results.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
