Real Madrid vs. AS Roma: Lessons Learned from International Champions Cup

Roma beat Real Madrid 7-6 on penalties following a scoreless draw on Saturday in the International Champions Cup.

A Daniele De Rossi effort smacked the bar inside the opening five minutes as the Giallorossi dominated the first half, but Los Blancos came out strongly after the break, controlling play and coming close through Lucas Vazquez in the dying moments.

Roma scored all seven of their penalties in the shootout and Real Madrid six, with Vazquez missing the key spot-kick in sudden death. Here B/R details lessons learned from the pre-season exhibition.

Iago Falque Looks Good

Giampaolo Magni/Associated Press

Rudi Garcia's summer signings last year weren't brilliant, and his dealings led to a further fall behind Juventus in the Serie A table. Seventeen points is a big gap, and while players such as Juan Iturbe are expected to improve and make a bigger impact in 2015-16, new signings need to be nailed, and their impact must be tangible too.

Iago Falque, acquired from Genoa after an excellent 2014-15 campaign, looked good in his first outing for the Giallorossi; his tricky, quick style opened up plenty of areas to attack, and he had Marcelo on the back foot throughout the first half.

Gareth Bale Looks Sharp

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

Gareth Bale had a rough 2014-15 season—a fact well documented by the Spanish and international press alike—but he's at least started this campaign focused, fit and sharp.

He didn't manage to make a telling impact in the final third but got free down the right side several times, had the beating of Ashley Cole and saw several dangerous low crosses cleared or gathered by Morgan De Sanctis.

He visibly shrank under the glaring lights of scrutiny last season but looks determined to make amends and in fine fettle.

Morgan De Sanctis Steals Keylor Navas' Thunder

Ivan Sekretarev/Associated Press

Real Madrid have signed Kiko Casilla, a reasonable goalkeeper who is in no way, shape or form an adequate replacement for Iker Casillas. It's led to the belief Keylor Navas will become Los Blancos' No. 1, and this first pre-season game was a chance for the Costa Rican to seize the initiative.

Unfortunately, Navas had a few shaky moments and was outshone by Roma veteran Morgan De Sanctis. Where the former pushed shots back into dangerous areas and flapped at aerial balls, the latter gathered everything calmly, commanded his area and made a vital save from a Lucas Vazquez effort late on.

Denis Cheryshev Impresses but Needs to Find More

Kerstin Joensson/Associated Press

Denis Cheryshev excelled on loan at Villarreal last season, and Rafa Benitez has pledged to review his first-team prospects at Real Madrid as a result.

Replacing Cristiano Ronaldo, who looked disinterested and unenthused by the occasion despite the MCG screaming in delight whenever he touched the ball, the Russian speedster attacked the left flank and fired in several venomous crosses—one of which setup Karim Benzema for a good chance in the box.

A starting spot in this team is likely not a possibility for Cheryshev, but as uMAXit Football's Jack Rathborn noted on Twitter, a place in the squad is possible if he continues to up his game and impress.

Karim Benzema Is Still King

Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press

There has been speculative suggestions among La Liga aficionados that Cristiano Ronaldo could take the No. 9 mantle for Real Madrid under Rafa Benitez and that Karim Benzema could be shown the door. The Frenchman has been linked to Manchester United, among other clubs, this summer, per the Manchester Evening News.

But Benzema's second-half performance at the MCG proved his undoubted worth no matter the manager; his ability to link play in clogged zones and free runners into the penalty box is borderline unrivalled, and it produced several good chances for Real Madrid here.

Benitez would be mad to consider moving the former Lyon man on.

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